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Drunken Irish character in 'Red Dead Redemption' causes outrage

By
David Connolly ,
IrishCentral.com Staff Writer

Published Saturday, May 22, 2010, 7:06 AM
Updated Saturday, May 22, 2010, 10:41 AM

 

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It is expected to be one of the best selling  action adventure video games of all time, but just-released Wild West game "Red Dead Redemption" has Irish media outraged at a drunken Irish character who is inebriated and abusive all the time.
 
Irish, the character's name, is "usually found stumbling around and getting into trouble with sober townsfolk while attempting to talk his way out," says the text. That's because he's the town drunk.

"The stereotype of the drunken Paddy will again be taken advantage of," said Dublin's Evening Herald, noting the game will be played by millions of kids worldwide. They also called it a  "nasty surprise."

The headline reads "Irish 'drunk' sours launch of hit game," and there has been a widespread pick up in the press of the allegations about the drunken Irish character.

"It is an outrageous slur, especially as we know schoolchildren will be playing this and they will be seeing a stereotype of the drunken Irish?" said commentator David Hogan.

"This game is a disgrace. Would they have black characters selling watermelon or Jewish characters lending money, of course not. But it seems-okay to slur the Irish."

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Posted by violeteyes on May 25, 2010, 09:42 AM EDT
There is one word to describe all of this -Stereotypes. I have known irish people all of my life and sadly i have to admit the ones i know do drink and behave intoxicated. Im of French descent and personally I prefer the Irish to the French.At least your welcoming when i visit :)
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Posted by killowen on May 24, 2010, 05:12 PM EDT
Souper TomSwinford - brays mightily. A twit who'll be one to the end.
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Posted by killowen on May 24, 2010, 09:58 AM EDT
A cancer, Israeli officials forged the Irish passports used in the murder of a top Hamas operative, it has been revealed.
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Posted by killowen on May 24, 2010, 09:58 AM EDT
Israeli officials forged the Irish passports used in the murder of a top Hamas operative, it has been revealed. A Cancer that keeps on giving.
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Posted by MihTsurt on May 24, 2010, 09:21 AM EDT
another problem is that many are arguing modern views on a less modern time, which is studying anything is unacceptable and not at all scientific. for example looking during the times of Wild Bill, or Billy the kid and the Regulators, and calling the savage is just how we would view it. Maybe to may living at the time these men were heros to theirs respective communities.
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Posted by MihTsurt on May 24, 2010, 09:17 AM EDT
First off the game is meant to be a dramatization of the lives of people in 1911. this includes views and language that many may not like of understand. Secondly if you believe that children will play this game and have negative views of the Irish, the your fight is not with developers of publishers it is with the parents. Rockstar has stated time and again, and more recently, in the last few days, that parents that buy their children Rockstar games are "bad parents". Rockstar makes guys for the adult audience, since the rating on most of its games. if parents do not heed these warnings then they are messing up and they are the ones that deserve your wrath. The really disgrace is that you have the audacity to write this little article and not mention the facts. you may friend need to practice more journalism and less of the blame game. Refusing to take responsibility is the epidemic that is killing the world we know today. Gamertag: Mih Tsurt e-mail: spyderknot@hotmail.com
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Posted by finntown on May 23, 2010, 08:42 PM EDT
Those that find this video game's depiction of an "irish drunk" should also address the fact that drinking and drunkeness is acceptable at all levels of irish society. Ask yourself how did the isish get a name for being ready to fight at the drop of a hat or that their preferred social activity is drinking and getting drunk.
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Posted by JBRAFTREE on May 23, 2010, 06:36 PM EDT
Silliness!!! I like a jar and a pint again and again>>>>
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Posted by TomSwinford on May 23, 2010, 05:34 PM EDT
Devlino, your logic is a bit befuddled. Clearly, as the Irish comprise a tiny fraction of one percent of the world's population, it stands to reason that most alcoholics are not Irish. The relevant point is that we have the highest proportion of alcoholics within our own ethnic group - compared with other ethnic groups, save, perhaps for native Americans. Incidentally, Irish alcoholics are loathe to join AA because of pathological denial of their condition. Some years ago my cousin did his doctoral dissertation on alcoholism in New York City. The Irish were overwhelmingly at the top of the ladder while the Jews were at the bottom. Yet, proportionally, few Irish were in AA. Got it?
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Posted by Monsoonman on May 23, 2010, 05:32 PM EDT
The facts: Ireland — the first European nation to accept the Message of Alcoholics Anonymous....and yes my friend if the Irish were taken out of the mix of AA in America, there would be many empty seats at our meetings...That's a fact jacques.
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Posted by TomSwinford on May 23, 2010, 04:38 PM EDT
Killowen, your comments are a very good example of convoluted gibberish - with the de rigueur 'blame-the English' for every misfortune to befall dear old Ireland, including our universal reputation for drunkenness. Have you considered sobering up and growing a brain, lad?
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Posted by Devlino on May 23, 2010, 04:28 PM EDT
Sorry I messed up the last sentence in my previous post. It should read: "Personally I hope that someone comes up with a video game with a Jewish character who likes to swindle the other characters - maybe they could call him Madoff or Milken." I used "he" instead of "they" in my first post.
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Posted by Devlino on May 23, 2010, 04:25 PM EDT
Don't be an idiot, Monsoonman. The reality is that most alcoholics - as well as most people in AA - are not Irish. Personally I hope that someone comes up with a video game with a Jewish character who likes to swindle the other characters - maybe he could call him Madoff or Milken.
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Posted by killowen on May 23, 2010, 02:08 PM EDT
monsoon ... If it weren't for the Irish, there wouldn't be an AA. ------ Is like saying ------- If it weren't for the Jews there wouldn't be a Holocaust.
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Posted by Monsoonman on May 23, 2010, 01:00 PM EDT
Are you trying to tell us that Timothy Learys real name was Shlomo Lipschitz?
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Posted by killowen on May 23, 2010, 12:48 PM EDT
Sad but true. The Wasps at the end of the day are now complete servants of those with the gold who've taken over with biblical ease. Son of Sam was slaughteringly higher on whatever stuff that drove his killing. Nigh forgot to mention CIA's funding of LSD program in the 1940s on unfortunate Canadians.
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Posted by Monsoonman on May 23, 2010, 12:37 PM EDT
If it weren't for the Irish, there wouldn't be an AA. Lets face it folks, we like to escape from reality using chemical means. Does Timothy Leary ring a bell?
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Posted by killowen on May 23, 2010, 12:35 PM EDT
The Irish desperately need an Anti-Defamation organization like Jews and Italians have. The Irish in America serve as the in-betweens, to the Wasps and Jews the Irish provide comic relief for the strata that lie beneath the pile. Irish names and surnames are usually taken by others for varied or sundry reasons. It may be to mask what the group at large perceives them being. Politicians being one sure type like John Kerry of Mass. or others with names too long for the marquee. Mickey Rooney with surname of Ueler had many people fooled with his moniker. Figuring into the mix is the struggle of the Irish in Ireland from an occupier of over 800 years. The Saxon boyos of the world side with their Mother England - thus the venom from there is happily embraced across her commonwealth with its awesome propaganda instruments, aided and abetted - need I say more.
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Posted by DrTrelawney on May 23, 2010, 07:18 AM EDT
What Outrage? Where? The only "Outrage" I've encountered is (as usual) on this hyper-sensitive site. Pathetic.
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Posted by atlantean on May 23, 2010, 05:59 AM EDT
Why would this be an outrage? It reminds me of my Irish relatives. They are almost always drunk and frequently abusive. Most of the Irish I have ever met had problems with alcohol. The Irish need to clean up their act. This hits just a little too close to home, so people are upset. They are upset because it it is often true and painful to admit.
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Posted by ConcernedGamer on May 22, 2010, 11:21 PM EDT
@MissAnnie Don't assume that it's "our" lord's name. I agree with most of what everyone has said, but the bigger issue I believe is this: "noting the game will be played by millions of KIDS worldwide." and "especially as we know SCHOOLCHILDREN will be playing this". This is a growing problem: the gaming industry is getting so much heat from "concerned parents" about their kids playing games with foul language and gore. If they were decent parents they wouldn't allow them to play it in the first place. Just like movies, video games have a rating system that gives a suggested age range, and lists the reasons as to why it is rated as such. Fact: you need to be 18 years of age to rent or purchase a game rated "Mature" (in the United States at least). Yes, it's a stereotype, but grow up. There are many more important things to worry about than a character in a video game. Also, I don't see any mention of the general store owner that CONSTANTLY makes negative comments about "the Jews"- they left that out.
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Posted by TomSwinford on May 22, 2010, 10:35 PM EDT
My Lord! Denny's runs an ad referencing the Irish Famine and clearly not intending to offend anyone - and for weeks there's anti-Denny's hate-filled commentary in the pages of IC. Now a video game potrays an Irish drunk and we're off to the races again. As a matter of fact, we Irish are known the world over for our excessive boozing. It is a well-deserved reputation. We can argue until the cows come home as to why we are unequaled in this dubious achievement but we cannot deny its essential truth. As I've often said before, we never seem to grow up and become adults (we do, of course, require our women to grow up and take care of things while we indulge in our great love of booze - not all of us, of course, but enough to keep our reputation intact.
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Posted by Rebelforce on May 22, 2010, 01:55 PM EDT
Apparently when it comes to Political Correctness, "No Irish Need Apply". How about giving us the name of this company so we know who to boycott.


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