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[Flynn]

Community and religious leaders have demanded the advertisement, with its photo of terrorist leader Osama bin Laden next to the words 'Go Get 'Em', be taken down immediately.

Advertising a new 15-rated PlayStation2 computer game America's 10 Most Wanted, Muslims who live and work in the area say it's "insensitive and undiplomatic".

From This is Bristol

 

[Sho Nuff]

Maybe "Go get him" would have been better

 

[Teddman]

Am I missing something? It's Bin Laden! 'Go Get 'Em' obviously refers to Al Qaeda and terrorists. Unless you identify with terrorists, there's nothing to be sensitive about...

 

[Ferrio]

This is what pissed them off

Members of Bristol's Muslim community say they are outraged after a controversial billboard was put up close to a city mosque.

 

[GDJustin]

I agree with Sho' Nuff. Replacing "Em" with "him" should clear up any ambiguity in the ad.

 

[ArcadeStickMonk]

They had a billboard for America's 10 Most Wanted?

 

[Lakitu]

Yes I saw one of em. All over the place down here.

 

[Alcibiades]

They had a billboard for America's 10 Most Wanted?

the videogame, which I've never heard of

I wonder if it intentionally ended up close to a Mosque, I'm guessing probably not...

 

[ManDudeChild]

It's from Encore I believe.

 

[TheGreenGiant]

I guess they love Bin laden and were probably offended by the image. Bah. Whingers

 

[Funky Papa]

I am more outraged because that heap of crap got a billboard.

 

[Hamfam]

Be funny if they changed it to "Go get them damn muslams"

 

[snapty00]

Some people must live solely to be offended.

 

[capslock]

I guess it's comparable to putting up a billboard with Hitler on it near a German community in the 1940's that said the same thing.

 

[DarienA]

Be funny if they changed it to "Go get them damn muslams"

I wonder if they would have a problem with a flashing sign saying Kill all Muslims....

 

[Che]

Wow, Darien. Just wow. I hope that was sarcasm aimed at the post you were quoting.

Obviously, NONE of you have any idea about how fucking ignorant people can be. I'd seriously fear for my life if I were in the muslim community in question, because, thanks to a deeply slanted media agenda, combined with the general insensitivity/hostility which has become generally prevalent in the west, it is quite likely that some enterprising moron(s) might take it upon himself to "go get 'em"--and attack some of its members. It happened everywhere right after 9/11, and it still goes on to this day. It goes without saying that most western muslims live in constant fear/uncertainty, not just for fear of terrorist attacks, but in addition, alienation and hostility from their own neighbors. It has happened to me, it has happened to members of MY family, and friends within my community. Some of the responses you guys posted really surprised me--and not in a good way. I have some stories for you from the early 90's, if you want to talk about backlash. It's not fucking funny, and it's hardly 'over sensitive.'

An appropriate comparison would be putting a billboard of a Somali warlord saying "Go get 'em" near an all-black church in Alabama. Think about it. It's damnation by association. People make the most idiotic assumptions, especially when driven by the fact that most don't bother look beyond what their television tells them. Some of you really need to get your heads out of your asses and peak out from behind your controllers for a second--this isn't some parent crying about GTA making her idiot son shoot someone--it's a community that very clearly fears being alienated because of a stupid goddamn ad with a fucking mass murderer prominently placed around the corner within view of their church. And, you know what? That fear seems clearly justified. Some nut sees a beard and brown skin and that's all the justification he needs to get his billy blub/malatov/gun. Jesus, the fact that some of you DON'T fully understand the issue speaks volumes for it, I think.

I'd assume the billboards placement was purely coincidence--unless they planned on getting media attention for the game through controversy, which is doubtful, although certainly possible. Acclaim's done crazy enough shit in Europe, anyway. Nevertheless, it IS in poor taste, and needs to be moved elsewhere.

There are many mass murderers other than Bin Laden in this world, but I bet that if we put a sign like this for them, many Americans will be offended.

 

[DarienA]

m0dus have you forgotten the phrase that caused the Grand Theft Auto protests and outrage?

 

[Broshnat]

What a load of rubbish- this is all being blown way out of proportion...

 

[GSG Flash]

I;m muslim and I really wouldn't give a shit about that Billboard if it was placed anywhere else, but the fact that they placed it close to the mosque is offending, it's like they wanted muslims to see that billboard.

 

[PS2 KID]

They should be horribly offended. Bin Laden is hijacking their religion. Just the sight of him should piss them off.

 

[Prine]

yeah, putting it right next to a mosque is incredibly stupid.

 

[DarienA]

They should be horribly offended. Bin Laden is hijacking their religion. Just the sight of him should piss them off.

That's right, that's the part that should be pissing them off. Unfortunately too many people think Muslim = Terrorist.

But putting it near the mosque was incredibly dumb.

 

[djtiesto]

Did they realize it was so close to the mosque? Maybe they weren't even aware of it... still, bad idea.

Is this game "Fugitive Hunter" that was released in the US? If so, that was one of the worst games I've ever played...

 

[DJ Demon J]

They should be horribly offended. Bin Laden is hijacking their religion. Just the sight of him should piss them off.

IAWTP

 

[enjoy bell woods]

Did they realize it was so close to the mosque? Maybe they weren't even aware of it... still, bad idea.

Is this game "Fugitive Hunter" that was released in the US? If so, that was one of the worst games I've ever played...

I was also going to ask if it is Fugitive Hunter.

 

[The Faceless Master]

i can see the problem if it's close to a mosque... it's just not a good place to have a sign like that, really...

 

[iapetus]

Meh. The real victims here are the gamers. Muslims may think it's bad that they're being indirectly associated with terrorists through the advertising, but we gamers are being accused of being the sort of people who'd want to buy this game.

 

[GSG Flash]

They should be horribly offended. Bin Laden is hijacking their religion. Just the sight of him should piss them off.

Yeah, I wanna kick Bin Laden's ass every time I see his face. I agree with him wanting US forces out of some muslim countries, but I am against everything else he does, especially killing innocent people. I'm lucky because I look like i'm from the US or Canada, like my skin color is white and stuff, but I've seen other Muslims being treated badly because of that asshole Bin Laden and those other damn terrorists who "think" they're muslims and are helping us. Anyways this is going a little off topic.

 

[WasabiKing]

i can see the problem if it's close to a mosque... it's just not a good place to have a sign like that, really...

That partially on the advertiser, for not checking out the lcoation of the buy, even if they claim not to know it, and also on the company that owns the billboard.

 

[Tommie Hu$tle]

i can see the problem if it's close to a mosque... it's just not a good place to have a sign like that, really...

They can STFU for all I care. The location come on. They put malt liquor signs near churches in the inner city. What do they think the billboard makes them MORE of a target than they were last week? C'mon if they put the billboard somewhere else the same problem would exist.