Amazon Removes Racist Game From Site

Last week, Amazon removed Ghettopoly, a racially insensitive board game modeled after Habro’s popular Monopoly game, from its website after a ground-swell of grassroots activism prompted the online retail giant to no longer allow the game to be sold through its online system. The game — which features a pimp, a hoe, a 40-ounce bottle, a machine gun (oozie), a marijuana leaf, a basketball and a piece of crack as game pieces — was previously removed from the shelves from Urban Outfitters in 2003 after a nationwide protest by the NAACP that ultimately led to the game being barred from sale in the United States after Hasbro, makers of the game monopoly, sued the inventor of the game, David Chang, for copyright infringement. People from many sectors of the community took action after The Seattle Medium published a story, in the March 13, 2013 edition, about the availability of the game, which uses stereotypes often related to African Americans as the butt of its humor, through Amazon’s website. Some people were so outraged that they cancelled or threaten to cancel their Amazon membership Richard Johnson, former president of the Central Area Chamber of Commerce and a member of the Kent Black Action Committee, was so outraged by the sale of this game through Amazon that he started an online petition. “I am starting a campaign the tell Amazon.com to stop selling the racially offensive board game called Ghettopoly,” wrote Johnson in an email to community leaders. “The battle to stop the sell this game was originally fought back in 2003. Now its back being sold as a collector’s item. Once again we need to stand up and not accept this outrage. ‘Racisim is Not A Game.'” Gwen Allen-Carston, executive director of the Kent Black Action Commission, immediately took action after hearing that the game being sold through Amazon. Allen not only signed the online petition started by Johnson, she called Amazon, wrote them and email and encouraged 0thers to do the same. “I have raised my voice against this to Amazon and am looking forward to others doing the same,” wrote Allen in a social media post. “This madness has to stop…. SHAME SHAME SHAME ON YOU AMAZON! Former Seattle/King County NAACP president Carl Mack, the catalyst for the 2003 protest, lent his support after hearing that Amazon apparently had taken no action to remove the game after being notified that the game, which many people find offensive, was available through their website. According to Amazon’s website, ‘listings for items that Amazon deems offensive are prohibited on Amazon.com. Amazon reserves the right to determine the appropriateness of listings on its site, and remove any listing at any time.’ Examples of prohibited listings include, ‘Products that promote or glorify hatred, violence, racial, sexual or religious intolerance or promote organizations with such views.’ “Here is their policy about racial insensitive material,” said Mack in an article that appeared in the March 13, 2013 edition of The Seattle Medium. “Given their policy, they still don’t appear to have a problem with selling this [game]. In our minds they don’t value diversity, and they certainly don’t value the dignity of Black folks as clients.” Mack, who now resides in Maryland, wrote the following post on his Facebook Page:”Family, I need some help reminding Amazon and any other company who sells racially insensitive crap that we can hurt them economically too. When I was President of the Seattle NAACP, I led the fight against this racist board game “ghettopoly” Amazon should be ashamed of themselves. I am not sure I am going to forgive them. Carson received an email from Amazon over the weekend stating that the game no longer available on their site. “All I did was make a phone call and send an email, with passion and concern,” said Carson of her activism. “It may not be much, but, it is a step in a direction which moves me forward to do more.” Despite the swift removal of the game from their website, many community members still find fault with Amazon for not removing them game without being forced to do so by the community. “Their handling of Ghettopoly is commendable but I’m sorry to see that it took the community to light some fire under them in order to them take it down.,” said Adam Myers, a local business owner and life member of the NAACP. Amazon has not responded to The Medium’s request for comments since removing the game from their site.