Racially Insensitive Game Finds New Home On Amazon

By Chris B. BennettCo-publisher/editor Ghettopoly – a racially insensitive game modeled after the popular monopoly board game – is stirring up controversy once again. The game, which uses stereotypes often related to African Americans as the butt of its humor, was 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. According to Kathy Campano, a spokesperson for Hasbro, the company was successful in obtaining a default judgment against Mr. Chang. In June of 2006, the Court issued a permanent injunction against the Ghettopoly game and Hasbro was awarded both damages and costs. However, despite the permanent injunction, 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, is once again available for sale — most notably through Seattle-based, online retail giant Amazon. The game’s official website automatically re-directs to the page where the product is sold on the Amazon website. A domain registration search finds that the domain is still owned by Ghettopoly.com Inc., and was last updated in August 2013, and list Chang as the administrative and technical contact.[KJ1] In a 2003 interview with The Seattle Medium, Chang, who emigrated at age eight from Taiwan with his family, said he views the game as humorous and not degrading. “Ghettopoly is controversial because its both fun and real life,” Chang told The Medium. “The graphics on the board depict every race in the country and both genders. It draws on stereotypes not as a means to degrade, but as a medium to bring together in laughter. If we can’t laugh at ourselves and how we each utilize the various stereotypes, then we’ll continue to live in blame and bitterness.” According to a press release promoting the game, Chang did his market research by watching MTV and studying the lyrics of rap and hip-hop music, and video games provided him insight into the culture of the ghetto allowing him to come up with the names of the properties of the game in just a few hours. Chang doesn’t feel that the game depicts any single group, rather that it pokes fun at everything associated with the Ghetto[KJ2]. “The playing of the game is not to offend people, that’s not my intention,” stated Chang. “It’s a satire. If they can’t see that there is nothing I can do about that. I’m not here to convince them otherwise.” However, many African American leaders find the game to be offensive as it allows players to buy crack houses and projects instead of houses and hotels. Property names include: Ray Ray’s Chicken and Ribs, Harlem, Busta Rap Recording, Malcolm X Ave., Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd. and Hernando’s Chop Shop. In addition, instead of having railroads like the original monopoly games, players can purchase liquor stores. One of the Ghetto Stash cards (equivalent to Monopoly’s Community Chest cards) reads: “You got yo whole neighborhood addicted to crack. Collect $50 from each player.” Carl Mack, former president of the Seattle/King County NAACP, did not find the game funny or amusing. “Everything about the game is degrading,” said Mack during an interview with The Medium in 2003. “It promotes every insensitive and racial stereotype that America has been in the forefront of creating with Black folks.” Mack and a former member of the NAACP, Eric Dawson, were the catalyst of the nationwide protest of the game when they went into the Downtown Seattle Urban Outfitters and demanded that the game be taken off the shelf. The Medium contacted Amazon regarding the sale of the game on 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[KJ3]. When asked by The Medium, if this game [Ghettopoly] would fall under this category? And if so, why is it allowed to be sold on amazon.com?[KJ4] Amazon responded by saying, “Amazon will not be releasing comment.” “All that this is, is another example of another company that is willing to make money off a product regardless of the racial indignity or insensitivity of that product,” said Mack of Amazon’s response. “Amazon is just as guilty as he is [David Chang]. If they know about it and don’t do a thing about it then they are just as racially insensitive as this guy, David Chang, is.” “Here is their policy about racial insensitive material,” Continued Mack. “Given their policy, they still don’t appear to have a problem with selling this [game]. In our minds they don’t value diversity, they certainly don’t value the dignity of Black folks as clients.” As of press time, five days after being contacted, Amazon still has the game available for sale on their website. “It appears to me, that they will not do the right thing until they are forced to do the right thing, and that is something that we should always remember,” said Mack. Nine years ago, through the efforts of the Black media and the NAACP, Ghettopoly – a racially insensitive and controversial game modeled after the popular monopoly board game – was removed from the shelves of Urban Outfitters (the only retailer to carry the game at the time) and was barred from sale in the U.S. after Hasbro, makers of the game monopoly, sued the inventor of the game, David Chang, for copyright infringement. However, it appears that the game – which uses stereotypes often related to African Americans as the butt of its humor – is once again available for sale. This time through the Seattle-based, online retail giant Amazon.All that this is, is another example that they are willing to make money regardless of the racial indignity or insensitivity of a product. It’s an embarrassment to a company like that, when they should know the value of diversity.It’s an embarrassment to a company like that, when they should know the value of diversity.Buying stolen properties, pimpin hoes, building crack houses and projects, paying protection fees and getting car jacked are some of the elements of the game. Not dope enough?…If you don’t have the money that you owe to the loan shark you might just land yourself in da Emergency Room.Offensive ProductsListings for items that Amazon deems offensive are prohibited on Amazon.com.Amazon reserves the right to determine the appropriateness of listings onits site, and remove any listing at any time. Reminder: all listings and products must comply with all laws andregulations.Examples of Prohibited Listings* Examples of prohibited listings include Products that promote or glorify hatred, violence, racial, sexual or religious intolerance or promote organizations with such views As it relates to the Amazon policy, would this game fall under thiscategory?If so, why is it allowed to be sold on amazon.com?Registered through: Cheap-DomainRegistration.com Domain Name: GHETTOPOLY.COM Created on: 31-Jan-02 Expires on: 31-Jan-18 Last Updated on: 03-Aug-12The games official website automatically re-directs to the page where the product is sold on Amazon’s website. A domain registration search finds that the domain is still owned by Ghettopoly.com Inc., was last updated in August 2013, and list Chang as the administrative and technical contact. Registrant: Ghetto Poly inc p.o. box 943 St marys, Pennsylvania 15857 United States Administrative Contact: Chang, David david_chang40@hotmail.com Ghettopoly.com Inc p.o. box 2272 arcadia, California 91007 United States +1.9179929672 Technical Contact: Chang, David david_chang40@hotmail.com Ghettopoly.com Inc p.o. box 2272 arcadia, California 91007 United States +1.9179929672Domain name: GHETTOGEARZ.COMAdministrative Contact: Peter Feltersnatch (ghettopoly@gmail.com) +1.8003825969 Fax: n/a n/a, AS 00918 USTechnical Contact: Peter Feltersnatch (ghettopoly@gmail.com) +1.8003825969Thanks, Chris. Hasbro was successful in obtaining a default judgment against Mr. Chang and in June of 2006, the Court issued a permanent injunction against the Ghettopoly game and Hasbro was awarded both damages and costs. This judgment isanother example of the Company’s willingness to protect its intellectual property tothe full extent of the law.Amazon will not be releasing comment. Thanks. Erik FairleighPublic Relations | Amazon.comIf what they say the mean in regards to racially incencitive materiql.. I cannot imagine them leaving that up….Cleary, I have no doubt that this guy couldn’t bring that to the east coast….The one thing about amazon is.. They’re not going to house the books…. They buy them as they sell..Given the fact that you’ve notiife amazon…for them to take an approach that we dontAll that this is, is another example that they are willing to make money regardless of the racial indignity or insensitivity of a product. It’s an embarrassment to a company like that, when they should know the value of diversity.All that is is that another example that they are willing to make money on regardless of the racial idignity of a product. Or racial insensitivity…..Itsw an embarrament to oan organization like that.. when the3y should know the value of diversity and the economics that we represent]It appears to me, that they will not do the right thing until they are forced to do the right thing… and that is something that we should always remember..It’s an embarrassment to an organization like that [Amazon],” said Mack of Amazon’s response. Amazon is just as guilty as he is [David Chang]. If they know about it and don’t do a thing about it then they are just as racially insensitive as this guy, David Chang, is.”amazon is as guilty as he is.. if they know about it and don’t do a thing about it.. they are just a racially insensitive as this guy David Chang is….Look at the hyprocrissy..Here is their policy about racial insensitive material,” Continued Mack. “Given their policy, they still don’t appear to have a problem with selling this [game]. In our minds they don’t value diversity, they certainly don’t value the dignity of Black folks as clients.In our minds they don’t value diversaity.. they certainly don’t value the dignity of black folks as clients…I guarantee./.. this is a reason… you can’t find reason in such stupidity.. I would not attempt tpo argue that nonsense with him…That the power of not knowing your history.. I doubt very serious that you’d ever be able to find a game regarding the massacre or the disrespect of native Americans and they be sitting around palying that game.. when you look at the lack of knowledge of aa not knowing our history.. when you don’t know your history you don’t find anything offensive about it.. I view it the same way….I appreciate the fact that you championed the effort again to get this type of racially insensitive material removed…Our fight in Seattle went around the world… The Seattle NAACP wants a very controversial and derogatory board game permanently removed from the shelves of a local retailer.The game, “Ghettopoly”, is a spin on the popular board game “Monopoly” that uses stereotypes often related to African Americans as the butt of it’s humor. The game features seven stereotypical game pieces– a pimp, a hoe, a 40 oz bottle, a machine gun (oozie), a marijuana leaf, a basket ball and a piece of crack – and instead of buying houses and hotels, players buy crack houses and projects. “Everything about the game is degrading,” said Seattle NAACP president Carl Mack during an interview on The Seattle Medium’s Rhythm & News radio program last Friday. “It promotes every insensitive and racial stereotype that America has been in the forefront of creating with Black folks.”In a 2003 interview with The Seattle Medium Chang, who emigrated at age eight from Taiwan with his family, said he views the game as humorous and not degrading. “Ghettopoly is controversial because its both fun and real life,” Chang said. “The graphics on the board depict every race in the country and both genders. It draws on stereotypes not as a means to degrade, but as a medium to bring together in laughter. If we can’t laugh at ourselves and how we each utilize the various stereotypes, then we’ll continue to live in blame and bitterness.”According to a press release promoting the game, Chang did his market research by watching MTV and studying the lyrics of rap and hip-hop music, and video games provided him insight into the culture of the ghetto allowing him to come up with the names of the properties of the game in just a few hours. One of the Ghetto Stash cards (equivalent to Monopoly’s Community Chest cards) reads: “You got yo whole neighborhood addicted to crack. Collect $50 from each player.” Property names include: Ray Ray’s Chicken and Ribs, Harlem, Busta Rap Recording, Malcolm X Ave., Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd. and Hernando’s Chop Shop. In addition, instead of having railroads like the original monopoly games, players can purchase liquor stores.”If other cultures find that this is a joke and that we are being too sensitive, then what else is new?” said Mack. “We as Black folks need to internalize this insult and act in a manner that says we will not tolerate this type of corporate racial insensitivity.” “It’s ghettopoly, it’s not blackopoly,” said Chang. “I’m an Asian American and I went through stereotypes all my life. If comedians don’t talk about race, what do they talk about? There would be no comedy shows, if they didn’t talk about race.”Chang says that when he first invented the game he was looking at what was hot and wanted something that there was a hot market for, and since hip-hop is the in thing now, he decided to make a game with an urban edge to it.”People ask me all the time why I don’t make a game like chinc-opoly,” said Chang. “If there’s a market out there for it, then I would make it. But there isn’t.”Mack and NAACP member Eric Dawson heard about the game, carried locally by Urban Outfitters which has over 50 stores nationwide, and immediately took action to have it removed from the downtown Urban Outfitters location, the only retail outlet across the country carrying the game. Mack and Dawson spoke to the store manager and expressed their dismay at the company’s decision to carry the game. “We told her that we find the game to be racially insensitive, and that they had two hours to take them off the shelf,” said Mack. “She took them off the shelf in two minutes.”Mack then left the store and placed three calls to the corporate office. After being put on hold on three separate occasions, he left a message with the switchboard operator requesting that the company issue a letter of apology for their insensitive decision to carry the game, and that they were pulling the game from its stores. “I told her that someone needs to send a letter of apology to the downtown store by noon, and that the letter should also confirm that the decision to carry the game was an oversight that they truly regret,” said Mack.At noon, Mack returned to the store only to find The Seattle Police waiting on him instead of the letter he had requested. The store manager asked Mack to leave the store after he handed her his business card and proceeded to ask her about the letter from their corporate office. The police officers on the scene then informed Mack that he was trespassing. Mack then left the store without incident.”Urban Outfitters used the law to slap the NAACP, and the black community,” said Mack. “They (Urban Outfitters) basically told us that they will continue to earn money in a racially insensitive manner, and if you don’t like it we’ll call the law.”Even though the games were off of the store shelves, they were apparently still available for purchase. As of Monday, both of the Urban Outfitter locations in Seattle had sold out of the game and they weren’t sure when they would be getting more copies of the game, or even if they’d be carrying the game at all in the future. One of the stores had a waiting list for the game of over 50 people.The NAACP is planning on picketing both Urban Outfitter locations this Saturday, and plans to continue to take action against Urban Outfitters until the company issues a formal apology.”It’s not over until they confirm to us that they no longer sell this game, and the owner of the store offers an apology to Black folks all across the country, especially here in Seattle,” said Mack. “Until then, we’ll find his store offensive and not one green black-owned dollar should further his racially insensitive wealth.””What we truly plan to do is to expose this insensitive corporate partner in our community, who believes that he can insult us in the most degrading way and then we’ll come in and buy it,” continued Mack. Chang doesn’t feel that the game depicts any single group, rather that it pokes fun at everything associated with the Ghetto.”The playing of the game is not to offend people, that’s not my intention,” he stated. “It’s a satire. If they can’t see that there is nothing I can do about that. I’m not here to convince them otherwise.Hasbro, the maker of the game Monopoly, has issued a statement regarding Ghettopoly stating that they find the game to be reprehensible and a violation of their intellectual property rights. “We have no record of ever being contacted by Mr. Chang and never game him any approval to produce this game,” the statement read.Hasbro has sent a letter of cease and desist to Mr. Chang.[KJ1]This is a bit confusing[KJ2]Not sure this should be capitalized[KJ3]Should this be in quotes?[KJ4]Don’t believe you need question marks here