Should Mario be banned?

[tony_good]

Clearly, Mario is a racist Italian stereotype. It's amazing that so few people realize this and that there isn't a public outcry to change or outright ban this character. Consider these variables:
1. He is a blue collar laborer.
2. He is short and overweight.
3. He speaks broken English.
4. He is unintelligent.

Were he a non-white, there is no doubt that people would be outraged. Sure, stereotypes may exist for a reason, but that is no excuse for this kind of bigotry to be promoted, ESPECIALLY for children!

[Dahne]

Hey, for all you know, he may very well be a highly accomplished intellectual. He manages to divine a way to metabolize common vegetable matter into an unlimited source of combustible fuel, complete with a means of lighting and projecting it, as well as a snappy outfit, all without tools of any kind and in the space of a fraction of a second.

[Pedro Lambrini]

Being a bit of a Mario fan I'd like to respond to the above points:

1) He may be a blue collar worker but he is also the saviour of the world and royal family members who now has friends in high places.

2) He may be a little round but how do you know he's short? The only character taller than him in the games is Bowser. He also grows quite a bit if he's fed properly (there's a moral tale in that alone!)

3) His english is not broken, he merely has an accent. Example: "Just what I needed!" or "It's a-me, Mario". Notice the accent on the 2nd example - it is NOT broken english.

4) What makes you think he is unintelligent? He solves all the puzzles thrown at him and he always gets the job done!

I rest my case your honour. Although I do feel you may have some hang up regarding Short, fat, foreign, stupid labourers...

[DigitalSpace]

This is ridiculous.

Lighten up, kthx.

[SegaAges]

there is some website that says how mario is a communist. it's super funny. I know somebody has the link

[DigitalSpace]

there is some website that says how mario is a communist. it's super funny. I know somebody has the link

http://nedmartin.org/amused/communist-mario

[Pedro Lambrini]

This is ridiculous.

Lighten up, kthx.

I don't know if you're responding to my post (I presume this cos it's the one directly above yours!) but if you are I'm sorry! It was meant in a light hearted way - that's why I put the big grin at the end of the message. I was just passing some time before work!

[atomicthumbs]

This is ridiculous.

Lighten up, kthx.

I don't know if you're responding to my post (I presume this cos it's the one directly above yours!) but if you are I'm sorry! It was meant in a light hearted way - that's why I put the big grin at the end of the message. I was just passing some time before work!

[DigitalSpace]

I don't know if you're responding to my post (I presume this cos it's the one directly above yours!) but if you are I'm sorry! It was meant in a light hearted way - that's why I put the big grin at the end of the message. I was just passing some time before work!

I was responding to tony_good, not you! Your response was great. Sorry about the confusion. I have no ill will towards you whatsoever!

[Dobie]

Clearly, Mario is a racist Italian stereotype. It's amazing that so few people realize this and that there isn't a public outcry to change or outright ban this character. Consider these variables:
1. He is a blue collar laborer.
2. He is short and overweight.
3. He speaks broken English.
4. He is unintelligent.

Were he a non-white, there is no doubt that people would be outraged. Sure, stereotypes may exist for a reason, but that is no excuse for this kind of bigotry to be promoted, ESPECIALLY for children!

That's a really weak argument. Mario is not portrayed in a negative light. If the character were, say, a white collar CEO, does that change anything? Well, you'd have to get rid of the plumber motif, but that's about it.

I suppose if Mario was replaced with Lara Croft you'd be making the argument that the game was sexist. Instead you're complaining that he's "short and fat." You also make the assumption that if the character was anything but white, that its automatically racist. With your faulty logic, any game that portrays any person or stereotype should be banned.

There's a difference between having a character who happens to be Italian, and portraying Italians and their heritage in a bad light. Nothing in the game "pokes fun" at any ethnic group. Mario is about as docile as gaming characters get. Characters like Mario should be encouraged in gaming today. He's the antithesis of everything that's wrong in gaming's past and present.

[Darth Sensei]

Peta people should also hate Mario and he's a known animal abuser.

[dethink]

umm, is everyone's sarcasm detector broken this morning?

[punkoffgirl]

Look, it's Tony Bueno!

[Flack]

1. He is a blue collar laborer.
2. He is short and overweight.
3. He speaks broken English.
4. He is unintelligent.

Sounds like my inlaws. Let's ban them too, while we're at it.

(Is "okie-dialect" considered broken English?)

[pixelsnpolygons]

1. He is a blue collar laborer.
2. He is short and overweight.
3. He speaks broken English.
4. He is unintelligent.

Banned? I sure hope you're kidding - but I know a lot of people have these kinds of feelings and they have successfully ruined things in the past due to being a. bored and b. overly PC.

1. So blue collar laborers aren't allowed to be in games? Aren't allowed to be heroes? Aren't allowed to be characters? What? I don't understand. Blue collar laborers exist - many of them are Italian. And?

2. And? Plenty of people are, including Italians.

3. Again, I ask, so what?

4. And you're basing this off what? Jesus dude, he tought kids to read and count on the SNES - that's more than Sonic ever did.

[pixelsnpolygons]

umm, is everyone's sarcasm detector broken this morning?

Mine is.

[Aussie2B]

Were he a non-white, there is no doubt that people would be outraged.

Uh... Barret?

[MarioAllStar2600]

Should Tony_good never speak ever again? Yes.

If that is stereotyping Italians then I guess you should ban Sopranos, Family Bonds, and every other show based around Italian-Americans. If anything him being a hardworker shows that Italians are hard labors and not all crime guys. I can't believe im even debating this STUPID question. Honestly- Were you just trying to stir up trouble or something? Cause nobody honestly thinks Mario should be banned....

[MegaDrive20XX]

I'm Half- Italian and Half-Spanish decedent and I am not offended by Mario, my Italian grandmother adores the little plumber when ever I played Nintendo, she likes to watch.

The thing is, Mario was based on Miyamoto's land lord back when he to programming school in the States during the 70's. So that was Miyamoto's image of his landlord and in probably no way was supposed to be taken seriously as a sterotype...it's just what the public thinks and takes it out of proportion.

[Predatorxs]

Clearly, Mario is a racist Italian stereotype. It's amazing that so few people realize this and that there isn't a public outcry to change or outright ban this character. Consider these variables:
1. He is a blue collar laborer.
2. He is short and overweight.
3. He speaks broken English.
4. He is unintelligent.

Were he a non-white, there is no doubt that people would be outraged. Sure, stereotypes may exist for a reason, but that is no excuse for this kind of bigotry to be promoted, ESPECIALLY for children!

Luigi.. is alittle taller, but he could be 6'5 makin mario 6'1-ish! ....

Why not ban that blue hedgehog.. he just plain stinks! Mario and his gang are the sh!t,

"why de hell am'z i posting many times in this thrid" now thats broke english!

It seems all the good threads are all on holiday! today dammit!

..XS