In hindsight, it is a little odd that this is the post I chose to open up my site with, since it really isn’t tonally consistent with the rest of the blog. I suppose it is “Random” Rage, though.

As far as the game goes, the game was recently released and the controversy never really took off, although part of that may be the media not having enough downtime to futz over insignificant and irrational arguments. Videogamer.com enlisted an anthropology expert to analyze the final game and his analysis is actually quite an interesting read.
http://www.videogamer.com/news/exclusive_expert_delivers_verdict_on_resi_5_racism_row.html

I ask myself the same question about the the musical, Porgy and Bess. It’s a dated, questionable portrayal of African Americans. Yet, the Gershwin score is intended to showcase black artists. The original was sung by some of the best, classically-trained black musicians in the world. What happens to this music?

The history of racism in our country is not pretty and the period of civil rights enforcement is extraordinarily recent and incomplete. I cannot sing any of this music without putting it into its historical context. I question even this contextual approach. Perhaps there should simply be silence.

But I wonder if we can’t find some way to honor the African American men and women whose artistry made such an impact at a time when the country’s consciousness of racism was so primitive. I would hate to see their performances buried and made invisible when their contributions have been and should be momentous.