Res. No. 15
Resolution calling upon the Council of the City of New York to denounce the selling of "Grand Theft Auto: Vice City," a violent and racist video game which advocates the killing of Haitians and Cubans as entertainment, and calling on all concerned citizens to support an economic boycott of the video game's maker, Rockstar Games Inc., and its parent company, Take-Two Interactive Software.
By Council Members Clarke, Avella, Gioia, Comrie, Barron, James, Nelson, Gerson, Perkins, Rivera, Stewart, Yassky, Boyland, Brewer, Fidler, Foster, Gentile, Martinez, Quinn, Reed, Sanders, Weprin, Gennaro, Liu and Lopez
Whereas, Rockstar Games Inc. and its parent company, Take-Two Interactive Software, continue to market "Grand Theft Auto: Vice City," a violent and racist video game that advocates the killing of Haitians and Cubans as entertainment; and
Whereas, The game exhorts players to exterminate entire specific ethnic groups and represents Haitians in particular as thugs, thieves, and drug dealers; and
Whereas, "Grand Theft Auto: Vice City" depicts a fictional turf war between Haitians and Cubans and includes computer generated exclamations of "Kill the Haitians!" "Kill the Cubans!", "I hate these Haitians," "We'll take them out, we'll take these Haitians down," "Stinking nest of Haitians," and "We gonna kill them all. Kill all the Haitians!"; and
Whereas, The game's exhortations to kill all Haitians is a direct and frightening attack on the one million Haitians living in the United States and undermines the innumerable significant contributions that Haitians have made to the building of our communities; and
Whereas, Cuban American National Foundation spokeswoman Mariela Ferretti has stated that Cubans likewise feel "unnerved" at being singled out by the game; and
Whereas, Channel 2 News has publicly denounced and repudiated Rockstar Games and its president, Sam Houser, for cashing in on racism and violence; and
Whereas, Industry analysts have calculated that "Grand Theft Auto: Vice City" sold 4 million copies earning $160 million in sales even before it was released, and an industry expert says it could eventually sell 10 million copies, earning $400 million; and
Whereas, Dr. David Walsh from the National Institute on Media and the Family says that while "Grand Theft Auto: Vice City" is rated "M" and is thus inappropriate for children under 17, the game is hugely popular among young teenage boys; and
Whereas, A recent Gallup poll found that more than 70 percent of teenage boys have played Grand Theft Auto; and
Whereas, The game sends a message to young people that perpetuates racist stereotypes and make it "child's play" to hate and attack people; and
Whereas, As responsible citizens, we must ensure that our young people do not learn lessons of hatred and persecution of any ethnic group; now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That the Council of the City of New York denounces the selling of "Grand Theft Auto: Vice City," a violent and racist video game which advocates the killing of Haitians and Cubans as entertainment, and calling on all concerned citizens to support an economic boycott of the video game's maker, Rockstar Games Inc., and its parent company, Take-Two Interactive Software.