"While they took it off the shelves, they did not take it off the Internet. Chang told The Associated Press that he intends to fight the lawsuit.Īccording to Shine, he and others have attempted to contact and meet with Chang, but Chang has not agreed to do so.Ĭhang's Web site also advertises new games "coming soon," including "Hoodopoly," "Hiphopoly," "Thugopoly" and "Redneckopoly."Īnd although the company agreed to remove the game from its shelves, its opponents say they will continue to lobby against it. Specifically, he noted that it employed "characterizations of African Americans," including women, that presented them in a "denigrating manner" and a "demeaning way."ĭespite controversy over the board game, its creator states on its Web site that "Ghettopoly is controversial because it's both fun and real life."Ĭhang is currently facing a lawsuit filed by Hasbro, Inc., the company that produces Monopoly. "We are offended," he said, explaining that the game "expressed a racist mentality." Robert Shine Sr., president of the Black Clergy of Philadelphia and Vicinity, described the situation as sparking "a firestorm of opposition against the game across the nation." Many protesters were most offended by figures labeled "Malcum X" and "Martin Luthor King Jr." The names were intentionally misspelled by the game's creator, David Chang, who lives in Pennsylvania. Florida chapters of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People also called for the company to stop selling the game. In Chicago, members of the black clergy called for a boycott of Urban Outfitters. The protest was organized by the Black Clergy of Philadelphia and Vicinity, the Father's Day Rally Committee and Men United for a Better Philadelphia. Members of Philadelphia's black community protested outside Urban Outfitters' headquarters at 16th and Walnut streets on Oct. "He does not endorse or approve of the product." "Sam was pleased that did the right thing in pulling the game off shelves," Raab said. The game incorporates stereotypes of blacks as well as other minority groups, including Jews and Asians.Ĭontroversy over the game has even extended as far as Philadelphia politics, since the owner of Urban Outfitters is a contributor to the campaign of Sam Katz, the Republican candidate for mayor, according to his spokesman, Nate Raab. Squares on the Ghettopoly board are labeled Smitty's XXX Peep Show, Weinstein's Gold and Platinum and Tyron's Gun Shop. "Playas" buy crack houses and properties including Westside Liquor, Harlem, The Bronx and Long Beach City. The controversial spin-off of Monopoly can still be purchased from its Web site, however, at Ghettopoly game pieces include a marijuana leaf and a machine gun in place of the traditional Monopoly top hat and car. District Court in Rhode Island on Tuesday, despite the fact that there are innumerable “-opoly” parodies and variations on the market.An employee at the Urban Outfitter's location on campus, at 36th and Walnut streets, who did not want her name published, said she could not comment on the game, but confirmed that it had been removed from the store's shelves, as well as those at other locations. It sued Chang for copyright infringement in the U.S. Hasbro, the makers of Monopoly, are upset about what players will relate Ghettopoly to. I hope from this message some of you should know that I am not a racist person, but someone who decided to make a game that we all can enjoy and relate to.” “The game is called Ghettopoly not Blackopoly. Including Asians, Irish, Jewish, Hispanics, Whites, and Italians, just like any ‘Ghetto,’ ” Chang wrote in his “message to the haters.” “First off, there are all ethnic groups portrayed in Ghettopoly. Though Sharpton continues to criticize the game, Chang remains unbowed. In the meantime, Chang is launching a “Ghetto Gear” section and introducing other Monopoly knockoffs, including Hoodopoly, Hiphopopoly, Thugopoly and Redneckopoly. Mary’s, Pa., says the game is sold out, but can be back-ordered for delivery in December.Ĭhang says more than 15,000 people have ordered the game, which uses crack houses and projects instead of homes and hotels. Urban Outfitters, which originally carried the game, also has removed it from stores. Last week, Yahoo! stopped processing sales of the game, which features pimps, hos and crack as playing pieces, saying it violated the site’s standards. Traffic at, nearly nonexistent before Sharpton spoke out against the game, is up 9,500 percent, according to Internet tracking firm Hitwise. The board-game parody Ghettopoly, the target of lawsuits from Hasbro and a boycott from Al Sharpton, has sold out – and the creator hopes to throw down spin-offs targeting rednecks and thugs. Controversy has put one ghetto on easy street.
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