Virtual Jihadi game exhibition closed

Author: Joe Martin
Published: 14th March 2008
Comments (22) Stumble
Wafaa Bilal's game-based exhibition, Virtual Jihadi, has been closed early in multiple venues.

Wafaa Bilal's game-based exhibition, Virtual Jihadi, has been closed early in multiple venues.

Wafaa Bilal recently detailed his work to We Make Money Not Art and told how his exhibition Virtual Jihadi, which uses computer games as a platform, had been closed early at both the Rensselaer Polytechnical Institute and the The Sanctuary for Independent Media.

The exhibition is based on the Al-Qaeda produced game, The Night Of Bush Capturing, which is in turn based on the 2003 American game, Quest for Saddam. Both games have been described as clear propaganda and have players trying to kill leaders of each nation at the time.

Bilal's exhibition was a remake of these games which starred himself as a suicide bomber charged with killing President Bush. Bilal himself was born in Iraq but is an American citizen and currently teaches at the School of the Art Institute in Chicago.

"My underlying premise for this piece is that hate is being taught - it's not a natural emotion," Said Bilal in a public statement. "Video games are one of the technologies being used to foster and teach hate. I am especially concerned by the ones created by the US military, which are intended to brainwash and influence young minds to become violent."

"Though Al Qaeda's game where Bush is hunted down and killed generated much international outrage, the U.S. Army's own free on-line game is equal to the Night of Bush Capturing in its propaganda motives. Since I belong to both nations fighting in this current war, and since I am an American, I have the ability and right to question my own government's use of these video games to teach violence and hatred."

Bilal recently presented and exhibited his work at both the Rensselaer Polytechnical Institute and the The Sanctuary for Independent Media, but both venues closed the exhibition early on the basis of "code volition".

Bilal, who found internet fame for an art piece which allowed viewers to shoot him 24/7 with a remotely-controlled webcam-equipped paintball gun (which was fired 40,000 times in two weeks), is asking art lovers to support him in protesting these closures. Of course, whether you want to support or ban his work depends on your viewpoint - do you think games are a legitimate artform for communicating these messages? Let us know in the forums.
Downloand Mercenaries 2: World In Flames Now!
Quote shigllgetcha 14th March 2008, 10:24
great that we live in a world with democracy where you can say what you want!
Oh wait......
Quote Mentai 14th March 2008, 10:42
"The Sanctuary for Independent Media" isn't much of a sanctuary... I think what he's doing is perfectly reasonable and has a valid point. Very closed minded of them to shut him down.
Quote cjoyce1980 14th March 2008, 10:42
you can say anything as long as it doesn't conflict with western (or bushs) views
Quote shigllgetcha 14th March 2008, 11:01
cjoyce do you not mean the opposite?? bush isnt offended by it
Quote sotu1 14th March 2008, 11:26
very interesting. never really thought about things this way, but yeh. sorry, too tired to make coherent valuable comments!
Quote Fly 14th March 2008, 12:04
Can we set up the paintball experiment again, this time with live ammo?
Quote mmorgue 14th March 2008, 12:42
Sad thing is, you take the insurgent/terrorist speeches which say, "Allah" this and "Allah" that, and the take the same equivilant US speeches for *fighting* terrorism, upholding law or official doctrine, most also refer to "God" this and "God".

Hell, swap "God" for "Allah" and vice versa and who's who, then? Same f*ckin deal -- both people using religion as an excuse to be sh*tty to one another and blow the hell out of each other.
Quote shigllgetcha 14th March 2008, 12:48
theres a big difference between goin into a group of people strapped with explosives and blowin the **** outa urself and 25 others and sending an army into a violatile area. Dnt condone what the US do but even thinkin terrorism is just is redicilious
Quote mmorgue 14th March 2008, 13:01
^^ i agree but my main point is that both sides use the draconian, antiquated notion of religion as a means to validate their behaviour. Both sides are wrong; but their belief in their 'gods' upholds their morality.

And buddy from the article, while perhaps trying to illustrate this, is going to have it backfire heavily, living in a very conservative, neo-christian state.
Quote steveo_mcg 14th March 2008, 13:19
Quote:
Originally Posted by shigllgetcha
theres a big difference between goin into a group of people strapped with explosives and blowin the **** outa urself and 25 others and sending an army into a violatile area. Dnt condone what the US do but even thinkin terrorism is just is redicilious

But not a lot of difference dropping "smart" bombs into a civilian area and blowing up more than 25 people and hoping you got a terrorist.
Quote Redbeaver 14th March 2008, 14:52
Quote:
Originally Posted by steveo_mcg
Quote:
Originally Posted by shigllgetcha
theres a big difference between goin into a group of people strapped with explosives and blowin the **** outa urself and 25 others and sending an army into a violatile area. Dnt condone what the US do but even thinkin terrorism is just is redicilious

But not a lot of difference dropping "smart" bombs into a civilian area and blowing up more than 25 people and hoping you got a terrorist.

very nice reply.

thank Allah, bush is out of the office soon...
Quote Cthippo 14th March 2008, 22:41
Quote:
Originally Posted by Redbeaver
thank Allah, bush is out of the office soon...

QFT! ;)

Though, if we're not careful we'll end up with John "Bombbomb" McCain.

I think the fact that his exhibit was shut down is the greatest admission that he is telling the truth!
Quote pendragon 15th March 2008, 16:20
freedom of expresion: fine, fine, but in the same vein i also think the venues hosting his exhibit should have the freedom to close it down if those so desire. You can't have one without the other.

personally, i think this is quite tasteless :(
Quote Bluephoenix 15th March 2008, 17:14
even if the point is valid, the method of delivery is tasteless.


best way to end all the crap is to simply irradiate the sites they're all fighting over and give them a 25,000 year 'timeout'
Quote HitmanAdski 16th March 2008, 12:08
These are the people that hate western society and culture, they give no rights to women or children. It's fair to express your opinion, I just can't bring myself to let these people have their way, they bomb the twin towers first then London, Bali twice... and we are just supposed to support their views and allow them to keep going?

If it where any other group in the world I wouldn't give a rat’s ass... but not from terrorists who kill innocent to, as the name suggests, terrorise. Perhaps if they targeted the leader or commander that approved the orders rather than YOU or ME or YOUR FAMILY just going about everyday business.
Quote Cthippo 16th March 2008, 19:12
Quote:
Originally Posted by HitmanAdski
These are the people that hate western society and culture, they give no rights to women or children. It's fair to express your opinion, I just can't bring myself to let these people have their way, they bomb the twin towers first then London, Bali twice... and we are just supposed to support their views and allow them to keep going?

If it where any other group in the world I wouldn't give a rat’s ass... but not from terrorists who kill innocent to, as the name suggests, terrorise. Perhaps if they targeted the leader or commander that approved the orders rather than YOU or ME or YOUR FAMILY just going about everyday business.

No, they don't hate western society and culture, what they hate is having it shoved down their throat on the barrel of a gun. What they hate is seeing their co-religionists forcibly displaced from their homes and forced into slums by an occuping force supported by the rest of the world (Isreal). What they hate is the western world continuing to oppress them while taking their oil. What they hate is seeing Muslim countries invaded for no good reason by western nations while the world stands by and cheers (Iraq and Afganistan).

If you quit sucking on the propaganda tit for moment and took a look at who the "terrorists" are and why they fight, you might realize that in the same circumstances you would do the same thing.
Quote zoom314 16th March 2008, 22:57
Quote:
Originally Posted by Cthippo
Quote:
Originally Posted by HitmanAdski
These are the people that hate western society and culture, they give no rights to women or children. It's fair to express your opinion, I just can't bring myself to let these people have their way, they bomb the twin towers first then London, Bali twice... and we are just supposed to support their views and allow them to keep going?

If it where any other group in the world I wouldn't give a rat’s ass... but not from terrorists who kill innocent to, as the name suggests, terrorize. Perhaps if they targeted the leader or commander that approved the orders rather than YOU or ME or YOUR FAMILY just going about everyday business.

No, they don't hate western society and culture, what they hate is having it shoved down their throat on the barrel of a gun. What they hate is seeing their co-religionists forcibly displaced from their homes and forced into slums by an occupying force supported by the rest of the world (Israel). What they hate is the western world continuing to oppress them while taking their oil. What they hate is seeing Muslim countries invaded for no good reason by western nations while the world stands by and cheers (Iraq and Afghanistan).

If you quit sucking on the propaganda tit for moment and took a look at who the "terrorists" are and why they fight, you might realize that in the same circumstances you would do the same thing.
And let Me guess, Osama Bin Laden is a Muslim freedom fighter and not a terrorist bent on world conquest, Starting with Iraq and Afghanistan? Problem is Osama doesn't support the very Freedom You love, If You aren't a Muslim and a Supporter of His cause, Then You are to be exterminated like vermin just like He does to everybody at the World Trade Center and the Pentagon, He and Al-Qaeda are the Enemy, Now I'm not anti muslim or what not, These people believe in preparing for the afterlife and that anything or anyone that's not helping is in the way of that goal, As Islam is to them the only religion that deserves to live as the other religions deserve non existence, Peacenik protesters and all. But then at least We all know now that Bush didn't Lie, Saddam lied to the World and Everyone important believed what Saddam said, Saddam just wanted to keep the Iranians at bay as He never thought that the US would invade and so President Bush as Commander in Chief did what He thought was the only possible course of action left after all the stone walling that Saddam Husseins officials were dishing out back then. Bush is/was just doing what the President is called upon by the US Constitution to do, Bush didn't need a declaration of War to use the Military and since He did consult with the US Congress no laws in this regard were violated, Now I do agree with Senator John McCain that Rumsfeld wasn't doing what He should of and that mistakes due to a lack of planning happened, Why the mistakes? The invasion was most likely rushed so that would explain the mistakes and other stupid moves after the fact(No securing of military ammunition dumps, vehicles or buildings with documents in them w/MPs[Military Police]). In any case I'd rather in a time of War(Declared or Not It's still Wartime) a Person in there Who knows the Military and doesn't have to take time to learn the job like Abraham Lincoln did, Oh and some had said that the casualties were too high, They don't even equal Iwo Jima or even close yet as just over 20,000 US Marines died in that battle over about 3 weeks against the Imperial Japanese Army, So the present amount of casualties is something a commander would prefer, I might add that commanders would like No casualties better But that still is so far impossible and is a fact of life in a War Zone People die and have been dying since War was invented, Casualties can and will happen, Training and maybe some good luck will help most survive a firefight as the objective is not to be a Hero, That's the other guys job and usually Heros are Dead people. Of course a Military draw down from 2 million soldiers didn't help either.
Quote zoom314 16th March 2008, 23:02
Quote:
Originally Posted by zoom314
Quote:
Originally Posted by Cthippo
Quote:
Originally Posted by HitmanAdski
These are the people that hate western society and culture, they give no rights to women or children. It's fair to express your opinion, I just can't bring myself to let these people have their way, they bomb the twin towers first then London, Bali twice... and we are just supposed to support their views and allow them to keep going?

If it where any other group in the world I wouldn't give a rat’s ass... but not from terrorists who kill innocent to, as the name suggests, terrorize. Perhaps if they targeted the leader or commander that approved the orders rather than YOU or ME or YOUR FAMILY just going about everyday business.

No, they don't hate western society and culture, what they hate is having it shoved down their throat on the barrel of a gun. What they hate is seeing their co-religionists forcibly displaced from their homes and forced into slums by an occupying force supported by the rest of the world (Israel). What they hate is the western world continuing to oppress them while taking their oil. What they hate is seeing Muslim countries invaded for no good reason by western nations while the world stands by and cheers (Iraq and Afghanistan).

If you quit sucking on the propaganda tit for moment and took a look at who the "terrorists" are and why they fight, you might realize that in the same circumstances you would do the same thing.
And let Me guess, Osama Bin Laden is a Muslim freedom fighter and not a terrorist bent on world conquest, Starting with Iraq and Afghanistan? Problem is Osama doesn't support the very Freedom You love, If You aren't a Muslim and a Supporter of His cause, Then You are to be exterminated like vermin just like He [strike]does[/strike did to everybody at the World Trade Center and the Pentagon, He and Al-Qaeda are the Enemy, Now I'm not anti muslim or what not, These people believe in preparing for the afterlife and that anything or anyone that's not helping is in the way of that goal, As Islam is to them the only religion that deserves to live as the other religions deserve non existence, Peacenik protesters and all. But then at least We all know now that Bush didn't Lie, Saddam lied to the World and Everyone important believed what Saddam said, Saddam just wanted to keep the Iranians at bay as He never thought that the US would invade and so President Bush as Commander in Chief did what He thought was the only possible course of action left after all the stone walling that Saddam Husseins officials were dishing out back then. Bush is/was just doing what the President is called upon by the US Constitution to do, Bush didn't need a declaration of War to use the Military and since He did consult with the US Congress no laws in this regard were violated, Now I do agree with Senator John McCain that Rumsfeld wasn't doing what He should of and that mistakes due to a lack of planning happened, Why the mistakes? The invasion was most likely rushed so that would explain the mistakes and other stupid moves after the fact(No securing of military ammunition dumps, vehicles or buildings with documents in them w/MPs[Military Police]). In any case I'd rather in a time of War(Declared or Not It's still Wartime) a Person in there Who knows the Military and doesn't have to take time to learn the job like Abraham Lincoln did, Oh and some had said that the casualties were too high, They don't even equal Iwo Jima or even close yet as just over 20,000 US Marines died in that battle over about 3 weeks against the Imperial Japanese Army, So the present amount of casualties is something a commander would prefer, I might add that commanders would like No casualties better But that still is so far impossible and is a fact of life in a War Zone People die and have been dying since War was invented, Casualties can and will happen, Training and maybe some good luck will help most survive a firefight as the objective is not to be a Hero, That's the other guys job and usually Heros are Dead people. Of course a Military draw down from 2 million soldiers didn't help either.

Just an Edit folks.
Quote pumpman 17th March 2008, 00:14
Quote:
Originally Posted by Cthippo
No, they don't hate western society and culture, what they hate is having it shoved down their throat on the barrel of a gun. What they hate is seeing their co-religionists forcibly displaced from their homes and forced into slums by an occupying force supported by the rest of the world (Isreal). What they hate is the western world continuing to oppress them while taking their oil. What they hate is seeing Muslim countries invaded for no good reason by western nations while the world stands by and cheers (Iraq and Afganistan).

If you quit sucking on the propaganda tit for moment and took a look at who the "terrorists" are and why they fight, you might realize that in the same circumstances you would do the same thing.

QFT, its been happening since the crusades, there are extremists in every society, extreme christians, extreme catholics etc, etc, ever heard of Northern Ireland didn't see anyone like the US storming Ireland to free them from the Tyranny of the British Government, Didn't see the Marines invade England to free Scotland, I know I'm being glib but you get the point. As it was, the American Government already had bases in the UK thanks to a stipulation from Roosevelt during WW2, the only reason America got involved at all was Pearl Harbour,not because it wanted to help the UK, it was even doing deals with Germany before it got involved. America goes where it serves its own agenda nothing else. This is not a slight on the American citizens, just it's government.
Quote Major 17th March 2008, 01:22
Quote:
Originally Posted by mmorgue

Hell, swap "God" for "Allah"

God is Allah, Allah is God, why do so many people not know this?
Quote:
Originally Posted by Cthippo
No, they don't hate western society and culture, what they hate is having it shoved down their throat on the barrel of a gun. What they hate is seeing their co-religionists forcibly displaced from their homes and forced into slums by an occuping force supported by the rest of the world (Isreal). What they hate is the western world continuing to oppress them while taking their oil. What they hate is seeing Muslim countries invaded for no good reason by western nations while the world stands by and cheers (Iraq and Afganistan).

If you quit sucking on the propaganda tit for moment and took a look at who the "terrorists" are and why they fight, you might realize that in the same circumstances you would do the same thing.

Nice post.

I wouldn't think twice about capturing some soldiers who invaded my country and cutting their throats.
Quote CardJoe 17th March 2008, 08:12
Quote:
Originally Posted by Cthippo
No, they don't hate western society and culture, what they hate is having it shoved down their throat on the barrel of a gun. What they hate is seeing their co-religionists forcibly displaced from their homes and forced into slums by an occuping force supported by the rest of the world (Isreal). What they hate is the western world continuing to oppress them while taking their oil. What they hate is seeing Muslim countries invaded for no good reason by western nations while the world stands by and cheers (Iraq and Afganistan).

If you quit sucking on the propaganda tit for moment and took a look at who the "terrorists" are and why they fight, you might realize that in the same circumstances you would do the same thing.

Ditto. The difference between the words 'Terrorist' and 'Freedom Fighter' in the above contexts is limited only to a morally charged semantic difference which is deliberately used by the governments to create sides in something which is really only a matter of perspective.

Yes, a lot of terrorists are religious extremist nutjobs who would probably want to spread their faith all over the world violently no matter what. However, those religious nuts would probably be much fewer and totally ignored if it weren't for the fact that, to their own people, they are also freedom fighters. The west had no right to go in with a mixture of corruption and violence to take, take, take. If the situation were reversed I can tell you right now that I'd be out sabotaging Army bases and fighting for the survival of my culture and nation.
Quote Cthippo 17th March 2008, 19:10
Quote:
Originally Posted by zoom314
And let Me guess, Osama Bin Laden is a Muslim freedom fighter and not a terrorist bent on world conquest, Starting with Iraq and Afghanistan? Problem is Osama doesn't support the very Freedom You love, If You aren't a Muslim and a Supporter of His cause, Then You are to be exterminated like vermin just like He does to everybody at the World Trade Center and the Pentagon,

Well, lets see. 20 years ago he was a freedom fighter, leading his people against the occuping Soviets in Afganistan. He was our best friend, and we gave hoim millions of dollars in weapons because he was fighting an "approved" enemy. The Al Queda organization is not bent on world conquest, but rather on expelling infidels from Muslim lands, specifically thenholy lands in Saudi Arabia. If you want to demonize them, fine, but take the time to learn who they really are and what they really stand for.

And please, learn to use paragraphs and periods. The make what you have to say immensely more readable.
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