In Response to "A Defense of Barret"

by Martin Haller 

I read this article, and I found it rather depressing. The author seemingly lacked a coherent reason for Barrett NOT being a racist portrayal. He instead struggled to cope with his feelings that any time a deed or represenation is called racist, one needs to jump to its defense. I recognize this feeling. It's a touchy matter -- we hate to hear "racism" over used, as it has indeed become. But I believe that Mr. Clark confuses the denunciation of Barrett with such modern mishaps as "political correctness."

Mr. Clark grasps for straws. "[He's] not African American [because] FF7 isn't in America." This is a specious point. He's an English speaking man of dark complexion. Perhaps he's not African-American, but that is certainly what he appears to be to the average American player. Just as one would consider Cloud "caucasian" if one had to define his race. Mr. Clark defends Square, using the rhetorical question, "How many times has Square used the Final Fantasy Series to denouce a race of people, let alone a single person?" No one is acusing Square of "denouncing" anyone. Instead, people are worried that Square is PORTRAYING someone in an unfavorable light.

Mr. Clark asks, "If Barret didn't act and talk the way he does, what would make him different from any other character?" To this I reply, what would the Asian reaction to Yuffie have been if she said things like, "Herro, I wourd rike a rorripop." For a character to fit a certain racial type, if that is indeed what Square was trying to do, they need not fit all stereotypes of said race. Mr. Clark points out that FF7 is not set in America. Why, then, is Barrett using a slang language associated with African Americans?

Would Barrett's character have been less effective if he hadn't been made out as a stupid black man? Possibly. But does that justify such a characterization at all? In my mind, it does not.