It’s been over 150 years since the South lost to the Union army in the American Civil War, but only recently has the call to finally remove the Confederate Flag from public places picked up steam. Now Apple is getting in on the action too by banning all Civil War games from the App Store that display the Confederate Flag in “offensive and mean-spirited ways.”
According to a report from TouchArcade, Apple has sent developers a removal letter, informing them that apps parading the stars and bars are out of compliance with Section 19.1 of the App Store review guidelines:
“19.1 Apps containing references or commentary about a religious, cultural or ethnic group that are defamatory, offensive, mean-spirited or likely to expose the targeted group to harm or violence will be rejected.”
WalMart, Amazon, and eBay all announced this week that they would no longer sell items with the Confederate Flag, in response to the racial terrorism in Charleston, South Carolina where a man wearing the Confederate Flag shot and killed nine people at the Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal.
Dozens of Civil War games with the Confederate Flag have already been removed from the App Store, however education and generic Civil Wars apps are still available for download. Apple hasn’t released an official statement on its stance on the issue, but hopefully a compromise can be reached with some of the game studios that are just making historically accurate Civil War games.
Via: TouchArcade
Buster Hein is a freelance writer who lives in Phoenix, Arizona. Twitter: @bst3r.
39 responses to “Apple pulls games with Confederate flag artwork from App Store”
Found something wrong here
And I found something wrong. A complete, grammatically-correct sentence would read, “I found something wrong here:” The sentence would begin with a pronoun and end with a colon.
Be careful your house is not made of glass.
And I found something wrong. “Grammatically-correct” should not be hyphenated because adverbs ending in -ly are never followed by hyphens, nor is a colon a valid way to end any sentence (rather, it ends an independent clause).
Also, a professionally written (see — no hyphen!) articles should be held to a higher standard than a throwaway internet comment.
Be careful your house is not made of glass.
You are incorrect. “Grammatically-inorrect” is exactly correct. The rule you cite is archaic. While Grammar Girls may disagree, English teachers will tell you otherwise. By the way, a colon is •absolutely• the punctuation to end a sentence when it is called for, which it was. Here’s an example: A Cracker Jack box is no place to learn English.
If only you had thrown away your own comment.
“Apple pulls games with Confederate flag artwork from App Store”
Too bad, and how sad that Cult of Mac didn’t do the same thing when reporting this news!
Are •you• really that stupid, or are •you• joking?
Sorry, but the ignorance is all yours. But then, having a discussion like this with uneducated children is pointless, so I’ll bow out with you.
Glad I don’t have an i-device anymore, because this would certainly make me ditch it. Another blow against freedom of speech and expression all in the name of thin-skinned racist liberals everywhere.
Only a racist would conflate (look it up) freedom of speech with waving the confederate flag, a recognized symbol of a hateful ideology that tore this nation apart. Those who say that particular flag celebrates the “heritage of the Old South” should be ashamed of that heritage. The South will •not• rise again, at least not that way.
Ah yes, the standard move of the left — use the racist blame game to silence opposition. The Confederate flag was never about racism. Let’s remember it was the DEMOCRATS that were pro-slavery; it was the Republicans who put an end to it.
While you’re right in that the south will likely not rise again, you and those who are brainwashed like you are helping bring forth the second coming of the Nazis — fascism, the silence of free speech by calling it “hate speech” or “racist” or whatever. Yep, anything said that is offensive to ANYONE is considered taboo and must be silenced.
Last I checked, the Constitution did not set out to protect people from being offended… although I’m sure you’re working hard to change that.
I see that your replies are all over this thread, continuing to spew your liberal bias against anybody who dares to speak out.
Liberal, conservative, Republican, Democrat… these are words •you• used, not me. I used the word racist with regard to being one its primary symbols , and that’s what I meant. Disputing that the flag means exactly that to many or most people is indefensible. But hey, you’re free to express your opinions, even when they are wrong.
As far as your ridiculous statement, “those who are brainwashed like you are helping bring forth the second coming of the Nazis — fascism, the silence of free speech by calling it “hate speech” or “racist” or whatever”… this is an incomprehensible bunch of drivel. It’s best suited for your own “manifesto.”
Finally, your sniping dig about me trying to “silence the opposition” is laughable, since I neither stated, implied or even remotely suggested that. In any case, you hardly seem silenced.
Sorry, but not being a paranoid person, it’s a little difficult to comprehend your position or conclusions. Have a nice, antagonistic life.
Freedom of speech shouldn’t equate to freedom to be a complete douche bag. Ill fly an old racist flag just because I can, Ill make my Facebook picture a confederate flag just cuz I can and I want to be a child/asshat. I am going to draw stick figures and write muhammad under it just because I can and I don’t care about others. I could spend valuable time with family and friends but no, I want to spend my one life as a turd. Freedom of speech was meant for protesting injustice by the government or others, for the press to speak out without imprisonment, etc. This flag represents racism and if you don’t believe that, it is at least a treasonous act to fly it and defend it. Our troops fight for us and the stars and stripes, at least show them some respect for gods sake.
WRONG. Freedom of speech is exactly that. With rare exception, you can say anything you damn well please. That rare exception being the equivalent of yelling “Fire!” in a movie theatre. If somebody wants to be an “asshat” as you say, they are absolutely within their legal rights to do so.
BTW your handle of “God” is offensive to us as Christians. How about not hiding behind a handle and put your money where your mouth is?
On top of that, why exactly do you think the Confederate flag is racist?
Hey dum dum
The confederate flag is represented in many of the state flags of the South including Arkansas, Tennessee, Texas, and Mississippi. We also have an Australian owned racing yacht painted in the confederate flag. It is history and part of our culture where state’s rights is and was a very important part of our government. Ignorant people like you are a problem and barrier to a color blind society.
Hey Greg, that’s Mr. DumDum to you. (That you do not appreciate or understand the derivation of my screen name is understandable, given your youth.)
In any case, you must be replying to someone else. I don’t think I said •one word• about how many or which states fly the Confederate flag. Nope, not a word about that. Not that it matters one whit anyway.
As far as an Aussie yacht running up the Confederate flag, it’s no surprise. You may not know that until fairly recently, Australia was considered one of the most racist countries on earth, and for a long time. Australia only “white-washed” that common view when the government realized their racist heritage was preventing international commerce and tourism. Incredible place to visit… unless you’re black. Nice place to live… unless you’re aboriginal.
Nor did I suggest that the Confederate flag is not a part of history, as you wrongly ascribe to me. If you can somehow infer from my post that, “Ignorant people like you are a problem and barrier to a color blind society”, you must indeed be replying to someone else. There is nothing whatsoever in my original post to suggest any of that hateful drivel. I pride myself on not caring about the color or religion of a man. The celebration of racist symbols, however, is egregious to me.
You missed the boat, dimwit… sorry Mr. Dimwit. Stop whining about how people don’t acknowledge what a gift you are.
Just curious what’s the purpose of flying the confederate flag?
For primarily three reasons:
1. To honor those who died defending the Confederacy during the US Civil War.
2. To suggest that those who died defending the Confederacy did not die in vain. Whether they died in vain is debatable, depending on a decreasing number of peoples’ point of view.
3. To attempt to show allegiance for or solidarity with what has long been considered the belief that “The South Will Rise Again.” It is a view conflated with segregation (rightfully so), and usually outright racism toward African Americans who where once purchased and kept as slaves.
If you are searching for extra payment with average of 50 bucks to 300 bucks daily for doing basic work over internet from your couch at home for few h each day then this may interest you…
This is absolute nonsense. Are we erasing history now? Gonna have a book burning later, Timmy?
What’s “absolute nonsense” is your notion that this represents an “erasing history”, any more than not displaying the Nazi swastika erases the history of the holocaust. And your invoking the idea of a book burning is nothing but nonsensical inflammatory rhetoric, pun intended. There is no comparison.
Apple is simply refusing to continue to acknowledge a recognized symbol of racism and hate. If you don’t get the distinction, you’re ignorant of the sad history of the Old South, why it fell in the civil war, and why it will not be coming back. Racism may never die, but its sickness is on display more than ever. Fortunately, its ugly symbol will not be.
so you’re okay with Nazi stuff in the App Store and eBay, Amazon, and Walmart selling Nazi and Black Panther Party merchandise? The point is these companies can’t be selective with banning racist and offensive merchandise. This is a clear political message which is why so many Americans are upset. Ban it all or nothing.
Sorry, but did you see me post •anything• about being “…okay with Nazi stuff in the App Store and eBay, Amazon, and Walmart selling Nazi and Black Panther Party merchandise?”
No, you did not.
Change happens slowly. Racism is abundant, and will not be obliterated soon, if ever. But if only •one• ugly symbol can be put in focus, especially in light of the many wide-spread crimes of race and hate being perpetrated lately, then disallowing the Confederate flag is just fine with me. Disagree? That is your freedom.
It was a hyperbole. My point is the Nazi, Black Panther, and Communists merchandise should be way more offensive than a 150 year old flag. I’m not going to get into the minute details of the war, but the civil war was fought for States’ rights and the overreach/taxation of the Federal government. Yes, slavery was a part of that, but the North had slave owners too. All war and countries’ histories have ugly truths and facts, but it doesn’t mean they should be ignored. If you don’t know your past, you’re bound to repeat it. I’m okay with the flag being removed from public property, but use the moment to educate instead of hate. But for Apple, eBay, Amazon,etc…to turn a blind eye to a the Nazi symbol that was responsible for the killing of over 10 million people, it’s absurd. I know we cannot ban everything, but anything racist or involved in genocide would be a good start.
I mostly agree with your points. However, it wasn’t a Nazi or a Black Panther who killed nine people in church in cold blood, using a Confederate flag as his symbol for racism and hate.
We can’t cure all the ills of society, we can only chip away a bit at time. Retailers pulling the obvious items reflecting what many, maybe even most people now associate with that terrible act, isn’t the problem. And to imagine it represents a breakdown in our freedom speech… is hyperbole.
While I appreciate that you we’re trying to make a larger point, what you called hyperbole was instead ascribing things to me I obviously did not say. That’s •something•, but not hyperbole.
In any case, thanks for the lively discussion.
and it wasn’t a confederate soldier that killed those 9 people either, but yet all the liberals feel the need to ban the confederate flag. and why? because some ignorant white child was seen holding the flag and he obviously didn’t know the meaning behind it.
tell me dum dum….why is it ok with liberals that the american flag gets stepped on and burned, but the confederate flag must be banned because someone killed people and was seen holding it in a completely unrelated incident? why is it the american flag isn’t a symbol of anything and ok to be desecrated, but a flag that’s not really in use any more is a complete symbol of slavery and needs to be banned?
you and your liberal buddies are what’s wrong with this country
Mathew, since you insist on changing my name to “dum dum”, apparently a sophomoric attempt to make it seem like I’m dumb, let me just say that my screen name has •nothing• whatsoever to do with what you imagine. Guess you’re that young and cocky. Understandable, given your prior remarks.
In any event, I did not say or imply •anything• about the killer being a Confederate soldier, which, if you so hot for the Confederacy, you’d know is capitalized. How ridiculous and shallow of you. If you don’t get the symbolism… as most of America and the world does, then three’s little sense in conversing with you. And since you also insist in continuing to call anyone who disagrees with you a “liberal” (including me), it’s •really• time to bail on you. Discussion is best had with people of the same basic intellect , and you’re not there. By all means continue to label people and put your own spin on things, as the Constitution accords us that right… even if you are wrong.
This sounds more like white people (which almost all higher ups at Apple are) trying to whitewash history to have less stuff to feel guilty about.
Not sure you understand the hierarchy of Apple upper management. Understandable, since most of us just enjoy our Apple stuff and go about our business. :)
Whether one likes Tim Cook or not, he is a man of conscience, as has been demonstrated by numerous personal and business decisions and actions. I have no idea of the racial make-up at Apple, but I doubt it is any worse, and is probably a lot better mix than most similar companies. However, I also doubt that any of them are moved by guilt, so much as conscience and good sense. Remember, there were no outcries in the press or protests in the streets for Apple to make their decision. They did it without prompting.
In any case, thanks for posting one of the first non-emotionally charged comments!
Even Apple can’t write history out of existence. I wonder if games with the US flag are next as it flew over the USA for well over 80 years while slavery was legal. See how silly this can get if allowed?
What shouldn’t be allowed is using an ad absurdum argument to make an irrelevant point. You are aware that in a mostly capitalistic economy, a company has a reasonable right to determine what it will “allow” or not allow in it’s own store?
See you later hicks!
But Apple leaves Nazi games in the App Store. Censor it all or not at all. This selective censorship for political reasons is bullshit.
“Censor it all or not all” is an unrealistic and immature suggestion. Few things in life, certainly complicated issues involving race, religion, politics, etc., take place in an “all-or-not-at-all” way. Change can’t be accomplished that way. Sorry.
I have an ancestor who died at Gettysburg fighting against the Union and measles, he failed miserably at both.
Doesn’t Castle Wolfenstein game display the Nazi logo? That should be next!!!
Pathetic.
Nazis and Black Panthers (neither of which is extant in 2015), committed the hate crime that galvanized this national debate. It was a white racist who admitted he wanted to start a race war that murdered nine people in that church. He used his Confederate flag—a widely recognized symbol of racism—to justify his hateful, bloody act.
The eradication of racism and hateful ideology is slow, and you can hardly expect to erase all traces at once. This is just another step along the way. Apple made their own small step for the right reasons, as did other retailers. If you want to make it a freedom of speech issue you’re free to do so, but at its core that’s •not• the issue.
Corporations can decide what speech they allow to be represented in their name. Apple decided it does not want to support the confederate flag. Nobody is taking your free speech and right to fly your “proud history.” Apple is exerting it’s right to free speech and they absolutely have the right to choose what is in their App Store and what is not. If the south is to rise again, go buy a Dell and rise up and boycott Apple. Go for it and see ya!
Now Apple is getting stupid too. :(