Seattle, WA -- A recent article on The Sideboard.com has sparked widespread dissent among the African American community providing impetus for legal action by the NAACP. The article, “Building a Better Black,” by Alex Shvartsman, was decried by African American officials around the nation. The suit was filed in Federal Court today in Seattle.

“This idea that somehow the white man can make black people better is so derogatory, so ludicrous. I am shocked that today, after African Americans grace the hall of academia and run in the high echelons of power attitudes like this still exist. It is proof that the burdens of slavery linger on,” said noted black intellectual Henry Louis Gates, Jr. “I really like the game, but this is intolerable,” he added.

Not content with a simple political view famous African American intellectual Cornell West takes a deeper look.

“WotC clearly has a history of rampant racial discrimination. The proof is everywhere. How many African Americans work in R & D? Few if any. How many broken cards exist in White? Tons. Balance, Swords to Plowshares, Armageddon…the list goes on and on. Black is even deemed the color of ‘evil.’ What kind of message is that sending? Even with [Mark] Rosewater’s recent blabbering about white being rigid and black not being evil per se but simply greedy, it is clear-Wizards of the Coast harbors animosity against African Americans. Shvartsman’s article is only the most evident indication of that fact.”

Similar comments were made by presidential hopeful Al Sharpton from his campaign headquarters in Harlem.

“It is this sort of attitude that will be corrected when I become President. We can succeed on our own, without help from anyone, especially a bunch of pimply faced ex-computer programmers. This is an outrage!”

Even the traditionally quiet Colin Powell tossed his general’s hat into the ring of public opinion.

“I rose through the ranks of the military to become one the most powerful men in the United States and now I am being told how to improve myself by a company that makes playing cards. This is silly,” the well respected general said. He quickly added: “Everyone knows that war gaming is where it’s at anyway. Everything else is just Pokemon.”

Despite his stance on affirmative action President Bush decried the statement. Other politicians joined in expressing their disapproval. Noticeably absent was Trent Lott, who is reportedly a big fan of Magic, especially anything to do with Icatia and its characters.

Discuss this article in the Magic: the Gathering Forums!

Seattle, WA -- A recent article on The Sideboard.com has sparked widespread dissent among the African American community providing impetus for legal action by the NAACP. The article, “Building a Better Black,” by Alex Shvartsman, was decried by African American officials around the nation. The suit was filed in Federal Court today in Seattle.

“This idea that somehow the white man can make black people better is so derogatory, so ludicrous. I am shocked that today, after African Americans grace the hall of academia and run in the high echelons of power attitudes like this still exist. It is proof that the burdens of slavery linger on,” said noted black intellectual Henry Louis Gates, Jr. “I really like the game, but this is intolerable,” he added.

Not content with a simple political view famous African American intellectual Cornell West takes a deeper look.

“WotC clearly has a history of rampant racial discrimination. The proof is everywhere. How many African Americans work in R & D? Few if any. How many broken cards exist in White? Tons. Balance, Swords to Plowshares, Armageddon…the list goes on and on. Black is even deemed the color of ‘evil.’ What kind of message is that sending? Even with [Mark] Rosewater’s recent blabbering about white being rigid and black not being evil per se but simply greedy, it is clear-Wizards of the Coast harbors animosity against African Americans. Shvartsman’s article is only the most evident indication of that fact.”

Similar comments were made by presidential hopeful Al Sharpton from his campaign headquarters in Harlem.

“It is this sort of attitude that will be corrected when I become President. We can succeed on our own, without help from anyone, especially a bunch of pimply faced ex-computer programmers. This is an outrage!”

Even the traditionally quiet Colin Powell tossed his general’s hat into the ring of public opinion.

“I rose through the ranks of the military to become one the most powerful men in the United States and now I am being told how to improve myself by a company that makes playing cards. This is silly,” the well respected general said. He quickly added: “Everyone knows that war gaming is where it’s at anyway. Everything else is just Pokemon.”

Despite his stance on affirmative action President Bush decried the statement. Other politicians joined in expressing their disapproval. Noticeably absent was Trent Lott, who is reportedly a big fan of Magic, especially anything to do with Icatia and its characters.

Discuss this article in the Magic: the Gathering Forums!