Racism in SR, What are the specifics? Options

[Lazarus]

I was reading the Sprawl Survival Guide and the text mentioned some interesting statistics concerning the mistreatment of metahumans. From pg. 44

"Though concrete figures are hard to come by, statisticians estimate that nearly twice as many metahumans as humans are SINless and merely "probationary citizens" of the UCAS. We have made progress, but our nation still requires an act of Congress to bestow citizenship on sentient beings who aren't Homo sapiens."

O.K. I understand that metahumans suffer the extreme forms of racism such as being killed by groups like Humanis and Alamos 20K, and the racism that prevents them from rising to management positions in megacorps but what else?

From other canon sources I've understood that metahumans aren't considered full citizens the same as humans are. So what does this mean exactly? Are most metahumans not full citizens because of a SINless status, (i.e. not being born in hospitals, which seems unlikely), or are they barred from citizenship by law?

When my players ask me about this I always liken it to the plight of the African American in the United States in the 40's and 50's. But that implies a lot. Is there segregation? I know metahumans live in their own communities but is it forced? Are they prevented by law from using the same facilities as humans? If they are not full citizens what are their rights?

Basically are metahumans second class citizens or not citizens at all?

[nick012000]

Metahumans are subspecies of Homo Sapiens, and therefore are eligible for SINs. It's just that there is a tendence towards them being SINless, and yes, most SINless aren't born in real hospitals. Street clinics, maybe, but not hospitals.

[Backgammon]

[Lazarus]

So then the whole "sentient beings" are sasquatches, dragons, and other intelligent creatures, excluding insect spirits. O.k. I guess that's where I was confused.

[Jrayjoker]

Repetitively Redundant. My appologies, and sorry.

This post has been edited by Jrayjoker: Jan 6 2006, 06:04 AM

[fistandantilus4....]

Dunkelzhan would be a good example, as he was given citizenship by Congress. Where as in the Tir, Sasquatches are accorded the same rights as a human would be. In the Ukraine, freakin' everything, up to and including ghouls and vampires are accorded the same rights as everyone else, assuming they have a SIN.

But orks, trolls, elves, all of them can have SIN jsut like a human, assuming that they're acutally born in a hospital or apply for a SIN

[Critias]

[hyzmarca]

Getting a SIN isn't as easy as just applying for one. The standards are high enough that most SINless can't get one without an act of Dunkelzhan and even his free SIN going out of living promotion was limited to the first 1000 customers. Most people want SINs, only gangers and Shadowrunners are the exception, the former because they are idiots and the latter because they make more money running than they could to a real job.

[Mr.Platinum]

Racism in shadowrun, it's liek an all out Battle Royal, every one vs every one in my eyes.

[Method]

I think on paper metas have the same rights as any human being but the disparity comes from the fact that very often the poor are SINless and because of the long-standing racial biases against metas most metas tend to be poor.

In other words, if a disproportionate section of the metahuman population is poor and SINless than equal rights is moot point. They are still non-entities.

And what really matters (after all) is weather or not you have money...

[Lazarus]

[Method]

Lazarus: I guess I'm a little confused as to what exactly you are looking for. Can you be more specific about what your question is?

[Moon-Hawk]

I think he's wondering (as I am) WHY it is difficult to obtain a SIN. Why don't they want you to be a registered, taxpaying citizen?

[Coyote_Moya]

This conversation is getting itself confused between Racism and SINlessism. There is a correlating factor here since SINlessism seems to be more common amoungst Metatypes than regular Homosapiens, but they are still different things.

Both are social biases but one stems from ingnorance and scapegoatism while the other simply disenfranchises people from society and is more classism than out and out racism since it is usually the poor, not only metahumans that fall victim to SINlessness.

The reason for metahumans to go into life in the Shadows has to do with both. Its a way to make a buck in a hard world that would rather not have you in it. SINless characters have difficulty functioning in society and finding employment. Try finding a job without two forms of valid ID even nowaddays. Being a Troll on the other hand, you have to deal with all kinds of difficulties. Stereotypes of Trolls being stupid and prone to violence on top of the mere physical limitations of having a Troll work an office job in a cube farm. Small doors, chairs and even flooring that isnt designed to support that much weight become factors. Not only do you have to overcome social stigma for nothing better than the way you look but you have to overcome physical barriers similar to those faced by the "Differently Capable" or whatever the PC term of the month is for... um... you know.... the cripples.

Racism in SR can be far more than a way to punish players for getting a few extra attribute points and some neat abilities by kicking them out of a stuffer shack. It can be used to add a real humanistic drama to the game and plenty of juicy hooks and side plots.

Moya (o)(o)

[Lazarus]

What is the difference between a SIN and a SSN?

Why do certain governments not let certain citizens have a SIN? Does a SIN carry more rights then other forms of citizenship? What are these rights?

<For instance if I'm a SINless Ork does that mean I don't have Miranda?>

Are they counted in other ways?

Do they get a different type of SIN such as a Criminal SIN, or a Prob. Citizen SIN?

See I guess here is my problem. Not being a citizen is different then being a citizen and not having equal treatment under the law. I'm just wondering how most SR countries view metas because at times it seems like both depending on the writer.

[Moon-Hawk]

[Lazarus]

I mean to me being SINLess is a condition that would be hard to maintain but beneficial to runners. If I wanted a SIN of my own why can't I just go register? Hell with so many ways to fake a National SIN and a Corp SIN getting a real SIN shouldn't be a problem. Not having one and keeping it that way would be tough.

This may be a weak analogy but imagine today living in America without a SSN.

And the racism thing may be on point if that is the reason it is so hard to get a SIN. I mean a country is literally hurting itself because of racism (i.e. less taxable citizens).

[Moon-Hawk]

How does one get a SSN in modern America? I mean, I was born in a hospital, so I got one then. But if I just crawled out of the bayou, having been born on my momma's back porch, without a birth certificate or anything...can I just stroll into city hall and say, "Gimme one o' them, thar, social security thingies."???
I think not. But what IS the process?

[Method]

Actually its a bigger pain in the ass now after 9/11. Used to be you could send off for a number and card any time after your 16th b-day iirc (since this is when it becomes legal for kids to start working real tax-paying jobs). Now you have to jump through some hoops.

I recently lost my SS card and since there is not a SS admin office in my town I can't go in person to get a replacement card. They told me I'd have to mail off my actual drivers license (not a photo copy mind you) as proof of identity and wait for them to mail it back to me.

Anyway, I think the real issue is that governments probably aren't interested in SINless because the nominal tax revinue they would generate wouldn't cover the added costs of providing things like police security, education healthcare and social/wellfare services to the masses. Its purely financial. In effect it gives governments a socially acceptible system for writing off the needy segments of society that they don't want to take care of. In fact you would save on judicial and correctional costs as well because when a SINless person is caught for a crime you can dispense with any sort of fair trial or due process and just make them disappear.

And corporate citizens probably don't worry about things like taxes. Why would a corp tax its employees? Of coarse the corp itself probably pays local taxes to whatever governing body holds power where they operate. Probably a huge chunk of most govenment's revinue comes from corp taxes (which is why most governments would be in bed with the corps). It all adds to the whole dystopian military/industrail complex theme in SR.

[Method]

Also I think the ideas of racism and SINlessness are intimately related. I don't think its a mistake that so many metas are SINless. Its systematic. And like I said it gives the govenments a way of not having to deal with the "metahuman problem".

[hyzmarca]

Actually, being Extrateritorial means that the corps themselves don't have to pay most taxes. It is quite an advantage, realy. However, not all corps are AA and AAA, there are still plenty of smaller ones and even some mon-and-pop businesses. Also, some businesses may be owned by a megacorp but not officially extrateritoral.

A SIN isn't like a SSN for several reasons. A SSN is purely for the disspersal of social security benefits. It is illegal to use a SSN for anything else. (That doesn't stop everyone from forcing you to use it as an ID, but that is technically a crime. )
A SIN, on the other hand, was always meant to be an all-pervasive ID.
The Social Security office hands out SSNs because that is one it does. Theoretically, there is no benefit to having one except being under the protective of the social security system when you retire or are disabled.
With a UCAS SIN, however, comes every right except for the big ones Even without a SIN they won't just dissaear you and constitutional protections still apply to you. Other countries aand corporations however, will dissepar SINless criminals.
Getting a SIN in any area is basicly the same as its Immigration and Naturalization process. The SINless have the same status as illegal Immigrants in the Sixth World. Of course, we could just give citizenship to all illegal immigrants now but political realities prevent this. Those same realities exist in the Sixth World.


The SINless, since they have to survive somehow, provide a workforce for those who are unwilliing to pay minumum wage and are happy to cook the books. They also provide employment to criminal enterprises such as drug and BTL dealing and prostitution. Enough of these criminals have connections in office to keep the SINless in their place, certainly. Even if they don't, the paranoid rich guys and human supremicists do.

Also, being SINless doens't mean that you don't have to pay taxes. You still have to pay taxes just as ciriminal enterprises do.

[Moon-Hawk]

[Method]

[Backgammon]

[Backgammon]