Is the Star Wars Universe Racist... Against Droids?

Is this serious?

Are we discussing racism against non-human entities in a fictional galaxy?

I suppose they were feminist too because Padme and Leia showed their midriffs once.

 

Karen Traviss' 'Republic Commando' quadrilogy (disregard the fifth book) addresses this issue nicely and effectively.

Great, now watch me get a bunch of hate for dropping Karen Traviss' name.

 

In reference to the droids not being allowed in the Cantina, I always figured it was a sort of "They're not going to eat and/or drink, they'll just take up space a patron could use" sort of deal, just like some real-life bars/clubs will turn people who are below the drinking age away (or charge an outrageous cover). I'm probably wrong, but I always thought it was humorous to look at it in that light.

This is one of my favorite things that The Clone Wars touched on. In it, you get to see the frustration of the clones themselves at how they're being used essentially as droids, even though they are all real people. Clones yes, and modified at that, but still real people. It was somewhat remarkable when you would see one of the characters actually care for them. Though even that was rare enough.

There is a fine line for that though. I'm remembering Obi-Wan's line from the beginning of EP III, when Anakin expresses concern over the welfare of the clone pilots behind them. He says something like "They're doing their job so that we can do ours." I always thought that was interesting because he seems to be acknowledging they are real people who have a duty they need to perform... but at the same time glosses over the fact that the duty and obedience to die was thrust on them from birth.

 

Heh, yes you're right on the wording/tone. Maybe they do have special foods or drinks, like Bender in Futurama with that weird blue-flame "food". I suppose it would be interesting to see if they do have any hangouts... Meanwhile I'll still keep looking at it in my naive "everyone's nice and happy" way just for kicks.

 

In "Kenobi" they explain that specifically on Tatoine anyway, droids take jobs from moisture farmers, which creates the "racism" towards droids. its "legends" now, but I buy it.

 

I always thought of it as Part of how Life is there..Tatooine is in the Outer Rim, not as "civilized" as the Core Worlds, and even Kenobi basically said that Mos Eisley a special Kind of a Shithole. Maybe the rough Life there makes most Inhabitants even more rough and...unfriendly.

 

Racism aside, droids in the GFFA are unmistakably a slave class. They're depicted as self-aware as any person, but are relegated to literal property with no control over their own fate. That's some dark stuff, man. I don't expect any sort of earnest dive into that any time soon though. An 'inconvenient truth' as it were.

 

Aye.

 

They are mindless shock troops who kill innocent people and you're upset they are used as cannon fodder?

 

I hate to contribute to the thread necromancy here, but you're right- even when Star Wars seems aware of this issue, it's treated with levity (almost sarcastically, really).

Even as recently as Solo, the idea of "droid rights" is basically mentioned with the mocking derision that an Incel might mention feminism.

And I get it- there obviously isn't a direct analog for IRL droids, so it does seem kind of silly from a real world perspective.

But it's still kind of unnerving to see a clearly sentient group subjected to what's pretty clearly a brutal slavery. Even main droids like 3-P0 are often the fodder for cruelty by our heroes.