'South Park' Creators Skewer Own Network

I'm just amazed that it was okay to air Jesus crapping on the American flag but not an image of Muhammad... but then again, who knows how those two would have used it.

Well to be fair, even radical Christians don't tend to riot in the streets in large numbers when their sacred icons are defecated, I mean, desecrated.

Comedy Central are wimps.

I thought the same thing. I think it's wrong for a couple of reasons. One, the Koran doesn't [i]explicitly[/i] prohibit the idolotry of Muhammed, but implicitly does.

Second, doesn't it just implicitly ban Muslims from portraying Muhammed, not all humans?

I may be getting this wrong, but this is my understanding. If the article is indeed wrong, I hope AP is real proud of itself messing up this story.

It's a common falsehood repeatedly stated in the media.

Mr. Mack - your first point is correct. Your second point, while correct for most of moderate Islam, unfortunately doesn't hold when applied to those who are more radical and do things like encourage riots in the streets after a cartoon character has been printed. Unfortunately, for them it's not like a Christian eating lobster while their Jewish friend sits across the table enjoying their kosher meal - for the radicals, it's their way or the IED-laden highway.

My main point is that there are many examples of the Muslim prophet Muhammed physically represented throughout the Musliim world.

Ah gotcha. I should have put myself in the mindset of the radicals when looking at that. Of course the media portrays all of Islamic law as grouped in with how the radicals feel. No shock there. ;)

Thanks for the clarification.

Second, doesn't it just implicitly ban Muslims from portraying Muhammed, not all humans?

This was brought up in the episode. I thought it was hilarious actually.

Maybe we should riot and burn @!$%# in response to this assault on our values as Americans?

Or we could just type about it and have a debate.

Oh wait, that would make us different from them. Ok, burn @!$%# in response it is.

No, we should produce our own cartoon that makes fun of their sacred values and beliefs,
as a response to their refusal to watch a cartoon that makes fun of other peoples sacred values
and beliefs.

Maybe we should riot and burn @!$%# in response to this assault on our values as Americans?

Why has no one brought up the context that the defecating Jesus was shown in? It was a cartoon by al Qaeda in retaliation for the Mohammed cartoon.

You consider that the stamp of legitimacy? :)

Great point - if people here in the U.S. saw the episode of South Park, and then saw radical Islamists rioting in the streets thereafter and calling for the beheading of Mr. Stone & Mr. Parker, it might just be a bit of a wake-up call.

Actually, they have been showing Muhammed in the opening credits of the show this season, take a look

Good find.

I think the entire point of the episode should be obvious and horrifically telling with respect to the current world situation on a number of levels. For one, that we live in a country where an image of JC defecating on GW can air is in itself a testament to our freedom of speech. Two, and the obvious point, that JC deficating on GW is not censored while an insulting image of Muhammad is censored is most telling. Three, comedy's role, in my opinion is to point out the inequalities, foibles, inconsistencies that are present in our current humanity. That is the source material. That this cartoon has triggered such sensation is indicative of both the hypocrisy within media and the current danger that intolerance presents. South Park is a satire. It is supposed to point out inequities in our culture and world events.

Flagg, I'm not certain if you watched the episode or not, but they make a very clear point in the episode (and I agree with them) that letting the threat of violence change the way you do things is a pretty @!$%#ed up way of living your life, and only lets those who threaten violence win.

Ever have a bully steal your lunch money every day at school? The threat of violence changing the way you do things - Everyday, just before lunch hour, get your wallet out and get ready to be slammed into the nearest locker.

Because winning doesn't matter. Neither does eating lunch - I mean, our nation has an obesity problem anyway.

Fun. Or, you can act like they did in Part one of this South Park episode and just bury your head in the sand - about as effective, I'd say.

Fire!

I think the point is that standing up for your principles, even in the face of violence, matters too.

Of course it does.

My point is that its up to you to choose your battles. You need to weigh the benefit of doing something against its possible consequences, whether those consequences be legitimate or not.

For example: no one (even my wife) would argue that it is my right to look appreciatively at attractive women, but when I am with my wife, out of deference to her feelings, I don't. Usually.

Personally, I found the fact that Comedy Central censored South Park amplified the point Parker and Frey were trying to make.

Doh! That should have been "Parker and Stone".

Double Doh! I meant to write :

"no one (even my wife) would argue that it is NOT my right to look appreciatively at attractive women, but when I am with my wife, out of deference to her feelings, I don't. Usually."

Absolutely! Restrictions of our fundamental freedoms due to terrorism is letting terrorism win. Think of the snowball effect mentioned in the episode: in we succomb of terrorists on one simple issue, what happens on the next one? Do we stand up for what is right, or do we bow down to the pressure? We can't let the fear of terrorism shroud or rights an Americans- and as humans.

Damn straight, even if that right is something seemingly trivial, like making a cartoon character out of a man whom some believe was a great prophet of God/Allah/etc.

While this is somewhat true, I am not sure if it applies here. The point of these episodes were that Muslims were trying to enforce their beliefs on the rest of the world, and there were many people willing to go along with that under the banner of "tolerance". South Park showed both the problem and hypocrisy of that.