South Park Creators Threatened by Radical Muslims

[Sir Bandelot]

So what we still have is your criticism of Parker and Stone's protected free speech rights in another nation.

Oh, I thought you were talking about my protests in light of hate speech by Muslims in Canada just now:

Parker and Stone know exactly what they are doing.....but your protests ring hollow in light of actual illegal "hate speech" by Muslims in Canada.

Seems like any discussion with you ends up more like one is playing "Poker".

Fine except for specific state and federal law against terroristic threats and conspiracy to commit murder.

Ok. So I guess Pat Robertson was federally exempt on that one!

[bush_cheney2004]

Oh, I thought you were talking about my protests in light of hate speech by Muslims in Canada just now:

You made no mention of this until prompted. I wanted to contrast your protest against protected speech in another nation compared to accepted (yet illegal) "hate speech" in Canada.

Ok. So I guess Pat Robertson was federally exempt on that one!

Pat Robertson did not conspire to kill anyone.

[Handsome Rob]

As stated, I support hate speech laws, and at least some restrictions to freedom of speech. I extend that to insulting someones sacred beliefs.

Does that mean we shouldn't be eating beef or pork? Isn't that insulting, depending on which particular flavor of fairy tale we're discussing? Isn't that hate speech right there? Fairy Tale?

Imams calling for death should be busted. Said that already

do you think hate laws are silly, as stated? Because if so, then it should be fine for this group to call for their death, especially if they're based in New York.

Wee bit of a difference between the kangaroo court and criminal code, uttering threats.

[Sir Bandelot]

Does that mean we shouldn't be eating beef or pork? Isn't that insulting, depending on which particular flavor of fairy tale we're discussing? Isn't that hate speech right there?

No, only if you eat with your mouth open...

[Sir Bandelot]

Pat Robertson did not conspire to kill anyone.

He didn't conspire, but he said that Chavez should be killed. Likewise with the people at revolutionmuslim.com obscured their threats in a similar manner.

I wanted to contrast your protest against protected speech in another nation compared to accepted (yet illegal) "hate speech" in Canada.

Interesting... I wanted to contrast your lack of objection to a non-direct threat (Robertson) with your objection to another non-direct threat, in a country where free speech is legal.

[bush_cheney2004]

Interesting... I wanted to contrast your lack of objection to a non-direct threat (Robertson) with your objection to another non-direct threat, in a country where free speech is legal.

I don't recall any such objection unless it specifically violated the law...as stated earlier. You on the other hand, would abridge the rights of other nationals in a different country merely for being offensive. Interesting.....

[Sir Bandelot]

I don't recall any such objection unless it specifically violated the law...as stated earlier. You on the other hand, would abridge the rights of other nationals in a different country merely for being offensive. Interesting.....

Good, as long as we understand each other, I'm satisfied!

[GostHacked]

Again, I want to bring up a question.

The thing is, South Park had already done a couple eps on Mohammed. Where the hell was everyone's outrage there? If you think that was ok, but this is not, what the hell is wrong with you? Remember this show is not intended for children, like the way most are acting about it.

It's a TV comedy cartoon show. And as it turns out it was Santa Clause in the suit. Maybe people did not watch it to the end.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/South_Park

South Park is an American animated sitcom created by Trey Parker and Matt Stone for the Comedy Central television network. Intended for mature audiences, the show has become infamous for its crude, surreal, satirical, and dark humor that lampoons a wide range of topics. The ongoing narrative revolves around four children—Stan Marsh, Kyle Broflovski, Eric Cartman, and Kenny McCormick—and their bizarre adventures in and around the fictional and titular Colorado town.

I bet a great deal of you never actually watch South Park. If you had, you'd know they do this kind of stuff for a living, and they have been doing in for years. And many of you are getting upset over it just now? Where the hell have all you been?

Jews are made fun of the most, followed by Christians and then Catholics. If these people feel their values are being threatened by a single episode of South Park, then they are really have no faith in their own beliefs.

It's not hate speech it's comedy. People need to laugh at themselves and their absurdity at times. It feels good to. If they mess with my South Park anymore I am going Jihad on THEIR asses.

Allah Ackbar . . . bitches.

[bush_cheney2004]

Again, I want to bring up a question....

I bet a great deal of you never actually watch South Park. If you had, you'd know they do this kind of stuff for a living, and they have been doing in for years. And many of you are getting upset over it just now? Where the hell have all you been?

Some are concerned now that an American Muslim site has brought attention to the fore. In their minds, mustn't do anything that would provoke or be mean spirited just because we have the right to do so. But dropping bombs and mortars on Muslims is just fine!

Jews are made fun of the most, followed by Christians and then Catholics. If these people feel their values are being threatened by a single episode of South Park, then they are really have no faith in their own beliefs.

Everybody gets their turn in the barrel...even Canadians.

It's not hate speech it's comedy. People need to laugh at themselves and their absurdity at times. It feels good to. If they mess with my South Park anymore I am going Jihad on THEIR asses.

Allah Ackbar . . . bitches.

OK....Uncle F**ka!

Edited April 26, 2010 by bush_cheney2004

[ToadBrother]

Everybody gets their turn in the barrel...even Canadians.

Especially Canadians!

I've got to give Parker and Stone a lot of credit. By this point in the Simpsons, the series had pretty much become one long dull cliche. Because Parker and Stone are willing to go anywhere and everywhere to make a point or even just to kick some group or another in the balls, the show is remarkably resilient. I don't always agree with their positions (they do tend to advocate a Libertarian position, and I'm not nearly as Libertarian as they), quite frankly I think they've proven that our society desperately needs the kind of satire and irony that the show provides.

What South Park exposes, whether its attacking Catholics or Scientologists, and now Muslims, is certain groups inherent beliefs that their particular sacred cows ought to be given some special protection. Of course, leave it to some daft, infantile Islamists to kick it up a notch and actually make poorly concealed death threats.

The real irony here is that what these childish morons are demonstrating is the power of the Streisand Effect (and Barbara Streisand is another individual who has gotten a lot of very justified ribbing on South Park for precisely the same reason). Every time some pack of who-the-f***-evers gets their panties in a knot because South Park made fun of them, it's only served to get the cartoon back on the frontpage, and make Parker and Stone even richer, and tempt them to ever more amusing and outrageous attacks. If these twits would just keep their mouths shut, it would be just another episode of South Park (and it's not as if they haven't shown Mohamed before, I remember the episode years ago where Jesus, Moses, Mohamed and Buddha were all superheroes).

I'm a little conflicted on Comedy Central's role in all of this. In one sense, I think they owe South Park a considerable amount, it being pretty much the show that put them on the map. At the same time, if there's any credible risk, it's tough to argue with them not wanting to put their employees in harm's way. The best thing to do, and the thing I wish Comedy Central would do, is simply allow Parker and Stone to release the unedited version on the Internet (it's already available on bittorrent and other P2P services, suggesting to me that it's already been unofficially leaked). That way we in the supposedly free West can all view the show, but Comedy Central is off the hook, if anybody can actually be off the hook with a pack of frothing moronic childish religious fanatics.

[msj]

Again, I want to bring up a question.

The thing is, South Park had already done a couple eps on Mohammed. Where the hell was everyone's outrage there? If you think that was ok, but this is not, what the hell is wrong with you? Remember this show is not intended for children, like the way most are acting about it.

Maybe those offended did not see the cartoon showing Mohammed (which was prior to 9/11 - although the eps probably played out in reruns)?

You can't exactly fault them with tardiness to issue death threats if they hadn't seen the evidence yet.

And then, once the offended respond with death threats, you need those of us who think such attitudes are absurd to come here and complain about such nonsense.

Then, those who want a more "polite" society (arguably cowering in fear to religious zealots) have to come here and present their counterarguments.

Then you come and ask why this cycle didn't start sooner.

Then I come and explain this.

And repeat.

I bet a great deal of you never actually watch South Park. If you had, you'd know they do this kind of stuff for a living, and they have been doing in for years. And many of you are getting upset over it just now? Where the hell have all you been?

The timing on when a person gets upset over something really isn't much of an argument.

If I were to find out that my wife has been sleeping around I likely would not accept her excuse of: "well, you never complained about it while I was doing it."

Jews are made fun of the most, followed by Christians and then Catholics. If these people feel their values are being threatened by a single episode of South Park, then they are really have no faith in their own beliefs.

It's not hate speech it's comedy. People need to laugh at themselves and their absurdity at times. It feels good to. If they mess with my South Park anymore I am going Jihad on THEIR asses.

Allah Ackbar . . . bitches.

I agree its funny and would have preferred the Comedy Network to not act so cowardly (but I will defend, to my death!, their right to ruin an episode of South Park because they have every right [presumably under contract] to do that).

[GostHacked]

OK....Uncle F**ka!

That movie was fantastic, it killed me with laughter. The girl I was dating at the time was a little upset I wanted to watch that instead of getting some. It was the first time I had ever seen it and the night was young ...giggity!!!!

The other ep about Ike going back to Canada because of the Prime minister. When the plane crash landed ... 'is this an invasion?' No?!! Come on out everyone it's not an invasion!!!'

These guys are brilliant in their writing.

[Shady]

Go to any heavily Christian place in the West. I don't care which one, though some will go farther than others. Wear a sandwhich board claiming that there is no God and it's just a fairy tale for grown-ups or put up flyers to the same effect. You will get a range of things from threats, assualt or maybe even farther depending where you go exaclty.

Really? Because there's already buses fitted with "There is no God" signs in many cities in Western Christian countries. How about you start fitting some buses in Muslim countries with the same signs? We'll see what happens!

PIC<---England

PIC <---United States

PIC <---Canada

[Guest TrueMetis]

Really? Because there's already buses fitted with "There is no God" signs in many cities in Western Christian countries. How about you start fitting some buses in Muslim countries with the same signs? We'll see what happens!

Is a bus a person? No, Justin Trottier is though. link

This guy didn't even put up signs. He's still dead though. link

And of course it's not like people never do anything to those buses. link

[bloodyminded]

What South Park exposes, whether its attacking Catholics or Scientologists, and now Muslims, is certain groups inherent beliefs that their particular sacred cows ought to be given some special protection. .

Now that you mention it, Scientology is the other sacred cow. Comedies (South Park excepted) simply do not make fun of it. Ever.

Mind you, this is not fear of ideological reprisals..though maybe legal ones. (Scientologists are notoriously litigious.) But mainly, it's that so many entertainers are Scientologists, that I suspect writers or producers are loathe to insult the group, in spite of being jaw-droppingly deserving of satire. "The Simpsons" and "Family Guy," for two examples, have Scientologists as cast members. So cowardice wins out.

[ToadBrother]

Now that you mention it, Scientology is the other sacred cow. Comedies (South Park excepted) simply do not make fun of it. Ever.

Mind you, this is not fear of ideological reprisals..though maybe legal ones. (Scientologists are notoriously litigious.) But mainly, it's that so many entertainers are Scientologists, that I suspect writers or producers are loathe to insult the group, in spite of being jaw-droppingly deserving of satire. "The Simpsons" and "Family Guy," for two examples, have Scientologists as cast members. So cowardice wins out.

The Simpsons was only really a chance-taking show during its first few seasons, when it was more centered around Bart. It lost any edge it had years ago, so even if it were a pack of atheists writing and acting on the show, it would still be stale and dull.

South Park, on the other hand, does a real public service. I think in a healthy society, you need every sacred cow poked. Heck, they've thrown barbs in the my direction with attacks on atheism. They truly seem to feel it's their public duty to insult as many groupings as possible, and even where I disagree with them, I honor their willingness to ignore social convention.

No one and nothing should be immune from criticism, whether satirical or otherwise.

[bloodyminded]

The Simpsons was only really a chance-taking show during its first few seasons, when it was more centered around Bart. It lost any edge it had years ago, so even if it were a pack of atheists writing and acting on the show, it would still be stale and dull.

South Park, on the other hand, does a real public service. I think in a healthy society, you need every sacred cow poked. Heck, they've thrown barbs in the my direction with attacks on atheism. They truly seem to feel it's their public duty to insult as many groupings as possible, and even where I disagree with them, I honor their willingness to ignore social convention.

No one and nothing should be immune from criticism, whether satirical or otherwise.

I agree. Though personally, I feel that South Park has grown stale. Though I think it's less from a problem with content and writing than with the fact of it being on for so long.

But still, I think you're right. There is no subject I can think of which is taboo to these guys. I even remember them giving the satirical smack-down to libertarians, so I think they are very fair.

(I hasten to add that I don't consider "fairness" to be necessary; just that I personally appreciate it.)

[Handsome Rob]

Now that you mention it, Scientology is the other sacred cow. Comedies (South Park excepted) simply do not make fun of it. Ever.

Mind you, this is not fear of ideological reprisals..though maybe legal ones. (Scientologists are notoriously litigious.) But mainly, it's that so many entertainers are Scientologists, that I suspect writers or producers are loathe to insult the group, in spite of being jaw-droppingly deserving of satire. "The Simpsons" and "Family Guy," for two examples, have Scientologists as cast members. So cowardice wins out.

Comedy central is owned by Viacom, which also own Paramount, among other things, the studio for the Mission Impossible series and it's well known Scientologist star. Potentially trying to keep others in line, but they simply cannot censor South Park for any length of time, Parker & Stone have threatened to go to another network.

Trivia: Did you know the voice of Chef was a Scientologist?

[bloodyminded]

Comedy central is owned by Viacom, which also own Paramount, among other things, the studio for the Mission Impossible series and it's well known Scientologist star. Potentially trying to keep others in line, but they simply cannot censor South Park for any length of time, Parker & Stone have threatened to go to another network.

True. But there might be a slight difference (just speculating now) when you're talking direct friends and co-workers (ie "Lisa" from the Simpsons, "Chris" from Family Guy), rather than degrees-of-separation colleagues like Cruise, Travolta, and so on. However, this din't stop South Park's creators:

Trivia: Did you know the voice of Chef was a Scientologist?

Oh yeah. I understand he left the show because of their Scientology episode.

[sharkman]

Oh yeah. I understand he left the show because of their Scientology episode.

That's kind of funny. The show mocks every single religion under the sun and buddy is fine with it. Then he gets bent out of shape when they mock his religion. What a schmuck.

Edited April 28, 2010 by sharkman

[Sir Bandelot]

That's kind of funny. The show mocks every single religion under the sun and buddy is fine with it. Then he gets bent out of shape when they mock his religion. What a schmuck.

Its not terribly surprising because, he's a human being. So he has strong opinions on certain things, and feelings that can be hurt.

And while it's all good and well to talk about our ideals of freedom to openly criticize sacred cows, it does not always work that way in the real world. The evidence is all around you.

[bloodyminded]

That's kind of funny. The show mocks every single religion under the sun and buddy is fine with it. Then he gets bent out of shape when they mock his religion. What a schmuck.

I agree, which is why I think it fits in pretty well with the basic theme of this thread. "MY religion is not to be mocked. The rest...oh well."

[ToadBrother]

That's kind of funny. The show mocks every single religion under the sun and buddy is fine with it. Then he gets bent out of shape when they mock his religion. What a schmuck.

As I recall, there was some suggestion that Hayes may not have necessarily left of his own accord. The initial announcement that he was leaving was made by a Scientologist spokesperson.

[GostHacked]

Yes Issac Hayes was a scientologist (he is dead now). The whole Tom Cruise In the Closet ep was the one Issac had an issue with. So they lashed back and made the 'Chef Returns' after Issac left the show. He was made the equivalent of a pedo for joining the Super Adventure Club.

Nothing is sacred to these guys. It's hypocritical of Hayes to complain when his religion was mocked considering the amount of religion bashing the show does.

[bloodyminded]

March 28, 2010

A Texas university class production of “Corpus Christi,” by Terrence McNally, below, has been canceled by college officials citing “safety and security concerns for the students as well as the need to maintain an orderly academic environment,” The Austin Chronicle reported. “Corpus Christi,” Mr. McNally’s 1998 play depicting a gay Jesus figure, was scheduled to be performed on Saturday as part of a directing class at Tarleton State University in Stephenville, Tex. But early on Friday, Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst condemned the performance, saying in a press release that “no one should have the right to use government funds or institutions to portray acts that are morally reprehensible to the vast majority of Americans.” Although Tarleton’s president, F. Dominic Dottavio, first defended the students’ right to perform a play he considered “offensive, crude and irreverent,” university officials changed course late Friday night, canceling the performance after receiving threatening calls and e-mail messages, according to The Star-Telegram.

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/29/theater/29arts-CORPUSCHRIST_BRF.html