Muhammed on South Park

[Draka]

The show that indiscriminately harps on everyone is being censored for finally broaching Islam. Parker and Stone have received death threats, and as a result, Comedy Central has censored quite a bit of their newest episode which features Muhammed.

Jon Stewart, 'South Park' duo tee off on network censorship and Muslim death threats - Yahoo! News

So what about it? Everyone knows this show and it's creators are out to poke fun and poke holes in everything, everyone, and every belief. It's what they do. You don't see everyone else all up in arms about it (well, except for maybe some Scientologists but they're crazy anyway-yes I said it), but even broach the subject of Islam and Muhammed and death threats start flying. So, is it right to give in to the fear and let the terrorists win by giving them what they want and censoring our own speech to appease them, or go ahead and say and do what we please...insane fundie threats be damned and hope for the best?

Biggest common sense question...If certain Muslims don't like what's being portrayed then why bother watching it? No one's asking them to watch it. If they can't handle jokes and criticism then they don't need to watch a program that does it on purpose.

 

[Caladan]

Some more context:

[youtube]BVs73i0E1vw[/youtube]

Ayaan Hirsi Ali on the death threats:

[youtube]mEzQ2QTqReY[/youtube]
YouTube - Creators Of South Park Receive Death Threats After Muhammad Character Appears On Show

 

[*Anne*]

We've been discussing it here too.

I vote to air it as is, threats be damned. Offended Muslims are welcome to protest peacefully.

 

[Draka]

I do like Stone and Parker's line of thought. That they would be hypocritical to themselves if they allowed fear to be an issue in their equal treatment of all beliefs systems. Not exactly what they said, but the basic jist.

 

[footprints]

The show that indiscriminately harps on everyone is being censored for finally broaching Islam. Parker and Stone have received death threats, and as a result, Comedy Central has censored quite a bit of their newest episode which features Muhammed.

Jon Stewart, 'South Park' duo tee off on network censorship and Muslim death threats - Yahoo! News

So what about it? Everyone knows this show and it's creators are out to poke fun and poke holes in everything, everyone, and every belief. It's what they do. You don't see everyone else all up in arms about it (well, except for maybe some Scientologists but they're crazy anyway-yes I said it), but even broach the subject of Islam and Muhammed and death threats start flying. So, is it right to give in to the fear and let the terrorists win by giving them what they want and censoring our own speech to appease them, or go ahead and say and do what we please...insane fundie threats be damned and hope for the best?

Biggest common sense question...If certain Muslims don't like what's being portrayed then why bother watching it? No one's asking them to watch it. If they can't handle jokes and criticism then they don't need to watch a program that does it on purpose.

People handle criticism differently, I know many Pagans, Christians, Atheists et al, who don't handle criticism of their belief, very well either.

Islam is a very serious religion, its practioners, if you haven't noticed, take it very seriously. The whole world knows this, why would any decent person then, in all sense of reasoning, want to make fun of it, or turn it into a mockery?

Fully knowing the Islamic reaction to this, I would say it boils down to three probabilies, a) either the producers of the show are just as silly as the show itself b) they needed publicity c) they wanted to project anti Islamic prejudice into the wider community.

I have no idea how serious the death threats were, if they are serious or just words of passion, it does appear though the producers of the show have taken them seriously.

 

[.lava]

So what about it? Everyone knows this show and it's creators are out to poke fun and poke holes in everything, everyone, and every belief. It's what they do.

everything, everyone and every belief? i think not. obviously but they can't mock a threat directed at their lives

.

 

[*Anne*]

The whole world knows this, why would any decent person then, in all sense of reasoning, want to make fun of it, or turn it into a mockery?

Well, you'd have to ask the creators of South Park for the actual answer, but I know many comedians use humor as a form of social commentary. I didn't see the episode, but it's possible they weren't targeting Islam alone...they were joking about religion in general.

I agree that it's rude to openly insult someone's deeply held beliefs, and while I wouldn't do it, I strongly support the right to do so. The free speech that gives them that right also gives me my rights to speak out when I feel it's necessary. That's why I defend it.

Believe me, I've seen plenty in print and on TV that has offended me.

obviously but they can't mock a threat directed at their lives

Oh, give it time. They will.

 

[Draka]

everything, everyone and every belief? i think not. obviously but they can't mock a threat directed at their lives

.

Well, the point was that they address all kinds of issues. Anything that can be criticized or ridiculed will be. That's what they do. They strip all pretense away from stuff and have at it. That's the kind of program it is. You don't see uprisings or death threats or any of that from all the others they have poked fun at. They finally get to Muhammed and Islam and *boom* there's a radical Muslim website going on and on about how they "could" end up like another guy that was murdered by radical Muslims, AND post Parker and Stone's home addresses. Thing is, if people like that know they'd get offended if that type of show depicted Muhammed then why watch the show? If someone is ultra-sensitive and will easily take offense...don't watch a show whose whole premise is to offend or criticize or make fun of others. If you can't take things with a grain of salt and humor, don't expose yourself to them.

 

[.lava]

Well, the point was that they address all kinds of issues. Anything that can be criticized or ridiculed will be. That's what they do. They strip all pretense away from stuff and have at it. That's the kind of program it is. You don't see uprisings or death threats or any of that from all the others they have poked fun at. They finally get to Muhammed and Islam and *boom* there's a radical Muslim website going on and on about how they "could" end up like another guy that was murdered by radical Muslims, AND post Parker and Stone's home addresses. Thing is, if people like that know they'd get offended if that type of show depicted Muhammed then why watch the show? If someone is ultra-sensitive and will easily take offense...don't watch a show whose whole premise is to offend or criticize or make fun of others. If you can't take things with a grain of salt and humor, don't expose yourself to them.

yes, that's common sense and imo right thing to do would be ignoring anything that leads you to negativity. but that does make certain fact go away. this is not the first time. everybody already knows. nobody's mocking Prophet unknowingly, nobody's ignorant of this subject. i am sorry. i personally find all of it pathetic and inhumane, including those who use soft spot of Muslims in the name of free speech and throw more wood into fire that, one way or another, burns us all

.

 

[Revoltingest]

It reminds me of an old joke. The police responded to an urgent call from a furious elderly woman about a flasher exposing himself to her.
When the police arrived at her house, she led them upstairs to her attic & exclaimed, "Just look at that evil man flaunting his naughty parts
right in my face!" The cop said he didn't see anything. The woman said, "See that green house over on the next block? Look thru these
binoculars into that bathroom window! Just disgusting!".

Everyone knows what South Park does. Why watch it if you know you'll be offended?

 

[.lava]

It reminds me of an old joke. The police responded to an urgent call from a furious elderly woman about a flasher exposing himself to her.
When the police arrived at her house, she led them upstairs to her attic & exclaimed, "Just look at that evil man flaunting his naughty parts
right in my face!" The cop said he didn't see anything. The woman said, "See that green house over on the next block? Look thru these
binoculars into that bathroom window! Just disgusting!".

Everyone knows what South Park does. Why watch it if you know you'll be offended?

good story.
any reason why mocking what's divine for Muslims while there are wars going on in Muslim nations and Muslims are actually getting killed by mostly USA? any reason?

.

 

[xkatz]

As I have said before, Matt and Trey are trying to point out a double standard when it comes to religion. When they portray the prophet Muhammad (who simply does nothing in the episode), they have to censor it and they are threatened*. When they portray the Buddha, who is sniffing cocaine, they don't have to censor it and they don't get threats. I think it shows that when it comes to certain issues, we sometimes go too far when it comes to being "politically correct".

*The "warning" I feel is nothing more than a thinly veiled death threat. There is no reason why revolutionmuslim.com has to give the South Park studio address and post pictures of the creators' houses.

Biggest common sense question...If certain Muslims don't like what's being portrayed then why bother watching it? No one's asking them to watch it. If they can't handle jokes and criticism then they don't need to watch a program that does it on purpose.

As for the OP question, I feel like the Muslims have a right to speak out, but so do the creators of South Park and/or the critics of Islam.

 

[Revoltingest]

good story.
any reason why mocking what's divine for Muslims while there are wars going on in Muslim nations and Muslims are actually getting killed by mostly USA? any reason?

The reason for mocking is that it's funny. It's about the humor of pomposity & pretentious sanctimony, not war. Bear in mind that South Park is
a commercial enterprise, rather than an arm of the government waging the wars. If the humor is offensive, then it's best to watch something else.

I suppose that burning the American flag at protests in foreign countries would be offensive, so I would avoid those events. Problem solved....without threatening anyone else's life.

 

[darkendless]

good story.
any reason why mocking what's divine for Muslims while there are wars going on in Muslim nations and Muslims are actually getting killed by mostly USA? any reason?

.

Because they can and will, it makes them money so why not? They don't care if they offend muslims and neither do the people (including myself) who watch the show because its not about muslims. They mock jesus 50x more and christians don't go up and arms and send death threats.

Muslims being stupid about this issue will only give ammo to southpark. They need to get over this issue and themselves or they will just fuel southpark to do it again.

 

[.lava]

The reason for mocking is that it's funny. It's about the humor of pomposity & pretentious sanctimony, not war. Bear in mind that South Park is
a commercial enterprise, rather than an arm of the government waging the wars. If the humor is offensive, then it's best to watch something else.

for your information, i don't watch TV

i was not really asking why people mock. i was asking what's the point of doing something that would never be "welcomed" by Muslims while there's a war that kills Muslims everyday.

how's mockery fun? how's mocking what people hold as divine is fun?

I suppose that burning the American flag at protests in foreign countries would be offensive, so I would avoid those events. Problem solved....without threatening anyone else's life.

no, problem is not solved

.

 

[Draka]

yes, that's common sense and imo right thing to do would be ignoring anything that leads you to negativity. but that does make certain fact go away. this is not the first time. everybody already knows. nobody's mocking Prophet unknowingly, nobody's ignorant of this subject. i am sorry. i personally find all of it pathetic and inhumane, including those who use soft spot of Muslims in the name of free speech and throw more wood into fire that, one way or another, burns us all

.

But they're not mocking the prophet, they're mocking the hypersensitivity of Muslims over anyone depicting the prophet. Hence having him in a bear suit. It's the attitude they are addressing, not the Muhammed himself. As a whole they are treating Muhammed as they do all the others by having him as one of the "Super Friends" along with Jesus, Buddha, and others. He's being treated equally to all other religious symbols and people. The bear suit thing was the addressing the "no depiction" thing. And as I and revoltingest said, everyone knows what South Park does, so why watch if you know you're going to be offended?

 

[Draka]

for your information, i don't watch TV

i was not really asking why people mock. i was asking what's the point of doing something that would never be "welcomed" by Muslims while there's a war that kills Muslims everyday.

how's mockery fun? how's mocking what people hold as divine is fun?



no, problem is not solved

.

But it's not really mockery, at least not mocking the prophet. They were addressing a stance, a double standard. They do tackle serious issues on the show you know. They use humor and satire to make points. They weren't insulting Muhammed. If they were insulting anyone...it was extremists.

 

[.lava]

Because they can and will, it makes them money so why not? They don't care if they offend muslims and neither do the people (including myself) who watch the show because its not about muslims. They mock jesus 50x more and christians don't go up and arms and send death threats.

Muslims being stupid about this issue will only give ammo to southpark. They need to get over this issue and themselves or they will just fuel southpark to do it again.

"because they can and they will" sounds like a terrible angle to me. so we'd always be able to find bunch of people who would send death threats and some of them would like to kill these people because "they can". do we have to..do we really need to care for the same things and value the same things to understand each other? Muslims being stupid by sending out messages for a man hunt and south park was being smart and all? i disagree with that. we have a problem in this world and both sides in this story doing nothing but adding more and more to hatred. none of them is trying to help peace

.

 

[darkendless]

"because they can and they will" sounds like a terrible angle to me. so we'd always be able to find bunch of people who would send death threats and some of them would like to kill these people because "they can". do we have to..do we really need to care for the same things and value the same things to understand each other? Muslims being stupid by sending out messages for a man hunt and south park was being smart and all? i disagree with that. we have a problem in this world and both sides in this story doing nothing but adding more and more to hatred. none of them is trying to help peace

.

Southpark is doing exactly what it means to. Its drawing out the hatred. Its unveiling the true colours of some muslims. They've proven their point.

They knew of all the religions, they'd get the extreme reaction from muslims and it worked.

Do you think these people care how much Islam hates them while they're rolling in piles of money after 90% of the western world laughed at the episode?

This isn't about peace or war, its about making a point and the southpark boys did it well. They got exactly what they planned, a sour reaction from Islam.

 

[Revoltingest]

for your information, i don't watch TV

i was not really asking why people mock. i was asking what's the point of doing something that would never be "welcomed" by Muslims while there's a war that kills Muslims everyday.

how's mockery fun? how's mocking what people hold as divine is fun?

no, problem is not solved

War is irrelevant. Even during a war, life goes on, & that includes TV, movies, books, plays, etc. Every culture has humor....at least I thought so until now...
....anyway, to satirize & to mock is humor. The more sacred someone's cow is, the funnier the satire. We mock our own leaders. Sometimes it is even political
speech, as was the holocaust mocking cartoon fest in Iran. I support the right to do that also.

Btw, I find South Park boring. Check out The Boondocks...now there's a great cartoon which can offend people.