I have never seen South Park, and have never wanted to. I've heard enough about it to know that it isn't something I would like, although I have never considered burning down any embassies in protest against it. It has also crossed my mind that the show has been just another example of the inconsistency and lack of courage that are all-pervasive on the Left: the writers have engaged in repeated and relentless attacks on Christianity, but even in this age of global jihad violence leave the mujahedin and Islam alone -- not out of sympathy to the goals of the jihad, but simply out of fear.
But now South Park has confronted all that head-on in a show about the Muhammad cartoons, and the irrational and violent reactions they have provoked. And they seem to have done it in a worthwhile way -- a way that focuses on the key issue involved, which is freedom of speech, and violent intimidation intended to stifle it.
Michelle Malkin (thanks to Foehammer) has posted a useful summary by John Noonan at the Officers Club:
I just finished watching an episode of South Park that I'm certain will be generating its share of buzz tomorrow.SP creators Matt Parker and Trey Stone gave their audience alot to chew on, so I'm going to recap from memory and TiVo best I can.
The show's plot centered around the Mohammed cartoon controversy, opening with a scene where main character Stan is startled out of bed by his hysterical father, who rushes the family out of the house to join the shrieking masses already frantically seeking shelter.
The reason for their panic? In the South Park episode, Fox's animated sitcom The Family Guy is planning to air an episode where the Prophet Mohammed makes a cameo appearance. Family Guy is an animated sitcom, meaning a Prophet appearance would be -gasp! You guessed it- a Mohammed cartoon.
The townsfolk of South Park barricade themselves into the village community center, fearing an American repeat of the violent Muslim response to the Danish cartoons. Only after a news report airs the following morning that Fox made a last minute decision to censor Mohammed do they emerge from their makeshift fortifications.
I'll skip to the end of the episode, as the middle was filled with subplots. This is where it gets a little complicated.
Fox announces that the Family Guy episode was a two-part series, and that Mohammed would appear uncensored the following week. The South Park show ends on a cliffhanger, as the people of America begin burying their heads in the sand to prove their sensitivity to Muslims (they won't hear the show or see the show with their heads buried, get it?), while a voiceover announces that South Park is also a two-part series, and begins asking that Adam West-Batman style of questioning: "Will the people of America be safe? Will Fox let the Family Guy air? Will they show Mohammed Uncensored? Find out next week to see if Comedy Central pusses out."
I told you that story so I could write the following.
South Park used the Family Guy as a metaphor for their own show. Trey Parker and Matt Stone announced to the world that they will caticature Mohammed next week, and dared Comedy Central to stop them.
South Park may be an odd place to find inspirational speeches, but one came from a SP citizen responding to a professor's call to submit to the Islamist temper tantrums:
Freedom of speech is at stake here, don't you all see? If anything, we should all make cartoons of Mohammed and show the terrorists and the extremists that we are all united in the belief that every person has a right to say what they want. Look people, it's been really easy for us to stand up for free speech lately. For the past few decades, we haven't had to risk anything to defend it. One of those times is right now. And if we aren't willing to risk what we have now, then we just believe in free speech, but won't defend it.
South Park is awesome. True that they often bash christianity too, but its always well deserved and they are not afraid to make fun of muslims either.
Dont forget that Mohammed has appeared on South Park before, as part of the Super Best Friends which consisted of various religious figureheads (Jesus and Moses were there too).
Actually jews have also been butt of jokes in SP just as they pick up on Hinduism in the Simpsons (though in a good natured way). As for depiction og Mohammed this isnothing new. I think they caricatured all religions and their prophets/god in the season 5 episode "Super Best Friends".
And don't forget how they recently bashed Scientology and compared them with child molester (The Super Adventure Club).... WELL Deserved if you ask me. Nobody is left out in SP.
Kudos to SP.
When are those episodes going to be shown in the UK? I don't usually watch SP because of time conflicts, but these episodes I'll make sure to catch.
Matt and Trey are not from the Left, they are Libertarian atheists. Their mockery is equal opportunity, sacred cows from both the left and the right are attacked. Attacking Christianity, and certainly attacking the hypocrisy of some Christians does not make you left wing..
When are those episodes going to be shown in the UK? I don't usually watch SP because of time conflicts, but these episodes I'll make sure to catch.
I think we get it on MTV at 10 pm every Sunday.
Interesting that some of the responders here took potshots at Christianity....I guess that puts it on equal footing with Islam to some. I assure you they are not the same thing, but I thought you all knew that.
I'm sure they know that, Infidel One, but not everyone here is a christian, or revers christianity, or believes in God even. Some people, like me, think that God is just a fairytale, but that doesn't render them incapable of distinguishing between degrees of evil.
Revere, I mean.
Robert:
I haven't seen much of South Park, but I did see their outrageously funny movie, "Team America, World Police", wherein they lampooned all sorts of left icons from Michael Moore to the usual Hollywood suspects. You must pick up the video for a couple of scenes, including Kim Il Jung throwing the credulous Hans Blix into a tank of pirhanas or someother carnivorous fish.
If it seems South Park has been late in addressing Islamofacism, it's not because these guys are dhimmis to anyone. It was just a matter of getting around to it and I look forward to seeing this episode.
Infidel One
Not the same thing, agreed. Both the core message and subsequent theological development of Christianity are fundamentaly different to Islam. That does not put Christianity or the actions of Christians beyond critisism however. Neither are my heathen non beliefs either. This is not really the place for such a discussion, but I assure you that I do not make crude equivalences between Islam and Christianity in its current form.
Fantastic. I am certain that Arab TV will soon pick up on this and use it to transform the muslamic world from rabid extremists into rabid frothing at the mouth uncontrollable extremists.
Happy days are here again. Lets defend our freedom!
"Interesting that some of the responders here took potshots at Christianity....I guess that puts it on equal footing with Islam to some. I assure you they are not the same thing, but I thought you all knew that."
All I know is that organised religion is the cause of most human suffering throughout history. That includes christianity, although the biggest threat right now is without a doubt islam.
Just because christianity is not quite as bad as islam, it doesnt mean that its a good thing. I'd be glad to see both faiths disappear.
The gentlemen of South Park show great courage
I saw the episode and I thought it was great!
Cartman is constantly giving Kyle hell about being Jewish and takes potshots at his religion all the time. Recently, out of nowhere in the episode about Chef leaving (also, having to deal with Scientology in a tongue-in-cheek manner) they’re walking across a swinging bridge in silence and Cartman, from out of nowhere, asks the other kids “What do you call a Jewish woman’s boobs?” The answer was “Joobs.” Not entirely funny, but once again, giving potshots to the Jewish faith. Still, no angry Jews burning down churches or mosques over this, eh?
What I found to be interesting in this Mohammad episode was that Cartman took up the role of defending the Muslims in the episode and even claimed that making fun of others religions was wrong –something that Kyle could only respond to with stunned silence.
Other episodes have shown Cartman dressing up as Hitler during Halloween and the teachers trying to give him sensitivity training and showing him film footage of death camps in Germany, to which he sat and gleefully watched with a great, big smile on his face. Another had Cartman giving Kyle hell because he hadn’t seen The Passion by Mel Gibson and when Kyle finally went and saw it, he went to Cartman saying that he had been right about the Jews all along. Cartman, reveling, asked Kyle to repeat himself, and then basked in his win.
This episode was particularly good in that there were two choices given to the citizens of South Park: either we can defend freedom or literally stick our heads in sand. The people sat and thought for a moment and then one replied “I kinda liked that sand idea.” Truly fitting of the attitudes of our dhimmi populace, don’t you think?
If the Danish cartoons caused such a stir as tame as they were, I can only imagine what South Park satirizing of Mohammad will do. I hope they take it to extremes as they do with everything else that they do. If not, a truly great opportunity will have been squandered.
But it wouldn’t have been the first time great opportunities to call a spade a spade has been dropped for whatever reasons.
South Park, whether you like it or not, is probably the every epitome of free speech. IT's Punk Cartoonism, whenever they find a sacred cow, they go cow-tipping! I for one am glad that we have cartoonists and comedians who have the courage to fight for free speech and tweak the nose of dictators and theocrats everywhere.
"Respect their authori-tah!!"
South Park skewers Hollywood icons, pomposity, and the radical politics which dominates the Left Coast. They also trash religious conservatives. If South Park didn't take on the Mohammed cartoons I'd have been very disappointed.
South Park is a goofy cartoon show on the surface. But it's become far more. So many channels and so much programming, but only one bizarre cartoon show about Colorado third graders which truly "speaks truth to power." (Trust me, nobody hates that expression more than I do. I use it because other people use it.)
I caught the episode the other night, and was delighted something in the US with that level of visibility would finally take on the Muhammad cartoons. (Between that and the episode with the demise of Chef the week before, I find myself more or less willing look past that certain episode in December, after which I didn't watch for several months.)
Dunno why they went after Family Guy, except it's the only comparably irreverant show, and honestly the one I figured would be the first to take on the "cartoon rage": I don't know who'd make a better Muhammad: A bearded Peter Griffin, or Glen "Giggity" Quagmire... or for that matter, Stewie. (I'm leaning toward Quagmire.)
I was chatting online with a close relative yesterday who actually expressed concern that the South Park episode could lead to an attack. *beating head on desk* I assured her the terrorists are already looking to attack us under any possibly pretext.
Comedy Central generally replays new SP episodes on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday night. For reference, Fox airs Family Guy on Sundays at 9 EST, and I think the Cartoon Newtork and TBS both have reruns in syndication.
Robert, I confess this genre is an area of personal expertise-- as the detail above shows. With the weekend coming up, I would happily fly to Secure Undisclosed Locationville and watch the episode with you for moral support (and bum a Tuborg or two).
A friendly warning: If you have never seen any South Park episodes, be advised that they are laced with scatalogical references, profanity, and sexual perversion of all kinds.
The show is a raw commentary on human behavior, in all its forms, and is occasionally (some would say often) brilliant in exposing the logical insanity of a lot of what goes on in the world. Especially delightful, to my mind, are the frequent lampooning of the psychotherapists, college professors, pundits and media analysts of every kind, movie makers, and various radical movements.
Behaviors based on religious beliefs are also put in the crosshairs, though I would not say in any hostile way. For all its raw criticism, the show is good natured. I hope that the writers continue to penetrate (and continue to be permitted by their producers to penetrate) the fertile ground of Islamic behavior. There is enough aberrant behavior in Islam to keep South Park going for ten more seasons.
As we now know (if we did not know before) from recent events in Denmark, cartoons are, indeed, a genuinely powerful means of expression.
Wouldn't it be wonderful if every newspaper and media outlet in the Western World published cartoons of mohammed and ridiculed islam as it deserves.....................................
this would do more for the war against jihad than anything.
We would ,of course have more agro and blood letting but it's got to happen anyway, so how better to start it than on a wave of ridicule about the ridiculous, paedophile prophet.
It has also crossed my mind that the show has been just another example of the inconsistency and lack of courage that are all-pervasive on the Left
Actually, there's a delightful book called South Park Conservatives: The Revolt Against Liberal Media Bias that discusses a spirit of anti-liberalism as epitomized by the show's irreverent skewering of environmentalists, "tolerance"-obsessed people, the gay lobby (as once embodied by the now-female Mr. Garrison), over-reliance on Ritalin, and even abortion and stem cell research.
I just don't know what they were smoking back in December, but they lost my viewership for several months at that point (and I had been a fan since '98), though, like everyone else, I refrained from rioting.
I saw the episode of South Park. And they were parodying everything the world does when it comes to islam. Burying your head in the sand. Nervous fear of islamic rage. And I hope they show ole mo next week.
We need to see mo.
"... be advised that they are laced with scatalogical references, profanity, and sexual perversion of all kinds"
You make it sound like that's a bad thing.
I avoided South Park for years because of the frequent obscenities--until my daughter, who knew I was an ardent jihad watcher, bought me a copy of the movie Team America as a present.
That flick sent me rolling on the floor laughing. Even the use of Mount Rushmore as a home base for the team made critical sense--infidels flying out of a sculpture! I don't know if the writers knew about that Islamic proscription, because they did include such inapt things as a "Muslim tavern" in the movie. Nevertheless, Mount Rushmore was appropos, and I came to realize that Parker and Stone were not the far left wingers I figured them for--they lampoon absolutely everything and everyone. It is so refreshing.
At any rate, because of their masterpiece Team America, I now never miss South Park episodes. Real critical thinking and free speech are what Parker and Stone are about. I still don't like the frequent obscenity, but it does not bother me as much now that I better understand what the writers are up to.
From what I've read recently, Scientologists managed to get a repeat episode of South Park pulled from the airwaves. SCIENTOLOGY.
If the Muslims don't go absolutely berserk over this week's and the upcoming episode of South Park, I will be surprised, BUT if there is not a reaction like there was during the Cartoon Riots, I will find that even more disturbing. A lesser reaction will make me convinced that the religious hierarchy of Islam pulls strings for politicial gain on a global scale and that the power of that manipulation reaches all the way to Muslims in the United States on a level that we would have to investigate.
No matter what happens, this is going to be a pressure-cooker situation that I believe can finally give an advantage to the West. We just have to be smart enough to read between the lines about a week from now. A Muslim overreaction we can use to open eyes. A subdued reaction we will have to investigate more, but this can also be used to embolden more people to stand up for Free Speech again. Little outward reaction will also mean that some other form of retaliation will almost assuredly be in the works, so the South Park creators, either way, should be on their guard, as should we all be.
Now for a bit OT:
As for the Cult of Scientology, I'm not happy to hear they are successfully pressuring anyone from criticizing them. I have encountered their representatives directly more than once in my life and I ridicule them at every opportunity. I mean, seriously, have you ever actually tried to read that tripe called Dianetics? Nothing but erudite fakery at its worst. What Scientology does is manipulate and re-encode the weak-minded and emotionally injured by making people feel tha they are in need of "fixing" and the use of celebrities is nothing more than one great example of manipulation and lure tactics. Scientology actually owns a huge portion of Clearwater, Florida. The leaders of the "Church" of Scientology throw hundreds of thousands of dollars behind the careers of select celebrities -- usually ones with failing careers that need a boost (i.e. Tom Cruise, John Travolta, Kirstie Alley) and then use the claims of those celebrities as testimony to the "fact" that Scientology works -- "see what it did for Tom!"
If you've never seen young Scientologists marching around in their little uniforms then you're missing quite a laugh. All that's missing are the swastikas.
"If the Danish cartoons caused such a stir as tame as they were, I can only imagine what South Park satirizing of Mohammad will do. I hope they take it to extremes as they do with everything else that they do. If not, a truly great opportunity will have been squandered."
It wont cause anything close to the riots that the danish cartoons caused. Just like any number of other Mohammed drawings have been bypassed in silence over the years, including the last time he starred he South Park.
All the rioting caused by the danish cartoons only happened because a number of influential muslim leaders wanted it to happen. They saw the chance to pick on a small country that cant do much to return the attack and then they whipped the crowds into a frenzy.
But the average muslim will never even hear about this South Park appearence unless the topdogs see an advantage in telling them about it. And they wont riot about it unless their imams tell them do so.
I am a traditionalist, Roman Catholic yet I LOVE South Park. They have been one of the few programs to mention the well-funded NAMBLA (North American Man-Boy Love Assn) and actually have Kyle and Stan take them on. They showed these NAMBLA guys tearfully describing themselves as victims who only wanted "to share love" but mean, evil, judgmental society wouldn't let them. [Long pause] Then Kyle comes out with: "Dude you **** little boys!" Brilliant!
Whether with NAMBLA or eco-tree hugger extremists or the education cabal, they cut through all the moral relativism and moral equivalency BS much better than a papal encyclical. Actually, Pope Benny 16 would well understand South Park's take on moral relativism's lunacy.
South Park ridicules and skewers and, as Ali Sina of FaithFreedom.org suggests, this is the one thing that the violent devotees of Islam cannot stand. Sina urged us all to use satire and ridicule as a form of weapon. South Park is doing that. Bravo!
Don't slap South Park on the back too hard. Family Guy and another Seth McFarland animated cartoon American Dad have been poking fun at Muslims for the past season now. Though not poking fun at the pedeophile, phalse prophet, child molestin' Mohammad, but at the Muslim's and their culture. The funniest episode of Family Guy had Baby Stuwie beating up Osama bin Laden and his crew while he was trying to record a taped message to the world, I guess. But I do join in with everyone as far as supporting South Park's 1st Amendment stand.
Let Freedom Ring!
I've been a huge fan of Trey Parker since stumbling on "Cannibal, the Musical", years ago.
Man that is a great movie.
Just loved the "Snowman song" sequece :)
Since then I've been a Southpark junkie and really like their take on a lot of important issues as outlined in many posts above.
They do it so clearly and humorously...generally.
I must admit to being disappointed by some of the gross crudity...particularly in relation to their take on Christianity.
They absolutely hammer home irreverence to Christianity.
By comparison, their lampooning of other topics such as Scientology, Global warming, Greenies etc are remarkably tame.
Nowadays I can't watch them without being reminded of some very gross references to Christianity and this is putting me off them...which is a shame as they make me laugh.
Sometimes I wonder if Trey Parker and Matt Stone believe in anything at all...nothing seems sacred to them.
Ironman Hondo: Fond memories of the "E Peterbus Unum" episude, with the cookout at which Saddam and Gadhafi were guests.
But American Dad seems to paint its main character, a CIA agent, as a sterotypical "right-wing" Islamophobe (recalling the episode that introduced the Iranian family), more than it pokes fun at the notion of "Islamophobia" itself.
Seems like in Seth MacFarlane's mind, the friendly, CAIR-type mujahedin are singing "Can't Touch Me" as much as Peter Griffin in the episode mentioned above.
Matt Parker and Trey Stone's South Park is the embodiment of free speech. You don't have to like it; just support their right of freedom of expression. If they were to not satirize any particular religion, then they would be open to criticism of being hypocritical. But this still should not result in denying them their right of expression.
Wikipedia has an excellent South Park episode guide that breaks down each episode plot in detail with spoiler info, so if you were unable to see this episode it should be available for your anti-dhimmi reading pleasure very soon if not already!
I agree with Expatriate... Parker and Stone were extremely careful in crafting the dialogue and action of the characters of this episode to keep their hands clean of "inciting hatred" against muslims or arabs, while still making an anti-dhimmitude point. I hate to gush, but I would have to say this SP episode was nothing short of genius. Logically, there can be no muslim outrage over this particular episode because none of the characters used any type of derogatory terms for arabs, muslims or muhammad (may allah fart in his general direction), I mean they didn't even say the word ISLAM in the entire episode... I thought it brilliant that Cartman showed false sensitivity to muslims and empathized with them only as a vehicle to his own selfish desires and that by doing so gave a logical reason for him not cutting them to pieces verbally.
When Isaac Hayes quit SP, he said something to the effect that Matt and Trey were as bad as the muhammad cartoon creators... Thanks for saying that Isaac, it is possible that you were the inspiration for this excellent example of FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION.
I saw this episode purely by accident, now I can't wait for the conclusion. I'll bet Doug Hooper is on the phone as I write.
Yeah, the anti-Christian thing stings, but I can handle it. I don't feel the need to go all jihadi on Trey and Matt, as God can take care of the situation all by Himself.
Carolyn2:
Having had his fat @rse kicked in court by anti-CAIR, I'm not sure Douggie Hooper is ready to take a flyer at Stone and Parker, who are probably a lot better able to fight him off. And don't forget, the biggest fight wasn't making the program, it was getting it to air over any concerns the network brass might have had. Now, that's a major statement!
South Park has been on for 10 seasons. This is the first time they have dared to lampoon Islam -- and even this is merely an indirect hit. Meanwhile, over the years they have mercilessly and outrageously lampooned most of the major figures and symbols of Christianity and Judaism at least 100 times.
Is this what we have been reduced to? Praising a show for dipping its toe into a controversy with Islam, while for years it has been splashing uproariously in the public fountain of ridiculing Christianity every which way and loose in the most gleefully ruthless manner?
I will not be impressed until South Park approximates equal treatment.
I saw Team America right before going to SWA for second time... I was laughing so hard I was crying!
I really like the sow South Park. I have since they started. I am a Roman Catholic and I had to admit the show that showed the Vadican was so out of touch with the people (ie Giant Spider) was hilarious!
However they do tend to go a bit too far with anti-cristianity then they do with other topics... as a poster above mentioned.. But so what? I was offended at a few of the episodes... But so what?
I turned the channel.... Hahah... I still have not burned down a building for it or insighted a riot!
I do love the Family Guy too... Giggity Giggity Giggity... If you know what I mean :)
Equal treatment? No, but SP has been hammering Arabs and Islam for years now. Iraqis shot down Santa's sleigh. Muhammad was a super hero. Cartman smacked around Osama. Etc.
Putting more of a focus on Christianity only makes sense because it is more topical and relevant to the average American viewer. Especially in the late 90s and early 00s, as SP was getting going at the same time as evangelical Christianity.
I do think, though, that some of the Christian slams have been flat-out stupid. The Virgin Mary episode from last season, for instance, was just idiotic (though the other plot about Stan's dad and alcoholism was brilliant).
And Parker and Stone are a long, long way from the Left. If anything, their politics are very conservative and common sensical. They constantly demolish Hollywood leftists and all their totems. Just the week before the Muhammad episode, SP had a cloud of "Smug" -- created by George Clooney's pat-on-the-back Oscar speech, San Francisco, and people feeling superior about their hybrid cars -- turn into a cataclysmic storm that devastated the entire western US. SF was wiped right off the map.
So, no, they're not lefties. Not even close.
Sometimes I wonder if Trey Parker and Matt Stone believe in anything at all...nothing seems sacred to them.
Posted by: Mike_W
They have publicly stated multiple times that the second anything becomes sacred or above criticism that what they've been doing will become a sin, as long as they treat all subjects equally it is "pure."
"SP has been hammering Arabs and Islam for years now. Iraqis shot down Santa's sleigh."
That's hardly a direct, outrageous lampoon of anything Islamic, on a par with the nearly 100 direct, outrageous lampoons they have done against Christianity.
"Muhammad was a super hero."
Very tame and mild, compared with what they have done to Jesus, Moses, and the Judaeo-Christian God Himself.
"Cartman smacked around Osama."
Osama is an easy, safe target.
"Putting more of a focus on Christianity only makes sense because it is more topical and relevant to the average American viewer. Especially in the late 90s and early 00s, as SP was getting going at the same time as evangelical Christianity."
It's been 5 years since 911. SP has had ample time to frontally and outrageously -- and legitimately -- assault with their caustic humor Mohammed, the Koran, the behavior of Muslims over the past 5 years, etc., as they have done over and over again with Judaeo-Christian symbols and rituals (and it's not merely episodes devoted to these; they also constantly pepper their shows with little but exceedingly disrespectful jabs below the belt against Judaeo-Christian symbols and rituals). Just think what SP could do with an episode about the Hajj, with Mohammed's sordid biography, with the 1,001 insane regulations in Sharia law, with honor killings, with Islamic laws against kissing in public, with clerics saying Islam is peace while Muslim explode -- and on and on and on. Why haven't they done any of these things with Islam? They have no excuse.
"They [the SP creators] have publicly stated multiple times that the second anything becomes sacred or above criticism that what they've been doing will become a sin, as long as they treat all subjects equally it is "pure.""
Like I said, I'm waiting for them to frontally, outrageously and blatantly assault Islam (as they have done at least 100 times with Judaeo-Christian symbols and rituals over the years) with their supposedly nothing-is-sacred humor.
South Park makes fun of everyone - Muslims included. That show is not only inteligent and funny, but it is also a great exercise of freedom of speech. Family Guy is also excelent.
Many will not understand that kind of humour, but both shows represent some of the best humour coming from that part of the ocean.
South Park is not really left or right...they just use common sense.
My favorite episode (which may be eclipsed by this new one) was the episode after we caught Saddam.
The boys had to go get "ike" (the little brother) from Canada. In a spoof of the Wizard of Oz, the boys had to "follow the only road" to get to the emerald city where they could ask for ike back. Along the way, they meet 3 canadians (one of which was a french canadian). On the journey they realized the went the wrong way. Just as the boys started getting angry, the french canadian responded, "Not fear! this is canada! We can just wish ourselves there!". Of course this did not work and Cartman had some choice words to say...
In the end, the "wizard" ended up being Saddam and the boys end up capturing him. The show ended with the boys walking through a parade with a gagged and bound Saddam singing, "Merry Christmas to the World, America caught Saddam"
Satire is the symbolic scalpel.
Islam is the spiritual disease.
Let the conceptual games begin!
To the poster above who said that all he knows is that organized religion is the biggest cause of suffering in this world: Sorry, but you've got it wrong. The biggest cause of suffering in this world is putting self before anything else. Disregarding other peoples well being because the all important self comes first. In Islam it is taken to the absolute extreme, although the only self that matters in Islam is the satanic self and every other creature is subservient to that self and oppressed and eventually destroyed by it.
To compare Christianity to Islam is to be dishonest. If you want to reject faith in God, for whatever reason, you have the right to do so. But to reject it and then blame it for all the evils of the world because you don't want to follow it makes you look like a liar, as well as a fool.
If you have actually watched the show you would notice that NOTHING is beyond parody, and they take punches at everyone. They make as much fun of the "left" as they do the "right." The irrationality of the Mohammed cartoon reactions is hardly surprising material for a show.
And in this day and age, like Robert, they are being brave.
All the best,
Mac
You can use bittorrent to download the issue of South Park if you missed it on TV.
There are at least 4 torrents of it being tracked by http://torrentspy.com
Azureus is a great tool for accessing torrents.
Get it at:
http://azureus.sourceforge.net
After setting up Azureus set your web browser
(mozilla, firefox, IE, saphire whatever) to
http://torrentspy.com
Do a search at torrentspy for
south park cartoon wars
you will see:
124.57 Mb and 174.3 Mb files
These are avi files and will play with most players full screen on your computer
The 133.35 Mb version is for an I-Pod
The 35.86 Mb one is a very small window Real Media version.
The other two don't have anybody sharing (seeding) them so avoid them.
Save the torrent file to your computer
Start Azureus
Import the torrent file you saved.
Ignore it for a couple of hours
You are done.
Watch the video.
Kicking sacred cows?
Not even close. What Matt and Trey do to sacred cows would make Upton Sinclair faint dead away.
Kicking sacred cows?
Not even close. What Matt and Trey do to sacred cows would make Upton Sinclair faint dead away.
zerker,
we may share a complete disregard for copuright laws but i dont think you should be dishing out links to other people on a respectable forum like this.
P.S If you are in UK, you may at the right side of Law, Copyright laws apply only to Music and Published things.
Sitting down and counting how many times SP has insulted each religion or minority group only means that you have completly misunderstood the whole deal. Because if they were forced to make sure that they insult everyone exactly the same amount of times, that would be the ultimate surrender to the beast called "political correctness".
It doesnt matter that South Park has made 100 insulting jokes about christians, jews or whatever other group you can think of. What's important is that they are not afraid to make fun of anyone, when they feel they have something say! They are not under any obligation to give equal time to islam and christianity. If they had to bow to your opinion on how much they are allowed to insult each religion, then that would be just as bad as if they bowed to islamists and censored themselves.
Its already been said that maybe they pick more on christianity because thats the religion that most of their viewers belong to. Their goal is to provoke the viewers, not to deliver a politically correct amount of satire about every religion. Notice that this episode of SP is mainly about ridiculing all those who prefer to bury their head in the sand, rather than ridiculing the islamists. Because those people are likely to be among their audience and they want to hit their own audience, not someone who will never watch SP.
I watched the episode yesterday. It was spot on in the way it tackled the issue - not to actually show any images of Mohammed but to mock the over inflated reaction to it both from the believers and those who didn't wish to offend. The Muslim Awareness Day was particularly hilarious (if somewhat crude.) Like someone said upthread, the South Park creators attack everyone including the left. The movie "Team America" took the proverbial out of both the far right neo cons and the far left in Hollywood. Congrats to the SP team for satire.
A lesser reaction (to the SP episode) will make me convinced that the religious hierarchy of Islam pulls strings for politicial gain on a global scale and that the power of that manipulation reaches all the way to Muslims in the United States
My prediction: You won't hear so much as a mouse-fart from 'em over this. Their current desire is keep the US in the dark about everything going on overseas to the best of their ability.