South Park's latest "Muhammad" episodes won't air in Sweden

Not only should have aired it (obviously) but they should have made a point of the situation by preceding the airing with a notice like this:

"Some said that we should not air this episode because it might offend some of our dear Muslim friends and neighbors, who will then resort to violence. We reject the hateful and Islamophobic stereotype that any and every "offense," real or perceived, will cause our dear Muslims friends and neighbors to stoop to base violence and threats. We know that that cannot be the case. Therefore we proudly stand in the face of such Islamophobia and air this in the full confidence that our Muslim friends and neighbors, even if offended, will simply accept and understand that those things happen and go on with life, as we all do when we are offended. And now, without further delay..."

What? They're afraid of the "religion of peace?"

Such irony. Such hypocrisy.

"The first episode contained typically mocking depictions of several religious figures and assorted celebrities, with Buddha at one point being chastised by Jesus for snorting cocaine."

Er, maybe it's time to turn off ROMPER ROOM.

Interesting how they fail to identify who the employees' are in danger from. The cowardice is so incredible.

Is this why the once Judeo-Christian Middle East is now Islamic? The J/C's caved?

Just think of the fun Trey and Matt can have with Sweden, mmmmwwhhaaaaaa...

"Comedy Central believes strongly in creative freedom of expression; when unique and deeply insightful creative talents like those behind South Park are able to express themselves freely, we all benefit."

Um, no, it's obvious you say it, but you don't really believe it.

I like I_M_F's suggestion.

Also, I suspect there are many more threats being received than the one from revolutionmuslim.com. Its hard to believe that an isolated threat could shutdown such a lucrative program as South Park. Sadly, this is more reason to boycott Comedy Central.

Kim, you are spot on. Not only is the ME Islamic, but once-Buddhist SE Asia has been conquered as well, probably also through progressive intimidation by a "tiny minority" acting over decades or centuries. (Slightly off topic: in college I knew a muslim Malaya student whose favorite pastime was to insult Jews and dress in Nazi uniforms.) Now its Europe's turn.

It's a perfectly understandable position...Never pzz of the 'Jolly Green Giant'...It's best to talk softly, don't say anything inflammatory, and don't make any sudden moves...
You don't have to give up your free speech, just don't use it...Question...'Where does a 1000 pound gorilla sleep'?...Answer...'Anywhere he wants'...Shhh...don't wake him up...

I understand the decision made, and won't pretend to judge the people who made it. But I think that if you are working in the media, it really should become part of your responsibility to accept this sort of risk, not allow thugs to become the executive editors of your media outlet. Comedy Central, like it or not, has made thugs executive editors of the show.

In the new climate, media outlets should start telling their employees:

...there may be some risks in working here; we are not going to censor what we do in reaction to death threats; if you have a problem with that, we give you 6 months warning [or fill in the blank with whatever time span seems suitable -- traeh], so you have time to find a new job where you won't face such threats. After 6 months, we will start ignoring death threats when deciding what to publish, broadcast, etc.

And media consumers should do their best to reward media outlets unintimidated by death threats, and reject outlets like Comedy Central that surrender editorial control to thugs.

It would be useful to have a regularly updated list of the most fearless and most craven media outlets in relation to death threats and intimidation from Muslims.

Why the word "censored"? It should be "submission", surely.

I would think the UN putting Iran on the woman's right committee would be your top story this morning....

Why doesn't Fox make a deal with CC to air episode 200 and 201 without censorship? Does CC have the right to control all distribution?

Freedom of speech is non-negotiable.

I hope that in the future this will haunt "South Park". Every time from now on when they will have something satirical about some faith, I hope people will remember that they only dare to do it because that faith does not threathen them with death, while Islam does.

I intend to comment about it in my conversations, and to say that "South Park" may be funny but is essentially worthless, because of only daring to "expose" "meek" faiths, but abstaining from it with Islam.

Maybe everytime from now on they have insulting satire about any other faith, the followers of that faith should cry out:"Why our faith(s) only?" Do Islam!!! Or face our contempt.

As a "disgruntled redhead" myself, I would like to send Sweden this message ...

http://academicwritingclub.com/images/angry_redhead.jpg

Chalk one up for the bad guys, no doubt about it, but I'm encouraged in one respect and that is that this has come to the attention of many people in many countries, including an awful lot of young folks who watch South Park, and it forms all part of a growing awareness that Islam is intolerant and violent. Short-term setback and hopefully long-term gain. Little by little, drip by drip, Islam can't help but reveal its ugly nature to all mankind. Just trying to see a silver lining in a dark cloud here.

Oh yeah, I definitely like Islam_Macht_Frei's suggestion above. It would have been a priceless moment in broadcast history. An opportunity lost. Demsci's observation is a good one too. Henceforth, South Park won't look as intrepid as it once did to all those who have a good sense of things.

"Tom Cruise promises to end the law suit if the town can produce the Muslim prophet Muhammad."

Finally, a proper reference to Muhammad, not as The Prophet, but as a lower-cased, prophet of Islam.

Anyone remember the Jihad Awareness Project of a few years back?

Well, we're starting another small project, for anyone who wants to participate.

Have you called a public official (here) and

1. Asked him or her to prosecute Yousef Al-Khattab for his recent death threats that made Comedy Central censor the South Park television show? And

2. Have you asked the public official to place an image of Muhammad on his/her desk in solidarity with Comedy Central?

Please leave a comment at the Jihad Awareness Project at the bottom of the most recent post. Tell us

A. the date you called the official;

B. the person you called and the person you actually got to speak to (if the official was not available, remember to ask the name of the staff person who takes your call and speaks with you);

C. whether you communicated messages #1 and #2 above.

That way we can try to get a sense of how many calls have been made and to whom.

Thanks!

This is actually the end of that stupid program.

The whole premise of south park is that it spared no one. The egregious denigrations of Jesus and Buddha are "supposed to shatter" political correctness. The idea is if you can insult the Messiah, the Biblical Son of Jehovah, the embodiment of godliness, then WHO CAN'T you insult??

Yeah, who can't you?

One addendum to the above post. When you call, I would avoid trying to teach the official about Islam; stick to the point: prosecute Yousef Al-Khattab for death threats against Comedy Central; ask the official to place an image of Muhammad in his/her office, in solidarity with Comedy Central and the right to freedom of speech.

Well, in defense of South Park, they certainly didn't censor their own animations. Aren't we blasting the wrong party? Before vilifying them, understand that they pushed harder than Fox to poke fun at Islamic intolerance. Again, with the money Murdock has, why not make his own cartoonish lampoons? Like Lil Bush, let him make Lil Mohammad.

I guess some didn't follow the episode of 200. Scientology and all the others SP has bashed conspired to murder Mohammad and steal his ability to intimidate critics from insulting him. There was a three way fight between gingers, terrorists and Tom Cruise for Mohammad's magical juice. CC was like the South Park kids and opted to hand over Mohammad to the terrorists......

Yes, in the end CC succumbed, but we've come as long way from our exercising Free Speech back in Frankin's brutal day to Americans now hoping a cable cartoon show can lead the way for Free Speech and Liberty.

I'd start a fund to pay for 24/7 protection for SP creators and ask them to leak the uncensored version to Jihad Watch where we all can get an unfettered look.......

Someone needs a bottle and a diaper change, bwaaa!! ...

http://gto7.files.wordpress.com/2009/03/crybaby_muhammad1.jpg

Maxtrue: They should leak the uncensored version or do a new one and release it independently.

Yankel: I agree, the show is over. I won't watch it anymore or any Comedy Central shows. Now I'll always suspect that they are censoring material, even if its not obvious as it was in "200".

BTW, as an American, regarding Islam, I don't care about a person's religion. I don't care how a person prays, how often a person prays, what they pray to, how they dress, the food they eat and drink (or don't), and so on. I only care when they get in my face and try to force me and mine conform to their belief system or restrict access to information they find objectionable.

CENSORED

How is Comedy Central handling things in the rest of Europe? I find it hard to believe they have a Swedish closed caption feed and not one for French and German, at the least.

Are we likely to see cars burning in the banlieues of Paris over this? Rocks thrown in Berlin? And leaving aside foreign language showings altogether, will South Park's 200th episodes—even in their heavily censored form—cause riots in the streets of Londonistan?

"The Continental Congress believes strongly in creative freedom of expression; when unique and deeply insightful creative talents like those behind the Declaration of Independence are able to express themselves freely, we all benefit. However, the safety of our employees is our unquestioned number one priority, and therefore we have decided to cancel the Declaration and surrender to General Gage."

The prevailing cowardice of the PC left, when faced with a real threat, will undermine all we have achieved since 1776.

In Germany, the two episodes 200 and 201 are also NOT aired or shown on the web page. I had to go and look at a torrent to see what's in there. I wrote an email to complain and this is what I got as an answer:
"MTV Networks decided not to air South Park Episodes 200 and 201. We took this decision with great reluctance.
We believe in creative freedom of expression: We all profit from it, if the cratives of south park are allowed to express themselves freely.
But the security of our emplyees is our first priority and thus we decided this cautious measure."
Well, duh. Threats and fear decide about freedom of speech. Well done.
"It's the end of the world as we know it..." but I don't feel fine!

All of South Park are moral cowards and hypocrites. They are multi-millionaires and they got rich by acting brave. We all thought they were wonderful in their efforts to pull down sacred cows and butcher them in front of everybody - but they are not brave. They punched out some vegetarians, and Catholics and Buddhists and seventh day adventists - anyone who was totally harmless and totally safe - anyone who believed with all their hearts in "Love thy neighbor as thyself" and "turn the other cheek" "Violence only in extreme self defense". But to really save people from a sadistic and lock-step deadly tradition/religion they will not do. They obviously have a soft spot in their hearts for the Muslim Religion, for the fun they make of it is softer and more flattering than the SH*T they sling at all other religions and traditions. I have always had a special love for Marisol oxoxoxxoxoxoxoxoxoxooxoxoxox

champ, too funny!! Thanks for that link :)

I like South Park personally, don't watch it all the time, but I do like it. It's just flabbergasting to me that Comedy Central would bow to these whiners. Is that what we've come to now in N. America? We're just going to let them complain and then kowtow to their every wish? Unbelievable.

And we're talking cartoons here. Sheesh.

Obviously some can't read. Because YOUR pet hostility can't make it past CC censors, you vilify South Park creators. How were they less brave in dealing with Mohammad than others? Past SP cartoons of Mohammad have aired UNCEBSORED. I hardly think South Park's treatment of Mohammad (or the terrorists of imagination land were flattering. You think? What is strange is that many here think South Park is Thomas Paine. What is wrong is that South Park is even in the forefront leading the charge for Free Speech. Where is the ACLU in protesting CC's censorship? In fact, did Matt and Trey censor their episode? Are they under contract to consent to CC directives?

As I have already said, Iran being placed on the Woman's Rights committee at the UN is a far more insulting act than CC claiming safety for their employees as the reason for their backing down. Let's see YOUR cable shows broadcasting Mohammad cartoons and then I'll be more sympathetic to Your 1st Amendment gallery.....

of course "YOUR" should be obvious, but then my former remarks not so much....

Thats too bad. Sweden has been making such progress. We need to convey to the WEST that Islam is really MORE that just a Religion. Islam requires the Muslim to follow the SHARIA LAW. A country that allows for another LAW other than there own is literally a HOST for the INVADER. Sharia is to Islam as the Constitution is to America. This is NOT just a Religion that has come to invade. IT IS ANOTHER COUNTRY (really another continent.) Most of the ME and Africa is MUSLIM. We have been declared war upon by a WHOLE other continent.

Ah well. Sweden has an election in some three months... and the political agenda of the day is to keep the "cultural- and foreigner hostiles" out of the action. Which is hard already, considering that in a short time there has been a slaying of 78-year old Swedish lady by one 23-year old Lebanese palestinian (in an argument over a handicap parking spot), one rape of an eleven year old girl (by an afghanistani 20 year-or-so old man)to name a few. And riots are starting up in the suburbs (they stay calm during wintertime, to cold to stomach for some...) What Swedish establishment (including media) do not need is another issue to subdue, where the islamists go wild over yet another slight of a nature that most native Swedes find quite harmless or ("gasp") even funny.

Well, if Comedy Central and Sweden aren't going to poke their red-hot skewers into Mo (piss be upon him), then I'll let my little cartoon friends Reginald and Slugger over at YAAFM do it:

YAAFM - The Muslims

Caution: Mild profanity, but extremely funny (and truthful). Please watch!

Since they're banning MO, they should ban all religious figures. Now before you say that's worse, hear me out.

If they only ban Mo, then the muzzies are being treated with more respect than the rest of us, making us dhimmis. But if all religious figures are treated the same, we no longer come off as "yes, sir-ing" the muslims while telling the other religions, "Oh, too bad, You're nice, so you don't get the same treatment."

Giving "respect" because you're afraid of a group unfortunately has the same result as giving respect that is heartfelt. In both cases, it sets the muzzies "up there" and the rest of us "down here." That makes their sense of entitlement even worse!

The wages of cowardice.....

"Only by defying Islam, can we begin the process of taking back our freedoms. Only by speaking out, do our voices matter. Because they don't have to silence us, if we silence ourselves first."_Daniel Greenfield

from "They Don't Have to Silence us, If we Silence Ourselves First" http://sultanknish.blogspot.com/2010/04/they-dont-have-to-silence-us-if-we.html