"South Park" Speech on Fear and Intimidation Cut

[JuniperWoolf]

For Matt Stone and Trey Parker, creators of South Park, no subject is taboo. In the past, they've shown Catholics with naked children on leashes, a gay male prostitute inserting Paris Hilton into his anus and have outright called scientology bullsh**. They pushed the boundaries of freedom of speech time and again, and triumphed... until now.

Last week, South Park aired their 201st episode, in which they addressed the issue of freedom of speech, and noted that the only topic that is off limits to any form of jest is Mohammad. Why? Because people are afraid that they will be killed, like Theo van Gogh (Dutch film director, who was shot and stabbed in the face by Muslim radicals after making a documentary on the mistreatment of women in Islamic society).

Episode 201 not only had the image of Mohammad censored, but his name was also bleeped and a speech by Kyle at the end of the episode (in which they argued against fear and intimidation being used stifle freedom of speech, Mohammad's name wasn't even mentioned) was completely bleeped over. Why? Because Muslim radicals threatened to kill Matt and Trey. They posted a photograph of Theo van Gogh's corpse on their group's website (the website has since been removed from the internet), along with the address of Matt and Trey's production headquarters and suggested that they would "end up just like Theo van Gogh." They also commended people who terrorize for the Muslim faith (because they insist that they are told to do so by Mohammad himself), and listed Osama bin Laden as an example. The base of operations of the radical Muslim group was only two blocks away from Comedy Central's headquarters.

Ironic? You betcha. Sad? Very.

(Note that the episode wasn't doctored because Matt and Trey suggested it out of fear; they WANTED the episode to be aired as-is, the network decided to censor)

http://tv.msn.com/tv/article.aspx?news=495496

[Dodo25]

Wow I didn't know the background. I thought they censored it on purpose, because it makes it even funnier. By censoring him, and going trough all the trouble (i.e. putting him in a huge bear costume), it creates even more attention than if they'd just show him.. And the voice censoring sounded often like they were saying f*** instead of Muhammad, which is also pretty mocking.. I don't know, if terrorists really need to bomb something, they'll find enough excuses for that in the episode 201 already, even with the censoring..

By the way, calling Scientology bulls*** isn't intolerant or controversial, everything else would be hypocritical and dishonest.

[Babbalanja]

It's important to understand that the people who threatened Parker and Stone aren't whack jobs or homicidal maniacs. They're rational, educated clerics who have made the decision to believe that making death threats against cartoonists is acceptable behavior in this circumstance.

This is why I keep saying that faith and religion have nothing to do with belief in God. They're simply about making sure people will profess belief in things they can't understand, and behave in a way that nonbelievers may consider irrational.

And if only "radical" Muslims would engage in such folly, where, pray tell, are the moderate Muslims? Did I miss where imams in America defended Parker and Stone's right to free speech? Did they denounce the death threats as unacceptable in civilized society?

Regards,

Istvan

[JuniperWoolf]

Wow I didn't know the background. I thought they censored it on purpose, because it makes it even funnier. By censoring him, and going trough all the trouble (i.e. putting him in a huge bear costume), it creates even more attention than if they'd just show him.. And the voice censoring sounded often like they were saying f*** instead of Muhammad, which is also pretty mocking.. I don't know, if terrorists really need to bomb something, they'll find enough excuses for that in the episode 201 already, even with the censoring.

That's what I thought, too. In a way, the network's excessive censoring might be a good thing. It definately exposes the situation for what it is - sad, dangerous, bullying, intimidation and straight-up terrorism for which people are bending over. Plus, it pissed people off. I know it pissed me off. Suspending the American constitutional right to free-speech right in their own country, how pathetic.


By the way, calling Scientology bulls*** isn't intolerant or controversial, everything else would be hypocritical and dishonest.

Oh no, I'd argue that Matt Stone and Trey Parker are two of the only rational, sane people that have a voice in the media. It's not intolerant to call scientology bullsh**, it's just a risk that most people wouldn't take because they're afraid of getting sued.


And if only "radical" Muslims would engage in such folly, where, pray tell, are the moderate Muslims? Did I miss where imams in America defended Parker and Stone's right to free speech? Did they denounce the death threats as unacceptable in civilized society?

Actually, I don't know much about Muslims (or Christians for that matter; I dislike both religions quite a lot, so I try my best to avoid them). I figured that there must be moderate Muslims, because there would seem to be moderate Christians (the preacher at the curch down the street from my old house was a lesbian, that seems pretty progressive). Plus, if they were all homicidal, wouldn't we be getting murdered more often?

[Revolte]

The ones that sent the death threat live in New York.. What I think is the worst part of all this, is the fact that people are so violently obsessed with their religion that it's all taken so seriously. I'm with south park on this one, I think the FCC and the nut jobs in New York need to grow up already. We all get death threats at some point anyway, it's the risk you take when you speek up about something, they shouldn't have bleeped anything out. Mohammad must one ugly bloke.

[Hurricane]

I think this whole thing is ridiculous. I can understand why Comedy Central made the decision to censor the episode, but it was the wrong decision. They shouldn't have bowed to the threats (which shouldn't have been made in the first place, but that's a whole 'nother can of worms).
South Park has depicted people eating their own parents in chili, Japanese as crazed whale/dolphin hunters, cripple fights, Satan and Saddam Hussein as gay lovers, and brutally mocked almost every major religion (also, Scientology). Whether you find South Park amusing or horribly tasteless, you have to respect that. They're not afraid to push the boundaries, and I think that's awesome. It's a shame that Comedy Central didn't stand up for them this time.

[Virgil]

That's what I thought, too. In a way, the network's excessive censoring might be a good thing. It definately exposes the situation for what it is - sad, dangerous, bullying, intimidation and straight-up terrorism for which people are bending over. Plus, it pissed people off. I know it pissed me off. Suspending the American constitutional right to free-speech right in their own country, how pathetic.


That's not suspending the consititution. The network made a personal decision to self censor. The government didn't order this.

[The Atheist]

The religion of peace.

Yeah, right.

Theo van Gogh.

QED

[JuniperWoolf]

That's not suspending the consititution. The network made a personal decision to self censor. The government didn't order this.

Is it not blatent terrorism? Is that not against the constitution? Is the threat of physical violence to silence another person not taking away another human being's constitutional right to free-speech?