At what point would I do so, or at what point do I expect others to do so? These are not the same thing. I, if I were in command, would have broadcast the episode. I think that the weighing of risks and benefits in this case is highly personal, and I do not expect others to be heroes or martyrs for a cause, even in cases where I may elect to do so. I don't demand that others must act as I would.
This discussion is inherently fucked because of the above statement. We can't pretend like it wasn't an extremist religious group that made the threats, because it was. More importantly, it was an extremist Islamic group that made the threats. If it was anyone else, be it trenchcoat-wearing teenagers from Colorado or a mob of angry gingers, it wouldn't have been taken as seriously. You know why Comedy Central gave in to fundamentalist Muslims? Because they back their words up. I'm not saying it's the only religion, or only interest group for that matter, that makes threats and is capable of carrying them out. Not at all. But in these times, there's an ever-present fear that anything affiliated with Islam is not to be fucked with. That what I think was most at play here: fear. Is it right? Probably not. But humans are prone to stereotyping, and stereotyping can be a bitch. Besides, it's not like this is the first time lives have been threatened over freedom of expression. Isn't that part of what this country's based on? Take this with a grain of salt. Maybe I'm just full of shit and I should go back to my Xbox or whatever.
Freedom of speech can lead to a lot of problems. For every instance of Intelligent and meaningful insights, there is an ignorant and/or racist ideal being preached somewhere. It's unfortunate that mindsets like that exist, but freedom of speech protects us all regardless of your beliefs (in this country anyway). I think anyone should be able to say what they want, but If what you say can potentially get you killed, then it might be a good idea to censor yourself. I don't necessarily agree with the networks decision, but I don't blame them for making it.
Pretty sure the IRA have spent decades "backing their word up" without attending Mosque. As have the KKK.
This one. What would it take for you demand that networks not practice self-censorship? How far would an extremist have to go? What sort of demand would they have to make before you protested the media's appeasement? So did the Ku Klux Klan and the Red Army Faction. Nutball Christians threatened to kill a handful of governors just last month. Radical Islam is just the flavor of the month in a long history of violent retributive acts.
Honest answer: I don't think they have an obligation to do so, period. I would vote with my remote control. And would expect Parker and Stone to take their talents elsewhere, to a more courageous organization with attitudes more in line with their own. Comedy Central only has as much power as we the viewers grant it, and I would cease doing so.
That's partially my point. It was stated at the beginning of this thread that who made the threats shouldn't matter, when it very well does. These weren't anonymous threats spelled out with magazine cutouts. It was a group with a track record. They had reason to believe that airing the episode uncensored would have dangerous consequences. I'm torn on this, because while I agree with Comedy Central's decision, this makes you wonder what's next. Like South Park said in their Cartoon Wars episodes, once you pander to one group, you have to pander to all of them. For 14 seasons, they've had a line in the sand drawn. So if the Scientologists get pissed the next time they're the subject of a South Park episode and threaten retaliation (as Scientologists are wont do to when they don't get their way), should Comedy Central give in to them, as well?
The point of the beginning of the thread was that the underlying justifications behind the terrorists' (let's call a spade a spade) words are not the subject of this debate. Quit being so literal. Just imagine a credible threat was made by some group, be they Islamic or otherwise.
I don't understand why you are so firmly in favor of comedy central and south park leading the free speech fight against islamic extremists. Is this who you want to make that fight? Keep in mind that this is a cartoon. We are not talking about censoring the State of the Union, or anything remotely important, this is a cartoon. And no I do not think that once we have a censor on South Park that it will spiral all over the media, it just very simply boils down to being too much of a risk for a cartoon. Everyone has pushed there chest's out and shown bravado about how as Americans we need to not bend to the terrorist threats anymore, but do you want to be the person to tell a mother that your sorry her son is dead but it was important and vital to our free speech to air this episode of South Park? Do you want to explain to the family that the attacks will happen regardless so why should we feel bad about possibly instigating an attack? I know that this is a VERY far fetched scenario but It's probably what the comedy central executives thought of when they decided to sensor the show. I would easily say that if it was up to me that I would have aired the show however it's not up to me and it's easy to sound righteous when you do not have real responsibility tied to your decision. Again, I have to give Beefy props for the thread every now and again TIB surprises me by showing they are interested in more than porn, booze and sports.
Many of our nation's (and other nations') bravest and most insightful men have made their mark with the pen, and particular, with satire. I don't see why the medium necessarily invalidates anything. Voltaire, Thomas Paine, Jonathan Swift, Mark Twain, and George Orwell come to mind. Stone and Parker, in my opinion, are the bravest people on television today and I would place them amongst our more cherished authors, even if their contribution lie in the realm of 2-D drawings.
Did you just compare Mark Twain to Stone and Parker? I'm sure those authors are thrilled to have Animal Farm and Huckleberry Finn compared to Mr. Henkie the Christmas Poo, and Scrotty McBoogerball's the poop who peed. I LOVE it!!!!!
I want someone to fight that fight and so far, South Park is the only one who has stepped up to the plate. The news media won't touch the issue. Bill O'Reilly, Antagonizer Extraordinaire, went on the record as saying he would not show a depiction of Muhammad on his program for fear of violence. The media who have traditionally fought this battle are simply refusing to do so. Where is our Edward Murrow? Our Woodward and Bernstein? People willing to test the limits of their liberties are virtually non-existent in modern broadcast journalism. For all this talk about who 'should be fighting', no one can give any names. Also, once again, satirists have frequently been the first and most bold commentators on issues like this. The fact that news media reports on nearly every new episode that premieres proves that 'South Park' is not 'just a cartoon'. It is social commentary. Animated punditry. It doesn't wear a suit and tie and sit behind a desk, so it's easy for people dismiss that idea, but it doesn't make it any less of a fact. I would, too, without a moment's hesitation.
You misunderstand me. See my previous posts, I in fact explicitly made the point you are stating more than once. The post you quoted is in response to Mike Ness' assertion that South Park matters less because it's merely a cartoon.
The IRA have never killed anyone for insulting Catholicism and I fail to see how they are relevant here. However, with regards to the KKK, if they made a threat that, if any white person was made fun of on South Park, they would kill some black people. What then? That's where it gets relevant. No doubt if the KKK made such a threat, there would be some pussy-footers who would implore South Park to cave in becuase of the threat. However, I'd like to think most people disagree. We should know our enemies when we see them and not alter our lifestyle to their demands. Comedy Central caved into these people and their cowardliness has undermined the whole show. They'll happily make fun of every other minority but just don't have the guts to do it with Islam.
It is fucking ridiculous that people who don't subscribe the muslim faith are becoming subject to it's rules. Muslims are not allowed to depict Muhammad's image, that rule shouldn't apply to everyone else. This issue is just another example of bullshit political correctness. If you want to belong to an organization, church, group, etc., then you should be held accountable to it's rules, but you have no right to censor others who don't necessarily subscribe to your views.
I hear you. I still think Comedy Central should have shown some balls and let the episode stand. What were they afraid of losing, their gigantic muslim fanbase?
This wasn't political correctness. Not this time. If the network was concerned with that, dozens of other South Park episodes would have been censored. The punishment for this was hostile reprisal, not protest, which is why it was so much more important that they not cave. The stakes have never been higher.