Censoring of 'South Park' episode underscores struggle to balance free speech and religious sensitivities

 
In its run of 200 shows, the irreverent animated program “South Park” has mercilessly satirized Christianity, Buddhism, Scientology, the blind and disabled, gay people, Hollywood celebrities and politicians of all persuasions, weathering repeated protests and threats of boycotts. But this week, after an ominous warning from a radical Muslim website, the network that airs the program bleeped out all references to the Prophet Muhammad in the second part of a two-episode storyline that featured the holy figure dressed up like a bear.

In episode 201, which aired Wednesday night, Comedy Central covered the character with a block that said “censored" and bleeped out audio apparently referring Muhammad. 

Many Muslims consider visual representations of Muhammad offensive.

The incident provides the latest example of how media conglomerates are still struggling to balance free speech with safety concerns and religious sensitivities, six years after Dutch filmmaker Theo van Gogh was shot to death for making a film critical of Islamic society.

Comedy Central declined to comment on the incident. But “South Park” creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone clearly disagreed with their bosses’ handling of the situation. A statement posted on their website said executives “made a determination to alter the episode” without their approval and noted that the usual wrap-up speech from one character didn’t mention Muhammad “but it got bleeped too.”

The network may have felt it had no choice after revolutionmuslim.com, the website of a fringe group, delivered a grim warning about the previous week’s episode, which seemed to depict Muhammad dressed as a bear. “We have to warn Matt and Trey that what they are doing is stupid and they will probably windup like Theo Van Gogh for airing this show," the posting said. A photo of Van Gogh’s body lying in the street was included with the posting. "This is not a threat, but a warning of the reality of what will likely happen to them.”

Revolution Muslim, the extremist group that issued the graphic warning, is a relatively small fringe organization based out of New York, according to Oren Segal, director of the Anti-Defamation League’s Center on Extremism.

The organization, which formed in 2007 and includes about a dozen members, is mostly known for posting inflammatory and often threatening comments on its website, including a poem in October during Jewish High Holy Days asking God to kill all the Jews. Its members also stage protests in front of New York mosques, advocating a more fundamental form of Islam.

“This group definitely crosses the line, or is right on the line, in terms what is acceptable speech,” Segal said. “There is no direct link between this group and violence yet. But by posting this type of information, you never know who is going to take it seriously.”

Still, legal experts said the reaction by Comedy Central may set a dangerous precedent. UCLA law professor Eugene Volokh said that while he sympathizes with the predicament faced by the network, it has potentially empowered other extremists with its actions. “The consequence of this position is that the thugs win and people have more incentive to be thugs,” said Volokh, who teaches free speech and religious freedom law. “There are lots of people out there who would very much like to get certain kind of material removed, whether religious or political. The more they see others winning, the more they will be likely to do the same. Behavior that gets rewarded gets repeated.”

-- Scott Collins and Matea Gold

Photo: Tom Cruise was satirized on this week's "South Park." Credit:http://www.southparkstudios.com/

Comments

[Bob]

Comedy Central negotiates with terrorists !!!!

First a stupid cartoon is censored, but that's just the slippery slope. What next, any classic novel with a sex scene, any sculpture with an exposed ankle? How is this any different from John Ashcroft covering that statue behind him; he was laughed at like an old fool, yet when terrorists demand censorship we cower and bow when they are fools as well.

How is it that we let people who are morally object to alcohol, but grow heroine poppies dictate what is acceptable in our society. This goes far beyond the censorship of a silly cartoon. They would like nothing more than to uproot any stake of our culture no matter how insignificant. These small victories for them, are still victories.

While we fight amongst ourselves about health care, taxes, etc. a much more sinister threat is sneaking in under our noses. Maybe WE are the fools. I’ll end with something South Park-esque: Step 1-Censor South Park, Step-2 … , Step-3 Sharia !!!

The Underpants Gnomes

[H MAN]

Corporate America is lame. Even CNN had a headline asking "Did South Park go to far"? Really CNN? How about the media stands behind free speech and grow a pair. The over censoring of last nights South Park episode made it impossible to watch. More importantly, by not backing the shows creators, Cowardly Central has dealt a serious blow to free speech in our county. Shame on them. Their capitulation is absolutely pathetic, horrifying, and wrong. They are destroying our country's First Amendment. The war has been won apparently by the Muslims.

[Jonathan]

find it frustrating when Muslims worry more about media stereotypes, than the egregious actions taken by Muslims in the name of Islam against human rights, equality, and peace. I know that there are a few crazy people in every large group, but the widespread level of violence and hate as demonstrated by Muslims show that these are not a few outliers in a data set. Twenty-nine of the forty-five terrorist groups listed by the US Department of State are Islamic based. This means that the majority of terrorists in the world are Muslims. There are 11 Islamic majority countries that have LEGAL penalties for apostasy, ranging from legal discrimination to execution. The Arabic nations have a dismal mean value of .360 in the UN Gender Empowerment Index, and only one Arabic nation cracks within the top half of the world’s nations on the GEM. Of the 47 Islamic majority countries, 33 have criminal sentences for homosexuality ranging from jail time to execution, and not one has any antidiscrimination policy, same-sex marriage or adoption rights for LGBT people.

[Kyle Broslofski]

So just to be clear--according to the profiles in courage leaders at Comedy Central it is OK to say every vicious slur imaginable about Jews, Jesus, Catholics, Mormon, Scientologists among others, but a fringe group of lunatics posting a blog is enough to get them to censor even the WORD Muhammed?

Let's be clear--this is a line in the sand (pun intended.) Either every religion is subject to satire--as should be the case in a democracy--or none are. And at least as of now, this is supposed to be a democracy wherein zealots who want to impose 7th century rules don't get to determine what is, and isn't, acceptable satire. South Park is not even the issue here--it's much much more important. It strikes at the heart of modernity and it's long past time that Corporate America stood for something other than it's own quarterly returns.
And a final PS--since when is it OK for some dregs of humanity to threaten public figures with violence? I can't take any water through airport security but these SOBs are able to threaten without consequence? Simply astounding--and beyond pathetic.

[mike]

We have been fighting this war on terrorism for almost a decade, and we are losing, obviously people are still terrified of these wacko's, which is the clear goal of terrorism, to inflect fear. Comedy Central made a mistake submitting to these threats. This is one of the battle fronts of the war on terrorism, and Comedy Central let us down.

[Paulus]

Honestly, South park is a disgusting show anyway. The whole show should be censored....

[AceMcLane]

I have never been ashamed of my country until today. The fact that this country has become nothing but cowards and sheep who cower in fear from threats of backwards, foolish, hypocritical neanderthals makes everything my father, mother, stepmother and cousins did to protect our freedoms seem like wasted time. Thank you Comedy Central for giving what no enemy of these great United States what none have ever achieved before, victory. Keep making us proud cowards, keep making us proud.

[G Holleran]

Free speech has its hazards. One of the strengths of South Park has always been its willingness to satirize anything. This indicates a lack of religious or racist base. Its satire based on what is done. Jesus has been a character from almost the beginning. It seems to me if you choose a country to go to you need to understand that country and its laws. Not try to impose your own. Watching South Park is NOT compulsory- that is another feature of free speech- no one is forced to believe or even acknowledge it. The group who object are clearly racist and terrorist in their intentions and to pander to them is to aid and abet what is essentially anti American.

[Sylvia]

It is time for the Western world to make a stand for free speech and intellectual freedom and stop being intimidated by these thugs. Fundamentalist Islam is using our freedom of expression to undermine the foundations of our culture and spread their message of terror. The question is, are we going to let them intimidate us into silence? It is the duty of every Muslim living in our society to speak out against this campaign of terror and for our media to grow a backbone. Trey and Matt, thank you for your courage and for reminding us what wimps we have become.

[slayerfan66]

LAME!!! shame on comedy central for letting a handful of hate-mongering terrorists dictate how the episode would be aired. Like Bob said, it is a victory for them. If they don't like it, don't watch. Better yet, if they don't like it, leave. Go back home. And in regards to the threats...I thought the muslim religion was supposed to be about "peace." Not with this group. God Bless America!!!

[Mary Grossman]

This is the beginning of the end folks. Everyone needs to pushback on the threats from radicalized Muslims. And Comedy Central has just made it impossible.

[Tim Bowman]

What cowardice! While I find their work distasteful, I have no doubt they would have not backed down if the beneficiary of their lampoon was Jesus Christ.

[Pnut]

The Network should not have given in to these extremists, it should call the FBI in to put these clowns in jail. If you can't handle free speech, get out of the U.S. . Giving in to these creeps is moral cowardice. So now a group of stone age Muslims gets to decide what we watch on T.V. ? I say NO !

[Jon K.]

What has happened is that Islam uses the "We'll Use Violence! Card" whenever anyone anywhere does anything that questions their belief structure. Unfortunately, it works, so it just reinforces Islamic extremists trantrums whenever they want something. We are simply reinforcing bad, immature behavior.

A blogger stated "Comedy Central negotiates with terrorists!!!"

Sadly, he's right.

This nonsense has to end sooner or later.

[Jon K.]

"Many Muslims consider visual representations of Muhammad offensive."

So what?

Then they shouldn't create visual representations of Muhammad. When I last checked the rest of the world isn't Islamic and, thus, does not live by Islamic law.

[Linda]

This is wrong. No religious group should be allowed to dictate who can utter the name of a MAN, or depict him. Even if they deem that depiction to be blasphemous, to threaten, imply or insinuate that murder is an appropriate response to something they don't like is abhorrent. This is why religions are dangerous. If your god gave you a brain, USE IT. Don't be a mindless drone to brutal, inhumane and outdated ideologies!

[Landa]

I cannot believe this happened in our country. Our country is supposed to stand for freedom, the right to live the way we want to live, believe what we want to believe, and say what we want to say. What Comedy Central did goes against everything we stand for. We do not cower in the face of threats or terrorist acts. We push forward, we stand up for our rights, and we do not let anyone infringe on our freedom. I thought it was great when Trey and Matt wanted to put Mohammed in their episode. If people find it offensive they don't have to watch it! Comedy Central overreacted when they read that comment, and yes, it was a comment, not a threat. They ruined a perfectly good episode that would have had a powerful message for our country.

[nat turner]

I have no obligation whatsoever to be sensitive to anybodys religion . It is the duty of government to protect its citizens from murderous cults what ever the source of their blood thirst .

[Dick Diamond]

How our Bill of Rights (Amendment 1) has been subverted by extremeists. I'm saddened by our loss of freedoms.
I guess the extemeists won!

[masterpuff theater]

Mocking any religion is distasteful and rude, but as an american, we accept the rights of others to speak their minds. But how is it that revolutionmuslim.com can write a poem asking god to kill the jews, and then turn around and threaten Trey Parker and Matt Stone? By hinting that Parker and Stone may be attacked in the manner of Theo Van Gogh, who was stabbed to death by a muslim while riding his bicycle, they clearly have crossed the line. They are cowards, and so are the executives at Comedy Central, who have given preferential treatment while allowing Jesus, Buddha and others to be mocked. But then again, perhaps South Park will do a future episode showing the effective use of a Predator drone on religious fanatics.