Muslim threats to 'South Park': Did Comedy Central cave in to knucklehead extremists?

By now you've probably heard all about how Comedy Central bleeped out all references to the prophet Muhammad in a recent "South Park" episode that featured the holy figure dressed in a bear costume.

It was typical Trey Parker and Matt Stone bratty humor, but Comedy Central got spooked after a lunatic fringe Muslim group, revolutionmuslim.com, issued a threat against Parker and Stone, warning them that "what they are doing is stupid and they will probably end up like Theo Van Gogh for airing this show."

Ending up like Theo Van Gogh is no joke. In fact, the post initially included a graphic photo of Van Gogh's body lying in the street after he was murdered in 2004 by Mohammed Bouyeri for having made a film that was critical of the treatment of women in Islam. Bouyeri, a Dutch-Moroccan Muslim, shot Van Gogh eight times, then cut his throat, decapitated him, stabbed him in the chest and left two knives implanted in his torso, one attached with a five-page note threatening various Western governments, Jews and Van Gogh's collaborators on the film.

So it's not surprising that Comedy Central took the threat seriously, even though the fringe group making the threat has no known ties with Van Gogh's killer. My colleagues Scott Collins and Matea Gold have written a wonderfully thorough story detailing many of the issues in this case, in particular the debate over whether thuggish behavior is rewarded when a network caves in to terrorist-style threats. They also revealed that the lunatic fringe Muslim group making the threat against Parker and Stone is based in, all of places, New York City!

This inspired a classic Jon Stewart monologue on last night's "Daily Show," where he admitted to finding it pretty amazing that the Muslim extremists "are allowed to praise Osama bin Laden, celebrate the anniversary of 9/11 and try to intimidate the creators of 'South Park' all while enjoying our lovely theater district, our many diverse restaurants, including some of the really best Jewish delis you'll find ... and these numnuts get to enjoy it all because of how much we in this country value and protect even their freedom of expression."

But let's go back to the pivotal issue here. What should Comedy Central do? If it brushes aside an ugly threat from a fringe extremist group and airs the unedited "South Park" episode, is it putting Parker and Stone, not to mention anyone who works at Comedy Central, at risk of bodily harm? But by editing out all the offensive material, will the network embolden other extremists to start threatening other outspoken satirists -- like Comedy Central's own Stewart and Stephen Colbert?

I don't think there are any easy answers here. If anyone has any strong opinions on this issue, I'd like to hear them. I've always believed that, in a democracy, artists and political satirists should be allowed to say what they believe, even if it offends some of its audience. As Ezra Pound once said, artists are the antennae of the race. Whether they are filmmakers, writers or comedians, they are the provocateurs who enrich and add spice to our pop culture, pushing it in new directions, flaunting taboos and stretching the boundaries of taste.

If Lenny Bruce, one of our seminal provocateurs, were around today, he'd probably be putting all of Trey and Matt's jokes into his act, daring the Muslim extremists to come after him too. Not everyone has to be that brave, or foolhardy, but I come down on the side of believing that the best thing you can do when you're dealing with knucklehead extremists is to call their dare. If they want to live in a free country, they'll have to accept that fact that freedom includes the freedom to mock, heckle and stir the pot. It's a freedom that's too important to be hijacked by extremists who should learn to accept one of our most sacred freedoms: To live in America, you have to be able to take a joke. 

You can watch Stewart's inspired riff on this issue for yourself:

The Daily Show With Jon Stewart	Mon - Thurs 11p / 10c
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www.thedailyshow.com
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Photo: "South Park" creators Matt Stone, left, and Trey Parker. Credit: Shea Walsh / Associated Press

 

Comments

[Stygian]

It certainly is a slippery slope. Once the network cave's here, what's to stop them from caving everytime, and when that happens how far away are we really from bland and uninteresting TV that panders to thugs? And no, I'm not talking about reality TV. I'm talking about the truly balsy shows that push boundaries and make people uncomfortable, like South Park.

I say the network should have taken the chance, and damn the torpedoes!

[drew]

Show your support for Matt & Trey by tweeting #supportsouthpark

-The Toilet Paper

[Jen]

I have a strong opinion. Comedy Central is creating a dangerous erosion to the protections of free speech by self-censoring. This is a very serious issue in the United States, where increasingly decisions are altered, and agendas set, by the religious groups that speak the loudest. This Muslim group has been determined to not be a credible threat; there is no evidence that Comedy Central was under any risk of physical harm.

Free speech is under threat all around the world, and it should be assertively upheld by democracies. By caving to the threats, CC is in fact creating its own narrative: that Islam deserves more protection from satire than any other group or individual.

[Damon]

I agree with your conclusion in general, except the premise that we actually live in a free country. Take a serious look at any aspect in detail and you'll see our freedom is a fading illusion. As Frank Zappa said, "The illusion of freedom will continue as long as it's profitable to continue the illusion. At the point where the illusion becomes too expensive to maintain, they will just take down the scenery, they will pull back the curtains, they will move the tables and chairs out of the way and you will see the brick wall at the back of the theater."

[AntiquesLover]

Muhammad's image was frequently depicted in their manuscript of the so-called Muhammad's dream. Some dated to the 15th century. A google image search of the "Muhammad's dream manuscript" would give you quite a few examples.

[Apartmani Soko Banja]

South Park rules. You are the best

[Anusia]

When you threaten to kill somebody, post their home addresses with directions, you shouldn't be called a "knucklehead".

Don't belittle extremists by calling them knuckleheads. Muslim extremists are what they are: MUSLIM EXTREMISTS. Not "Muslim knucklehead extremists". Ridiculous and insulting headline. Whomever wrote that should be fired and should be directed to a newsjob at a local high school.

[Kitty Tanaka]

I think that in response, they should make an episode that lampoons Muslim extremists and the whole "depict Mohommed" issue by referencing the hell out of him and them, with all of it bleeped and covered in censor bars and make that the joke. Maybe with a counter like on the "It Hits the Fan" episode and just cram as many times as they can say or show it but each one censored and countered, until it goes beyond overload into the hilariously ridiculous.

You want to censor references or depictions of Mohommed? Ok, we will. And make you look like the idiots in the process.

[ucl2]

Everyone need to understand liberty, though it is a good thing, is not free of responsibility. This is how wars are started. It has been this way since the foundation of the world and it will be the same until the world has seen its last sunset. We can talk about the freedom of speech and the 1st ammendment all we want. But if we take our liberty for granted and use it irresponsibly, we create a hostel environment for ourselves and those we offend or visa versa. One word can start a world war if that word is inteneded to insult another culture or country without understanding, and our emenies can careless about our 1st ammendment and our constitution. Contrary to belief, most wars are not fought for land and wealth. Young people need to understand being intelligent isn't enough. We live in a world where someone may feel their values may be worth killing or dying for. This is the delicate balance our world leaders face everyday keeping world peace. You will be leaders someday therefore it would be best for you young people to understand wisdom along with being intelligent.

[Kenny]

As a fan, as an american, and as a human being. I would like to say to whom ever runs comedy central I am ashamed of you. You allow freedom of speech to southpark for 13 years and after 13 years you draw the line for the muslims. The same people who attacked us and killed inoccent people for no reason at all. I demand you replay this episode on your network without censoring it or I will never turn to your channel again. What has our country came to? Who really is running this country? Not americans, but the people who attacked us, threatened us and have made a fool of us, and is anything going to be done about it? No! Because we are no longer a country of pure patriot americans. I'm not scared and I would never draw the line for another culture that threatens and kills people for no reason at all, before my own culture and it's beliefs. I am a christian, and did you stop all those episodes that made fun of christianity exspecially the one with the Jonas brothers? No! You didn't, and you won't. You have ashamed your true brothers and sisters of this country, by taking away the freedom of speech for a muslim group.