The Fallout From the South Park Death Threat
Over the past two weeks, Trey Parker and Matt Stone have been riding out the 200th episode celebration from hell. What started out as a milestone for the Comedy Central series led to death threats from a radical Islamic website. On top of that, their most recent episode, which included a lengthy response to the hype via a brave speech about fear, was completely bleeped out in a defensive effort by Comedy Central. In effect, Parker and Stone found themselves the subject of the very censorship they ridiculed earlier this season. So now what happens?
Well, nothing, in spite of Revolution Muslim's "warning" that the South Park creators will "probably" be assassinated. According to the New York Times:
It sounded like a threat to Police Commissioner Raymond W. Kelly. That's what he called it. So did a spokesman for the Federal Bureau of Investigation in New York.
Then why have there been no arrests?
The F.B.I. man cited First Amendment issues. Mr. Kelly said the threat had not risen to the level of a crime. But it did not mean that police investigators "weren't taking it seriously," said Paul J. Browne, a spokesman for Mr. Kelly. The department was already monitoring Revolution Muslim and had stepped up its presence at the Manhattan office of Comedy Central, Mr. Browne said.
Revolution Muslim is said to have no more than about a dozen members, some of them converts to Islam and considered way over the top by many fellow Muslims. In assessing the threat, Mr. Eisenberg said, much depends on the probability of follow-through, on how afraid the target should realistically be, on whether "there's any imminent likelihood" of some nut's being incited to murder by the Web posting.
The F.B.I. may not be taking action but South Park fans are, with an event planned for May 20 called "Everybody Draw Mohammed Day." The project was spearheaded by Seattle artist Molly Norris, who dedicated a drawing (of various objects including a coffee cup and a spool of thread, all claiming to be likenesses of Muhammad) to South Park's creators. Ironically, after several blogs and radio stations picked up on the event and Norris received an overwhelming response from critics, she began to distance herself from the movement; still, even without her support, a Facebook page for the event has over 9,000 confirmed guests as of Tuesday.
Meanwhile, several other television personalities have formally addressed the controversy. Last Thursday, Jon Stewart referenced his network's decision to censor the episode: "The censorship I think was a decision Comedy Central made to protect their employees from what they believed to be any harmful repercussions to them. Although, after forcing many of these same employees to work on Mind of Mencia and Krod Mandoon, damage done."
The Simpsons referenced the story on this Sunday's episode, with Bart writing a message to the show's creators ("We'd stand beside you if we weren't so scared.") in the show's opening gag (pictured above). Family Guy creator Seth MacFarlane seemed to echo the same sentiment when he appeared on Larry King Live this past Sunday, saying "I think any combination of angry plus deity equals danger... If it were me and I was in this situation, [I would think], 'OK, is this worth being shot? Is this the funniest joke ever written?"
Meanwhile, Trey Parker and Matt Stone have been busily working on a new episode, "Crippled Summer," set to air tomorrow night. According to the network's press release, the episode will center on Jimmy and Timmy's summer camp experience with "their handicapable friends."
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Comedy Central has evidently yanked Episode 201 from circulation. I DVR'd the show, and every slot from its airing last week has been a different South Park episode, or show alltogether.
I cannot believe this is america! Afraid of a few " homegrown " towelheads? All they do is make threats while our brave men and women of this nation defend and protect us from the scourge of the earth. Air the show already and stop giving in to some towelhead threats, you guys like to persecute catholics because we do not kill innocent people. But what a bunch of hypocrites you south park tough guys, burn and mock the catholics because they are good and descent human beings who are at least humble and can take a joke. But now you all run and hide like all you typical liberal assholes because now you are scared!!! Talk to the brave special forces in Afghanistan re: FEAR!!! Air the the show and screw the wannabe jihaad towelheads. You have a funny show, it is all a joke , if they refuse to get it then they can go back to the sand world!!! They should not be living here anyway, thank the liberals they go to our best universities for free, I can't afford to send my children to, something wrong with that???
Interesting the first amendment protects those who make death threats, but not those who make cartoons.
They're not liberals, their libertarians. There's a difference, you jackass.
@rommel If u actualy bothered to read it you would have noticed that the creators want to stand up to it but comedy central is stopping them. Stop being one of those assholes who says THIS IS AMERICA! WE HAVE FREEDOM! NOW EVERYONE DIFFERENT FROM ME GET OUT!NO NO THAT PART ABOUT FREEDOM ONLY APPLIES TO PEOPLE JUST LIKE ME!....stop being a retarded cowfucker...i beleive in freedom for everyone,it doesnt matter if your muslim,christian, rastafarian,jewish,mormon, cathloc..whatever...gay, straight, white, black, mexican, asain, indian, middle easterner......but you get the point...In america we have the right to do whatever we want if it doesnt infringe others rights. And dont go on about how theres all these muslim extremist groups. Thats not islam, thats insanity. Just like the KKK isnt christian, its just insanity. Go fuck yourself with a fire hydrant.
I applaud Matt Stone and Trey Parker for making those episodes. And even now they're just moving on like nothing happened and working on their show, simple as that. Besides, we don't need to be afraid of some turbanheads with guns, we're America dammit!
Brilliant summary.
Revolution Muslim and the wannabe zealots in it's membership should just be ignored (or mocked). They have nothing better to do then whine about how they're discriminated against, make thinley vieled threats, then whine more when people react to their behavior.
Trolls.
What, in God's name, has happened to the comments on this site?
Wow. Just wow. You are insane, Rommel.
And your lack of simple grammar/punctuation skills may hint as to why you cannot afford to send your children to college.
Seconded! What is going on?
IMHO I think there being real mature about this. They said what they wanted and moved on. The didn't bitch and moan about it being censored and they're not freaking out about being threatened. It's a good example of the First Amendment.
Wow... I can't even believe the amount of intolerance and ignorance in some of these comments. I'm not personally a fan of South Park, but as far as I can tell, the writers handled the situation fairly well. The fact that there are people out there who plan on having a "Draw Muhammad Day" is just downright disrespectful. What these people are doing, is basically taking a crap on one of the most important aspects of Islam. They're saying that the ways of a religion that 21% of the world practices is much less important than a CARTOON. Really guys? I'm a christian and that offends me! And to all those "self- righteous" Americans who think that all those who are "different" should leave the country: we don't call this place the MELTING POT for nothing. America's supposed to be a place that accepts all people, regardless of race, religion, gender, etc. The Melting Pot is supposed to emphasize respect and tolerance toward others. Of course that hasn't happened in the past, but we learn from our mistakes right? Well obviously not, as seen in comments by Rommel and BC59. Maybe you should think about whose culture or beliefs you're spitting on when you call a group of people "towelheads". Congrats you two, you've shown everyone what bigoted, moronic (that... may not be a word...) snobs Americans can be. Please, take your bow now and exit stage left. It's so sad to see that so much of our views toward the Islamic faith have come from the acts (like say... death threats?) of extremist groups. Death threats: wrong. Stomping on an essential part of a global religion: seems a bit worse.
I'll be participating in Draw Muhammad day. The important thing isn't the cartoon. It's censorship.
Censorship can't be justified in any form, for any reason, regardless of the circumstances.
touche
I think you'll find it's Sikh's who wear turbans not Muslims. But then I suppose all non-white people are the same to such a proud, arrogant American.
...and you wonder why they hate you.
Agreed.
The main objective of terrorism is to create fear. These people are wannabe terrorists who don't have the balls or the resources to actually pose a threat. If we act scared of them, we let them win.
Chris B hit the nail on the head.
Sixteen, I agree that comments from Rommel etc are an embarrassment to intelligent American posters but I think the original cartoon and "draw Muhammad"day have nobler aims than simply pissing off Muslims. It's all about censorship, equality and a showing of strength against those who threaten freedom of speech. It's unfortunate if intelligent, moderate Muslims are offended by South Park etc but South Park, and comedy in general, has mocked every religion, country and institution previously and it's simply their turn. The western world has to stand by it's ethics and say that we will not punish our own for expressing their opinions (whatever those opinions may be) and will not bow to threats of violence. Draw Muhammad day is a symbol to those in power that we are more afraid of their censorship than any radical Muslim threats.
You guys talk about censorship as though it does not happen everyday. However, you can see censorship all the time on American TV. When they censor swear words and other things they find indecent.
As the article points out, this isn't just a free speech issue. Yes, Matt Parker and Trey Stone have the freedom of speech to say or do whatever they want, as long as it doesn't break the law. What freedom of speech doesn't do is protect them or other people associated with what they are doing, such as their own employees, or the employees of Comedy Central, from the potential illegal actions of a small group of extremists who, in a worse case scenario, might kill one of them or someone in their family. Some of the Dutch cartoonists who drew cartoons depicting Mohammad have actually had people break into their homes to try to kill them, and most now have to have some form of police protection. While Parker and Stone (who I am fans of, by the way) have the right to decide to risk their personal safety in celebration of their first amendment rights, the execs of Comedy Central have both the right and the obligation to make the decision they feel best for themselves and their employees. As Seth McFarlane was quoted in the article, "OK, is this worth being shot? Is this the funniest joke ever written?"
Dude, guy making the threats said in an interview on CNN he believes in a Muslim world and his goal and the goal of all Muslims should be to terrorize non-Muslims.
So they hate you too...you know, unless you re a radical Muslim...
That's nice Generalization and racist statement you have their about white people.
eh rommel might have a point. For some reason, the first response from liberal types is to put the blame on us 'evil' americans, because lets face it, we deserve to have people blow themselves up killing thousands of innocent men, women, children, and newborns. All we have to do is talk to these rats who when capture our soldiers torture them ( not silly waterboarding, thats much too humane) and then behead them, all while videotaping it. The problem with ultra liberals is that they can't accept the fact that certain people are evil, in all races. Certain people are better off dead, there's just no getting around it. You guys can't accept the fact that not everyone wants to be your friend, so you blame the easy targets. You blame the evil government and their evil waterboarding, when perhaps you should just be goddamn thankful you live in a country where women aren't treated below the level of dogs and gay people aren't beheaded. Yes, many countries in the middle east are barbaric and about 700 years behind the west in evolution. Did christians kill non believers?...why yes they did, over HALF A CENTURY AGO. Raping, cutting off the nose and ears, and then stoning your 14 year old wife does not make you simply a different person following different laws, it makes you evil, barbaric, and someone who should be killed. I know, its hard for you ultra liberals, to take a real look at the big scary world. You're probably all too busy linking sites or blogging about what evil thing the U.S. government has done next. Everyone is so goddamn politically correct now a days it makes me sick. I had a roommate back in college who was from india. He would play loud religious music in the mornings, rant about how inferior america is to india, and generally told everyone he was smarter than them while writing bloody and violent poems on his whiteboard for everyone to see. You probably guessed it, but he didn't have many friends. Not the friendly and funny carefree depiction we would see on tv eh? Oh, he also groped a girl on my floor when he was drunk, then when we told him that behavior is not allowed he went into a rant about how he can do that to women in india. Such a lovely guy. Now, there are lots of people that deserve to die here in America and other countries too. Dooshebags come in all colors and creeds. I'm not saying all Muslims are bad, that's obviously a silly statement. Oh but wait, thats the kind of argument i hear from radical liberals and foreigners when talking about Americans. Simply because I'm American I carry a gun, am dangerously overweight, love jesus and will kill anyone who talks bad about my beloved country. I am in fact, what they would call a liberal here in this country: I'm atheist, pro abortion, pro gay rights ( really its taking this long to get equal rights for everybody?!), voted for obama, and realize that there are tons of things wrong with this country. However, I also realize how very lucky I am to live in a country where I can complain, where the standard of living ranks so high in the world. Oh, I also work out 3 times a week and am in great shape. Sex life ain't too bad either.
Actually, Sixteen, if you'll review your Islam, you'll notice that the taboo on images of Muhammad are neither prominent, nor central. Their sole purpose was to prevent Muslims from idolizing Muhammad and worshiping him, and to instead, concentrate their worship on God.
(Rather Unrealistic)Cartoon images of the prophet hardly will spawn idolization or worship, and therefore, don't actually interfere with or break the spirit and purpose of the taboo. It is only those radical extremist Muslims who are actively seeking reasons to encourage hatred and violence that actually bother to get angry about such things.
I also hardly believe that any image drawn on "Draw Muhammad Day" will be used for idol worship or will seduce any true Muslim from his or her worship of God. Therefore, not only is "Draw Muhammad Day" a religious non-issue, it is also a very effective way of standing up to those radical extremists by refusing to submit to there preference out of fear.
Regardless of how someone feels about South Park, it's creators, or Comedy Central in general, I fully recommend that anyone who likes their HUMAN right (wholly divorced from the American 1st Amendment) to not be oppressed through violence (or threat of violence) participate or otherwise support any such activity.
It's quite ironic really how by not being allowed to depict an image of Muhammad (due to him possibly being idolized over God) has actually had the reverse intended effect and has actually made him more idolized than if his image were allowed to be depicted!! don't you love religion? lol, full of holes in logic! (undoubtedly because it's all man made thousands of years ago, designed to keep unintelligent/uneducated people working in society for the benefit of the elite).
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