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Muslims warn South Park after Mohammed joke
Trey Parker and Matt Stone warned of grisly death after depicting Mohammed in a bear suit
A US Muslim website has warned the creators of South Park they face death after once again depicting the Muslim prophet Mohammed in an episode last week.
Trey Parker and Matt Stone celebrated the 200th episode of South Park with a storyline in which the actor Tom Cruise launches a class lawsuit against the animation’s townsfolk, uniting every celebrity that has ever been insulted by the cartoon.
During the episode, Cruise agrees not to pursue his lawsuit if the South Park characters can hand Mohammed over to him. It transpires Cruise and the other celebrities, who include Bono, the Pope, Mel Gibson, and George Lucas leading a ball-gagged Harrison Ford on a leash, only want Mohammed for his "goo", which they believe will lend them invulnerability to public ridicule. Mohammed eventually appears, but dressed in a bear suit.
The "goo" is a reference to the invulnerability enjoyed by Mohammed since the Danish newspaper Jyllands-Posten published a caricature of Mohammed in 2005 and attracted global Muslim anger and death threats. Many media outlets now refuse to allow the depiction of the Muslim prophet, who is therefore impervious to criticism.
In 2006, Parker and Stone drew attention to the double-standards applied by TV execs at their own network, Comedy Central, by showing a scene in which Jesus defecates on George Bush and the American flag – after the network had forbidden them from depicting Mohammed. This despite the fact that the prophet had appeared in a 2001 episode and attracted zero complaints.
On Sunday, a radical Islamic website called RevolutionMuslim.com posted a warning to Stone and Parker, saying: "They will probably wind up like Theo van Gogh for airing this show. This is not a threat, but a warning of the reality of what will likely happen to them." The statement also included the New York address of Comedy Central.
Van Gogh was a Dutch director who made a documentary that criticised the treatment of women in Islam. He was shot dead and nearly decapitated in Amsterdam by a Muslim extremist in 2004.
But Stone and Parker were expecting this kind of reaction. In an interview with boingboing.net last week (above) before the 200th episode was aired – and before the warning on RevolutionMuslim.com - Parker was asked whether he was worried about Muslim extremists. He replied: "We'd be so hypocritical against our own thoughts, if we said, 'Okay, well let's not make fun of them because they might hurt us. Okay, we'll rip on the Catholics because they won't hurt us, but we won't rip on [Muslims] because they might hurt us.'"
Stone added: "Something that was OK is now not OK, and that's just fucked up." ·
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Their ISP likely told them to remove it. Duh! And they have no control over merchandising since that was part of their agreement to be able to do whatever they want. I don't doubt however that they are seeding those episodes on the side on unrelated websites.
Well, To be fair, This isn't every Muslim we are speaking about here.
What I don't agree with, Is how Matt and Trey have removed all episodes from there own personal site which feature the Muhammad, Yet they choose to keep the episodes featuring Jesus, Why is this Matt and Trey? Scared for your safety because of the media surrounding the Muslim religions, Or will you pass the blame like you did with your latest episode 200(1) onto comedy central and legal issues.
I find this pathetic, For those interested to see the removed episodes, I recommend Watch South Park
Matt and Trey are also releasing a new episode featuring Jesus before Season 14 Finishes I believe, But I guess because the Christian/Catholics wont make threats, The Episode wont be bleeped or removed.
Very Sad Indeed.
John Hatchard, I'd like to think that the fate of radical Muslims in a Muslim country, where they'd be surrounded by moderate Muslims (or people who are about as Muslim as most of the British population are Christian) would be to be pointed at and laughed at.
I'm finding it extremely difficult to wait for the day in the near future when all human religions will have become defunkt! I'm sick to the guts of these self appointed psychotics using and abusing their tired religions to spread hatred and death! Roll on Armageddon and the final freedom from these anachronistic gods!
Surely, by their own definition, any Muslim who lives in a non-Muslim
country is apostate. They are continually confronted by sights and images that should be as deeply offensive as any TV or cartoon depiction of their Prophet - nude or near nude women, adverts for alcohol to name but two. Surely, if their faith was sincere they would never have left home in the first place. To be a Radical Muslim in a non Muslim country is two faced. It is the only place where they could be radical. What would their fate be back home I wonder?
Thoughts...
Have never been a fan of the popular South Park show on Comedy Central, as I've often found their topics to be boorish, stupid and at times offensive to some. But as insipid and tasteless as I find the content of the show, the concept of any group threatening terrorist activities against the creators of any show or network is far more offensive to me. The case of Dutch director Theo van Gogh having made a documentary that criticized the treatment of women in Islam, then being murdered in Amsterdam by a Muslim extremist as a result is the type of action that angers me so much.
From what I understand Muslims are upset about - they say what is happening is blasphemy, and their religion tells them what to do to persons who blaspheme. My comment / question : Surely something can only be blasphemous [for any particular religion / faith / belief system] if it is said/done by someone who is a part of that particular religion / faith / belief system ? It can be found to be offensive, or insulting or inconsiderate or denigrating certainly, but as I understand the proper meaning of what it is to blaspheme - it has to be done by a member of that faith. Similar to treason [deed - or treasonous speech etc] - it can only be treason/ous when committed by a citizen of that particular country. Any one able to clarify / confirm / comment?
I agree . . . if you don't agree with the values of the west, don't live there. When in Rome, etc.
The best way to deal with what offends you is to ignore it. That's what we try to do in the west. Radical Muslims who issue death threats, (and don't call it a death threat!), are just alienating non-Muslims who have had moderate views towards Islam.
There's plenty of stuff to ignore in a free-press world, without creating something of nothing. It's one of the challenges and in the best of all possible worlds, nurtures independent thinking and humanitarian ideals.
Good for them I'm fed up to the teeth with Muslim attitudes towards Christians.They dont have to live in western countries its NOT compulsory.