Newgrounds.com — Everything, By Everyone

"Who died and made you king of the zombies?"

Age 41, Male

Writer/Producer

Los Angeles CA

Joined on 3/10/08

Level:: 8
Exp Points:: 682 / 710
Exp Rank:: > 100,000
Vote Power:: 5.06 votes
Art Scouts: 1

Rank:: Town Watch
Global Rank:: 52,367
Blams:: 41
Saves:: 117
B/P Bonus:: 2%

Whistle:: Bronze

Trophies:: 12
Medals:: 478
Supporter:: 2y
Gear:: 2

BasV 2010-04-23 19:08:20

If this gets pulled, then they might as well pull it all. Each south park episode will anger someone somewhere. This whole muhammed thing is rediculous. At the very beginning when that danish cartoonist made a cartoon and the extremists threatened him, everyone should have gone and make muhammed cartoons. That way, we would have all said - fuck you, here, we can show muhammed cartoons, and if you don't like it, don't read our newspapers!

What we're all doing now - meeting their demands by not showing images, is letting them win. We're negotiating with terrorists and you shouldn't do that.

Maybe the worst part of the whole extremist thing here is that most people actually hate muslims and the muslim faith for it. Those extremists are just creating hate against their own religion.

sirjeffofshort 2010-04-23 19:08:20

That seems to be the argument of the south park guys as well, if you make one thing off limits there could be no end. It's hard to say what the best way to go about it would be, but it certainly is an interesting thought to think of the world standing together agains such extremist groups.

Most people in the muslim faith even recognize how bad these groups make them look and try their best to distance themselves.

CantflyRyan 2010-04-23 19:08:46

I've always had a small hatred towards unnecessary censorship, but with something like this happening to one of the most creative shows still on TV , it actually managed to irritate me a decent amount. What I find hilarious is that the Super Best Friends episode would air all the time before this episode and it showed Muhammad fully uncensored, and once an episode comes along where they disguise him in order to avoid issues, the extremists throw a fit and demand that it should be pulled down. It just comes across to me as being really insecure about their own religion if those groups have to try that hard to find some issues involving their prophet.

Also though, I guess I'd rather have this thing blow over peacefully rather than drag it on more than it needs to be, and hopefully we'll be able to see the episodes uncensored in the future. I'd much rather have them be alive and well to make more South Park anyways.

sirjeffofshort 2010-04-23 19:08:46

I agree. The best we can hope for is a peaceful resolution and for things to resume as normal. Perhaps pressing the issue at the moment isn't the best idea for the south park crew, but it may be a long battle for free speech that they end up fighting throughout their careers.

BlackMolotov 2010-04-23 19:17:44

i believe they should just air the episodes but just keep on the censorship of Muhamed.

sirjeffofshort 2010-04-23 19:17:44

That is a very fair compromise, and seems to be what is happening now. The issue that brings up (at least from the standpoint of Stone and Parker) is that by giving in to the extremists at all may make them feel that they can continue to issue harsher demands so long as they continue to make threats.

Slintas 2010-04-23 19:34:11

I actually thought they would show him in episode 201, but to my surprise they even bleeped his name. Quite sad that they have to do that :(

sirjeffofshort 2010-04-23 19:34:11

I know, I wasn't really sure what to expect going in to the latest episode, I thought they might actually go so far as to show him as well, but it ended up being so much the opposite.

Kevin 2010-04-23 20:08:16

1st Amendment should universal.

sirjeffofshort 2010-04-23 20:08:16

Totally, and in a way it still is on this issue. It's actually comedy central and the artists contract with them self imposing the censorship so they still have the RIGHT to free speech, but are willingly (or contractually) giving it up.

CantflyRyan 2010-04-23 21:00:15

On a side note, look what happened to their site:
<a href="http://www.revolutionislam.com/">http://www.revolutionislam.com/</a>
lmao

sirjeffofshort 2010-04-23 21:00:15

I saw that. The proprietors of the site are claiming it is down due to traffic deriving from the controversy, but I still think it's a distinct possibility that it was forcefully removed for the purposes of investigation.

Graeme 2010-04-23 21:31:46

I find it funny that the premise for the Cartoon Wars 2 episode thing, was about how Family Guy was going to infuriate the Muslims with their portrayal of Muhammed, then it all blew over as nothing siginificant in those episodes.

Then when Parker and Stone actually do it, it started a real life controversy that rivals that of their fictional uproar.

sirjeffofshort 2010-04-23 21:31:46

art mirroring life mirroring art mirroring life haha. It is kinda funny how spot on they were on the subject even like four or five years ago.

MyNameJoe 2010-04-23 21:56:05

I think the show sucks now, back in the day when it was just having adventures of some random topic is alot better then flaming the newest thing on the media, they should remove the newest 2 episodes and maybe even give up the show

sirjeffofshort 2010-04-23 21:56:05

Regardless of anyones opinion on the show, it is still an important issue. The ramifications could possibly extend to all forms of media to the point where there could be no more World War II shooters because extremist Nazi sympathizers have threatened violence against the industry (I guess you could replace that scenario with any realism shooter and extremist group). I know it seems like a stretch, but who knows how far it could go.

Kajenx 2010-04-23 22:47:43

It's really no question in my mind. Comedy Central was wrong to censor the show. Insult comedy can't discriminate.

It's a free speech issue at the core, and western civilization should not be threatened by extremists. The ironic thing is, the show was making fun of people who censor themselves to appease extremism, not Muhammad; and then it went ahead and did the same thing.

sirjeffofshort 2010-04-23 22:47:43

Right, it's really funny how out of context things had been taken in the episode. It was supposed to be about free speech and there was no insult meant to the muslims or their religion, but it was immediately taken that way anyways.

SilverUchiha 2010-04-23 23:12:11

Wow... just ... wow. First the issue with Chef's VA and the Scientology jokes... now this...

First terrorist-extremist-psychos make air-travel worse by making security a bitch. Now they're ruining South Park. Why can't they get that South Park has made fun of just about everyone (or they plan to)? Bunch of extremist-religious-idiots if you ask me.

sirjeffofshort 2010-04-23 23:12:11

Yeah, since the south park guys never really seem to stand aside for such touchy subjects it's something that's likely to happen again, but this one seems to have really hit home for a lot of people.

SoulofNowhere 2010-04-23 23:14:42

Religious community's have been a shelter for a lot of people throughout the history of human kind. When someone feels that there religion and therefore that shelter is under fire, they feel they have to defend it; even though blood. I believe that the reasons the USA is a great place is because we feel that everyone is able to speak and create what they want to as long as It doesn't harm another living thing. It makes me sad when someone can take a peaceful thing like Islam, and turn into a killing machine.

sirjeffofshort 2010-04-23 23:14:42

That really is the tragedy of the whole thing, when someone takes something like religion, which it meant to teach values and better the lives of those involved, and turn it into a reason to hate and become violent.

giant-joe 2010-04-23 23:16:51

ive just watched this episode about 20 minutes ago and they realy take a jab at the censorship (going so far as to bleep the "ive learned something today" speech) so i think theyve taken this whole muhamed situation very toung in cheek however they have shown him before so I cant see a problem with showing him now its as if the extremists missed that episode completely (although i suppose its probably not a religious fanatics cup of tea) but if they censor their own episode i dont have a problem however with all the outside pressure from comedy central extremist muslim fundamentalists and other religious groups I find it hard to believe this isnt unjust censorship and they should be alowed to make their program with out interference or censorship from anyone also if anyone has not seen this episode xepisodes still has it up

sirjeffofshort 2010-04-23 23:16:51

That's what I thought at first too, however the censorship was not self imposed by the creators and the speech at the end was supposed to be about standing up for what you believe in even in the face of violent threats, but that got bleeped by comedy central too, even though it didn't mention Muhammad or the muslim religion at all.

00ND00 2010-04-23 23:19:23

Sorry but this is hilarious. Some idiots justifing their threats and possible murder because of a religion and why? Just because he was shown in an episode of a freaking cartoon. Also, it seems kind of wierd how every single on of those groups are forgetting the southpark episode in which America (Cartman) was made the terrorist by trying to find the "bomb" which he assumed was there because the boy was muslim showing that not all muslims are even close to the image people have due to the media. They pretty much fucked all republicans up the ass for the sake of those people.... and now they threaten them. This world just amusses me

sirjeffofshort 2010-04-23 23:19:23

Really good analysis of a previous episode. It's true that they 'rip on' american values just as much (if not more) as any other race or religion. Nothing is safe from their satirical eye, at least until now.

SinisterMarmalade 2010-04-24 01:01:30

Besides, didn't they already do a satire of this exact situation in the two part episode "Cartoon Wars?" I think enough was said then and there.

sirjeffofshort 2010-04-24 01:01:30

They did, and that wasn't supposed to be the focus of the episode, but it quickly became the focus once people started issuing threats.

fluffkomix 2010-04-24 01:25:02

you said 'the' twice

"being censored before the the situation became taboo."

sirjeffofshort 2010-04-24 01:25:02

oops, haha, I've done a lot of typing today. I'll go track that one down and fix it.

Sabishii-Kouen 2010-04-24 01:32:56

I say, to hell with the muslims. Most Christians don't freak out whenever Jesus or whatever is depicted in fiction. This is AMERICA. We're allowed by the constitution freedom of speech. We shouldn't be afraid that the Government, or some religious group doesn't like what we're saying. I don't even watch South Park, but I applaud what they want to do. It's just satire. The Muslims need to learn to have a sense of humor. They take everything so seriously as if it's life and death. Learn to laugh a little. Unfortunately, the Islamic culture doesn't adapt well to the modern world, they don't have a sense of humor or an open mind. They're stuck in the stone age while most (not all) people of other religions at least TRY to evolve with culture. (My opinion is that deep religion tends to hold people back from evolving, closing your mind, this coming from an Atheist).

In short, learn to laugh at yourself. And don't fear making fun of religion. There aren't going to be mass Muslim riots in America over depicting Muhammad in an adult cartoon. The Muslim presence here in the US isn't large enough to make a difference. In Europe, it's a different story. But here, we have the constitution protecting us and freedom of speech, and the government to back that up.

sirjeffofshort 2010-04-24 01:32:56

True, I will point out again that there are a number of muslims that do actually (at least from a theoretical standpoint) stand by Parker and Stone and their right to free speech as their depictions come out of a need to express themselves rather than to hurt their faith.

Good observations on the dangers of religious extreems though. It's true that with all the good that some things can bring (and regardless of whether anyone believes any one religion is right, they do all have the potential to bring a lot of good to the world) they can bring a lot of harm as well if they are taken to extreems.

Don-Sanchez 2010-04-24 02:56:34

Whats wrong with censoring oneself? We all do it when we omit certain information when talking to others or when we don't talk about a touchy subject unless the floor is opened. I doubt that anything would have happened to them if there was no censor. Even if the group was just angry and sent no threats, what would be wrong with censoring it? What, risk being called a coward? oh noooooez.
But is it silly? chya. Its a direct infringement on creative freedom and free speech. Defaulting under these guys is an insult. But everyone's got to be nice to one another :))))))))))) >XE

sirjeffofshort 2010-04-24 02:56:34

Good point. There really is no shame in censoring yourself in the face of such threats (or any other time for that matter). One of the things we (or at least most of us) are taught as children is when to just keep our mouth shut. I honestly couldn't say that I wouldn't censor myself given death threats either. Your final statement pretty much sums it all up.

darklight500 2010-04-24 03:20:49

To the guy above me: When you omit "information" in a conversation it is because you choose to do so. Censoring doesn't let you choose, it forces you to not say something, even if you want to.

Right now, there is no way to be "nice" to eachother without infringing on our freedom of speech and voicing our opinion, which is a very important part of our society today.

sirjeffofshort 2010-04-24 03:20:49

That is a real catch 22 of the whole thing. In order to be nice to everyone we really would have to willingly silence our rights, be comfortable in the knowledge that we have the right to say and do such things, but also remain respectful of the way they would feel to others.

I think the big difference in that scenario is that people are doing it out of kindness and respect rather than out of violence, fear and hatred. It is really a two way street as well, perhaps the Danish cartoonist should have respected how harmful their cartoons were to the muslim people and in the same respect the muslim extremists should have respected that Trey and Matt were in no way trying to hurt anyone and just fighting for their right to creative expression.

supersatan3 2010-04-24 04:13:00

The way I see it, if we allow Extremists to dictate what we can and cannot show on television, then they won. By censoring and pulling the episodes deemed offensive, Viacom and Comedy Central are sending a message to the Extremists that we as a people can be coerced by threats of violence. Viacom, However, is a for-profit corporation, and therefore has other interests than defending freedom of speech(unless of course it interferes with their profit margin).
If something were to happen to the creators of South Park, then they would be martyred, much like Gandhi, Martin Luther King, Abraham Lincoln, or even Jesus Christ. I am not saying Matt and Trey are as accomplished as the aforementioned individuals, but anyone who had graduated from middle school should know that when you kill someone who presented no physical danger to you, then they automatically Villianize themselves while making that they killed the noblest of heros.

sirjeffofshort 2010-04-24 04:13:00

Yeah, it's odd sometimes how these extremists can't see how badly they are portraying not only themselves but the others who believe in the same things. Really even just with their threats they've made Trey and Matt into heroes of free speech.

tokillarockingbird 2010-04-24 06:13:33

Muslims need to be able to take a joke. If they don't want Muhammad to be shown in anything they should copyright him.

Free speech FTW.

sirjeffofshort 2010-04-24 06:13:33

Haha, an extremely interesting solution to the entire situation. I guess using the system to their advantage would be much more viable than issuing death threats in the public eye.

More Results

Main Sections

Extra, Extra!

Community

NG Related