Comedy Central’s decision to censor major parts of last week's South Park episode may have been the best decision in censorship history, unintentionally of course.
Feeling the heat from radical Muslims, including a group called Revolution Muslim which issued death threats against creators Matt Parker and Trey Stone, Comedy Central decided to bleep out all mentioning of the name Muhammad from the episode titled “201,” as well as Kyle’s monologue.
This was not, as some had thought, a decision by Parker and Stone to make some comment on the absurdity of censorship or anything remotely self-aware.
Comedy Central isn’t commenting on the decision.
The two-part episode showed Muhammad in a bear costume, and a large block with the word “censor” over it in place of Muhammad. This wasn’t enough to restrain Revolution Muslim from issuing this statement:
“We have to warn Matt and Trey that what they are doing is stupid and 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.”
(Theo Van Gogh was the Dutch filmmaker murdered by an extremist Muslim for his film on the abuse of women in Muslim societies. There’s a picture of his murdered body on the site as well).
Of course, if you watch the episode in its entirety, and the one preceding it, the bleeped monologue actually enhances the point the show was trying to make – censorship only strengthens the subject you’re trying to censor. Had these moronic radicals said nothing, this episode would have probably skipped most people’s radar, but now you got Anderson Cooper, The AV Club and Bill O’Reilly talking about it, and Jon Stewart telling you to go fuck yourselves.
Ironic too that this group is being protected by the same freedom they want Trey and Matt to die for. Scary too.
