Sadly disappointing news that Comedy Central backed down to death threats against “South Park” creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone and bleeped an episode warning against “intimidation and fear” by Islamic fanatics who were offended by the show. Heretofore the network has stood behind nearly all the over-the-top satire despite protests and calls for boycotts.
But where Islam and the prophet Mohammed is concerned, the First Amendment’s guarantees of Freedom of Speech and Freedom of the Press no longer apply.
Even sadder that the supposedly “fair and balanced” Bill O’Reilly questioned the creator’s judgement in writing and producing the piece. Towel-heads have Bill a bit unbalanced perhaps. See Diana West’s Media Leave “South Park” Creators Out to Dry in Real Clear Politics.
The conclusions of the New York Post article, Cowardly Central are appropriate here: As UCLA law professor Eugene Volokh noted, the consequence of Comedy Central kowtowing to a blatant death threat “is that the thugs win and people have more incentive to be thugs. Behavior that gets rewarded gets repeated.” Alas, regarding radical Islam, the behavior that “gets rewarded” is murder — Exhibit A: Theo Van Gogh. Revolution Muslim may be little more than a couple of Queens cranks with Web access — but who’s willing to take a chance on that? Not Comedy Central, that’s for sure. And until the West decides — culturally and collectively — not to take it any longer, it’s only going to get worse.
“Land of the Free and home of the Brave?” No, not at all. We have already been conquered by “fear and intimidation!” Practice your Sharia law, you attorneys, because before long that’s what will govern us.
