Southpark new target of Islam?

@laglen (19759)
United States
April 20, 2010 8:28am CST
The radical Islamic Web site Revolutionmuslim.com is going after the creators of the TV cartoon series "South Park" after an episode last week included an image of the Prophet Mohammed in disguise. Revolutionmuslim.com, based in New York, was the subject of a CNN investigation last year for its radical rhetoric supporting “jihad” against the West and praising al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden. Its organizers insist they act within the law and seek to protect Islam. On Sunday, Revolutionmuslim.com posted an entry that included a warning to South Park creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone that they risk violent retribution – after the 200th episode last week included a satirical discussion about whether an image of the prophet could be shown. In the end, he is portrayed disguised in a bear suit. YouTube: Watch Trey Parker and Matt Stone talk about the decision The posting on Revolutionmuslim.com says: “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 a Dutch filmmaker who was murdered by an Islamic extremist in 2004 after making a short documentary on violence against women in some Islamic societies. The posting on Revolutionmuslim.com features a graphic photograph of Van Gogh with his throat cut and a dagger in his chest. The entry on Revolutionmuslim.com goes on to advise readers: “You can contact them [the makers of South Park], or pay Comedy Central or their own company a visit at these addresses …” before listing Comedy Central’s New York address, and the Los Angeles, California, address of Parker and Sloane’s production company. Contacted by CNN, the author of the post, Abu Talhah al Amrikee, said that providing the addresses was not intended as a threat to the creators of South Park but to give people the opportunity to protest. Over still photographs of Parker, Stone, van Gogh and others, the Web site runs audio of a sermon by the radical U.S.-born preacher Anwar al-Awlaki, who is now in hiding in Yemen. The sermon, recorded some time ago, talks about assassinating those who have “defamed” the Prophet Mohammed – citing one religious authority as saying “Harming Allah and his messenger is a reason to encourage Muslims to kill whoever does that.” U.S. officials say al-Awlaki is on a list of al Qaeda leaders targeted for capture or assassination. The clip ends with a warning on a graphic directed at Parker and Stone, saying “The Dust Will Never Settle Down.” Al Amrikee said the purpose of including the al-Awlaki sermon in his posting was to remind Muslims that insulting the prophet is a severe offense for which the punishment in Islam is death. He said RevolutionMuslim may hold protests about the show. Calls to Comedy Central were not returned. http://news.blogs.cnn.com/2010/04/19/security-brief-radical-islamic-web-site-takes-on-south-park/?hpt=Sbin ok love em or hate em, the makers of South Park were well within their rights. What do you think?
1 person likes this
7 responses
@bobmnu (8157)
• United States
20 Apr 10
It will be interesting to see if President Clinton or some other high administration officials comment on this Hate Speech or is hate speech only something that the TEA Party participants use? We hear many Muslims complaining about how they are view and treat by people. This gives them a chance to denounce such actions and tell non Muslims what they really believe. If they don't speak out all we have to go by are articles like this one to learn what Islam is all about.
2 people like this
@laglen (19759)
• United States
20 Apr 10
this sure doesnt show them in a very good light
1 person likes this
• United States
20 Apr 10
Trying to bring up "revolutionmuslim.com" crashes FireFox and returns both a server 500 and 404 error in IE. I imagine President Clintion et al will be better served addressing someone worth taking seriously at that high a level, while appropriate law enforcement agents can discuss with the site's authors how saying "I'm not making a threat" before you make a threat doesn't make it not a threat.
2 people like this
@xfahctor (14118)
• Lancaster, New Hampshire
20 Apr 10
The problem is....the creators of south park, aren't American, they're Canadian. Odds are this will be blamed on the U.S. anyways though.
2 people like this
• United States
21 Apr 10
I am a South Park fan. Have been for years. Trey and Matt are equal opportunists...they pick on EVERYONE. Not just one specific group. I don't see anything wrong with the show. It is meant for adults ( I don't let my kids watch it) and if you can't take a joke...don't watch it. They are well within their rights to make the show. We are well within our rights to watch it. Who the heck are these guys to "threaten" anyone over a TV show in America? Who are they to dictate what we can do, watch or create? These are the same people that complain about how Muslims are stereotyped and treated badly in this world...yet these actions and "threats" are exactly why they are precieved badly by the rest of the world. Don't like south park? Dont' watch it...but don't tell them what htey can do with their show and don't tell us what we can watch...and definately don't "threaten" someone's life over a cartoon. Grow up. Get over and move on.
2 people like this
@laglen (19759)
• United States
21 Apr 10
well said Lil!
@laglen (19759)
• United States
23 Apr 10
I heard that, I even responded to your discussion about it. I find it very disappointing.
@gewcew23 (8007)
• United States
20 Apr 10
I use to be a Christian and I have seen a lot of movies with Jesus depicted, Moses depicted, Abraham depicted, his children, etc. When I watched those movies I did not want to go onto a murderous rampage against the producers of the movies, even if they were inflammatory. Come on Muslims grow up.
2 people like this
@laglen (19759)
• United States
21 Apr 10
so true. As a Christian I see constant examples of somebody defacing Jesus. I just stay away from the behavior. Forgive them Lord, they know not what they do.
@urbandekay (18278)
20 Apr 10
Let's hear it for South-Park - Hurray! And now for revolutionmuslam - Nuff said all the best urban
2 people like this
@laglen (19759)
• United States
20 Apr 10
revolution who?
1 person likes this
• United States
22 Apr 10
they should have known it was coming.ANY image,whether it's dressed up as a teddy bear or not is going to anger them. under US law,they pretty much have the right under parody though still risking being offensive,but i doubt an extremist cares too much for US law.
1 person likes this
@laglen (19759)
• United States
22 Apr 10
No they dont seem to care about our laws. It was a cute teddy bear costume....
@II2aTee (2559)
• United States
20 Apr 10
I'm a South Park fan. Over the years I've seen Moses portrayed as a giant rainbow colored floating head. I've seen Satan beat the snot out of Jesus in a boxing match. I saw the Mormom faith mocked six ways to sunday, Scientology dragged through the mud. Last week during this controversial episode they had the image of Buddah snorting cocain through a straw. It's not like they are singling out the Islamic faith. South Park has managed to insult every single religion over the years, and this episode asks the question - if we can pick on every other religion, why not Islam? What makes them so special that they are immune to all criticism?
2 people like this
@laglen (19759)
• United States
21 Apr 10
That is exactly it!
@Taskr36 (13963)
• United States
20 Apr 10
You're absolutely right and the guys who write South Park have made that clear before. It would be grossly inappropriate to insult all but one faith. Heck they went after Scientology even though Issac Hayes threatened to leave the show and did as a result. Pretty sad that he felt comfortable spending over 9 years bashing every religion and culture on the planet, but cried foul when it came to his own faith. People can't let themselves be frightened out of proper satire. If you do that the bigots and terrorists win.
2 people like this
@Taskr36 (13963)
• United States
21 Apr 10
I haven't watched it, but I'm betting the bear has something to do with this story from a year or two ago where angry mobs in Sudan wanted a British teacher murdered for naming a classroom teddy bear Muhammad. http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,314714,00.html
2 people like this
@cupkitties (7421)
• United States
21 Apr 10
Not to say they're right but SouthPark picks at everyone not just Islam.
1 person likes this
@laglen (19759)
• United States
21 Apr 10
thats just it. Everybody is open to their criticism or depictions.