Comedy Central’s affiliate broadcaster in Sweden has announced it will not be airing two controversial episodes of the satirical South Park cartoon which feature the Muslim prophet Mohammed wearing a bear costume.
“Comedy Central has decided not to air these two episodes of South Park. It is a decision we’ve made with great reluctance. Comedy Central believes strongly in creative freedom of expression; when unique and deeply insightful creative talents like those behind South Park are able to express themselves freely, we all benefit.”
“However, the safety of our employees is our unquestioned number one priority, and therefore we have decided to take these precautionary measures,” explained the broadcaster in a statement to Aftonbladet.
Comedy Central spokesman Peter von Satzgerl said that the move was due to ‘international directives’ from the United States-based parent network.
The controversial cartoon series first aired the Mohammed joke as part of its 200th episode celebration, which broadcast on April 14, reports The Local. The broadcast prompted retaliation threats aimed at the show’s creators, Trey Parker and Matt Stone, from an Islamist group which has since been linked to the recent New York bomb plot.
The threat, which appeared on revolutionmuslim.com, warned Parker, Stone and the wider US media that they would “probably wind up like Theo van Gogh”, a Dutch filmmaker who was killed after criticising Islam in a 2004 production.
The warnings were apparently heeded by the South Park creators, as the second instalment of the centenary show saw the prophet replaced with Santa Claus and bleeping of the name ‘Mohammed’.
The 200th episode also featured Jesus chastising Buddha for snorting cocaine, and Tom Cruise threatening a law suit against the town unless Mohammed was handed over to angry celebrities. The Ginger Separatist Movement also tried to get their hands on the prophet.
Southpark is quite funny but some of the scenes maybe a bit too morbid even for adults.”*;
Just anything, (ANYTHING!) can offend a muslim/arab. Why are not muslims offended by the moon or that grass is green? Imagine how much money you can get if you sue the Government cause you are offended of a newspaper writing the truth. That’s really offending muslims!
If God wanted women to be faceless and without identity, he would already had made them that way… but he did not, he put a smile on their faces so they could smile to the world and show their happiness…
Mohamed created, invented a religion based on the bible and the torah. The religion of Israel existed way much before than islam appeared. Israel looked after preserving God’s commands and God’s texts. And then an arab guy created a new religion and said it was the true one… The sad part of all of it is that he did not put his eyes on buddhism instead, the world would be a much peaceful place if he did!!
I COULD TAKE CHRISTIANITY AS JESUS AT LEAST CAME WITH A NEW MESSAGE OF LOVE. BUT MOHAMED?? WHAT DID HE BRING OF NEW AND BETTER??
IF MUSLIMS BELIEVE IN JESUS, WHY DO THEY DONT BELIEVE IN JESUS WORDS? BECAUSE HE SAID HE WAS THE SON OF GOD ON THE EARTH. AND THAT AFTER HIM MANY FALSE PROPHETS WOULD APPEAR… IS MOHAMED ONE OF THEM??
I don’t care what kind of religion people want to believe in. I just think that EVERY HUMAN BEING HAS ESSENTIAL RIGHTS AND THAT PEACE IN THIS WORLD IS ONLY POSSIBLE WITH TOLERANCE AND RESPECT…
WHERE IS THE MESSIAH ? WAS IT JESUS, WAS IT MOHAMMED?? I DONT THINK SO.
JESUS BELIEVED THAT THE ONLY WAY OF FINDING PEACE WAS BY LOVING EACH OTHER, MOHAMMED SIMPLY SAID: ” GO AND KILL EVERYONE WHO DOES NOT BELIEVE IN MY WORDS”… HAHAHAHA, HOW SAD… You have to be such a bad religion-inventor to just use the force and violence to make people believe you…
and who cares? religions after all are just like those reading clubs where you get a commission by finding new members..
I used to admire the Swedes for their determination to defend themselves against all comers (commies), including the Soviets, designing, building, and implementing their own technology and weapons, up to fighter aircraft, to preserve their freedom and independence. Now it seems generations of socialism have finally taken their toll after all, and Sweden, like all other European democracies, is striving to be nice to the proverbial crocodiles in the hope of being the last one devoured by them. We all know how well that strategy works; Sweden may well be the first Europe nation to be islamized. Sad, really.
For the gods sakes South Park are also fair in way they present this kind of subject.
Yes there are idiots making death threats but I do respect the Matt Stone and Trey Parker principled attitutde to this, about Episode 201 which is the currently controversial one :
http://www.boingboing.net/2010/04/23/south-parks-matt-tre.html
If you give in to threats it just encourages the ones trying to threaten you making them bold.
And now the name of Mohannad is being treated as if it is a swear word by being bleeped out ?
That seems offensive itself.
Of course not. Such a thing cannot be allowed in a Muslim country.