Profiles in Cowardice - Comedy Central, Islam, and Christianity

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Profiles in Cowardice - Comedy Central, Islam, and Christianity
Guest Column | By Pamela Meister | May 7, 2010
Comedy Central was in the news recently for caving to radical Islam and heavily censoring an episode of the always irreverent South Park that discussed Mohammed and portrayed him in a variety of ways, including wearing a bear costume. Show creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone were "warned" by a website (which is no longer online) that they will "probably end up like Theo Van Gogh." Theo Van Gogh, as you may recall, was murdered in broad daylight on a street in Amsterdam by a Muslim who was insulted by a film Van Gogh made that focused on the abuse of Muslim women at the hands of Muslim men. Ayaan Hirsi Ali collaborated with Van Gogh on the film (Submission), and was forced to go into hiding when she had a fatwah declared against her, both because she helped make the film and because she had left Islam.
Regarding the censoring of the South Park episode, the following statement was issued by the network:
"In light of recent world events, we feel we made the right decision." Its executives would not comment further.
Can you say "bowing to Shariah law," boys and girls?
But while they're bowing and scraping to the demands of some oh-so-sensitive Muslims who seem to have difficulty in laughing at themselves, Comedy Central is poised to offer a new animated series. Called JC, it is a half-hour show about Christ wanting to escape the shadow of his "powerful but apathetic father" and live a regular life in New York City.
In the show, God is preoccupied with playing video games while Christ, "the ultimate fish out of water," tries to adjust to life in the big city.
You think that's ironic? Check this out:
"In general, comedy in purist form always makes some people uncomfortable," said Comedy Central's head of original programming Kent Alterman.
Naturally, Alterman wouldn't comment on the network's decision to censor the South Park Mohammed episode.
You see, Comedy Central execs know that Christians who might find this show offensive will boycott the program and complain to the network. They may even take it to the next level and write letters to advertisers to complain. Shocking, I know. Peaceful protest? Where are my smelling salts?
Christians won't threaten death or dismemberment, so it's easy to make them "uncomfortable."
In response to my recent article about liberals closing their eyes to the reality of jihad, my friend Tom shared his thoughts with me via e-mail - and I think they're applicable to the topic at hand:
We are SO AFRAID of being labeled "bigots," "racists," or whatever term you can think of, that we are willing to DIE FOR IT.
I think the epitaph on our country's tombstone will say "we're sorry." We'll be laying in our own rubble with thousands or millions dead and we'll be apologizing for calling Arab Muslim terrorists what they are: Arab Muslim Terrorists, Murderers, Savages, and any other term that (while unpopular and politically incorrect) is RIGHT.
This country (led by the liberal elite) will NEVER wake up. We'd rather be dead than "perceived" as being racist, which is funny, because the Muslim militants don't care "what" our sensitivities are, they just want us to stop breathing.
I only wish "someone" would get it. Even if that bomb [in Times Square] went off, we'd do what we seem to do best: mourn and apologize. Fighting back? We wouldn't know how, I'm afraid.
That sums it up. I would say that sums it up nicely, but the word "nicely" somehow sticks in my throat.
Every time a person or entity bows down to the strictures of Shariah in the name of "multiculturalism" or "cultural sensitivity" or "diversity" or whatever you want to call it, we not only embolden those who would try to press gang us into their belief system (or at least force us to abide by its rules), we also lose a little of what made this nation great: individual accountability and responsibility, along with freedom of speech. Yes, freedom of speech. I can't say this enough: Freedom of speech means that occasionally, someone's going to get offended. And the proper response is more free speech, not less. Those Muslims who are constantly in a snit about this basic tenet of American life can feel free to go to a nation where they might be more comfortable - Saudi Arabia comes readily to mind.
If only one puny little kid stands up to the bully, he tends to get pounded. But if everyone else stands with the puny little kid, the bully backs off - knowing that there is indeed strength in numbers (and he's a coward at heart). It's time for all of us to stand up to the Islamists.
And that includes the wimps and hypocrites at Comedy Central, who freely insult Christianity and other peaceful faiths because they know there won't be any major repercussions. Where's the "edginess" in that?

FamilySecurityMatters.org Pamela Meister is a former radio broadcaster, a recovering liberal, a contributor to AmericanThinker.com and a blogger at http://blogmeisterusa.mu.nu
Guest columns do not necessarily reflect the views of Accuracy in Media or its staff.
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