Posted on 12/30/2005 11:40:04 AM PST by NYer
Several news stories today are reporting on the decision by Comedy Central to pull a scheduled rerun of the Bloody Mary episode that was shown on South Park on December 7-10. The decision reflects what I asked for in our news release of December 8. Therefore, I commend Comedy Central for finally making the right decision. That it aired in the first place, however, does not speak well for the bigots responsible for creating it.
In our December 8 news release, I also said, Remember, they chose to insult Our Blessed Mother on the eve of the Immaculate Conception, and the holy day itself. The episode in question featured a statue of the Virgin Mary spraying blood from her vagina. It was one of the most vile TV shows ever to appear, and that is why I asked Joseph Califano, a practicing Catholic and member of Viacoms board of directors (Viacom is the parent company of Comedy Central) to issue a public condemnation of the Bloody Mary episode; I also asked that he do whatever he could to pull any scheduled reruns of the episode.
On December 9, the day Califano received our request, he released a statement condemning the episode. He also said that any further decisions would have to be made by Tom Freston, president and chief executive of the New Viacom. For the past few weeks, we have been in touch with Frestons office awaiting his decision. Yesterday, we received a phone call from Tony Fox, executive vice president for corporate communications at Comedy Central, informing us that there were no plans to rerun Bloody Mary.
Already, we are being deluged with hate mail that is as obscene as it is viciously anti-Catholic. All because we exercised our First Amendment right to request that Comedy Central not offend Catholics again! But were used to such things and will not be deterred.
Absolutely! Such a small price to pay for the right to defend one's beliefs. No doubt you feel the same way about South Park.
No, it would have just been silly and irreverent. It only disrespects people who worship icons rather than what they represent.
The statue was not sacred. For blasphemy to have occurred, contempt for something sacred would have had to have been promoted. If they used the statue to convey contempt for the Madonna (like those Iraqis) rather than contempt for the fanatics chasing fluid dripping statues it might be blasphemous.
Your sensitivity to Catholic bashing let the episode's message elude you.
Hooray for private censorship. It's called free speech.
No. It disrespects the icon and what it represents.
Maybe you missed this:
Yep. The same arguments will appear. The same impasse will occur. The same pointless name calling will start.
Jane you ignorant slut...:)
Screw you guys, I'm going' home.
Why should the Catholics get special privileges?
Maybe because of Who they serve.
I think you just made my "premise" for me. You just reinforced that the episode was intended to mock the miracle chasers and those slipping into icon worship rather than the Madonna herself or God. That alone (absent the Popes treatment) doesnt make it blasphemy exactly what I said, not whatever else you imagined to be my premise.
Were Catholics who flock fluid dripping icons insulted? Join the crowd of the South Park insulted.
No. To complain about what one thinks is offensive is private censorship, a.k.a. freedom of speech.
Why does serving a statue deserve "special" respect?
Wrong. This is a GREAT example of a free market in action. South Park went out of their way to offend Catholics (and they didn't need that offensive side show for that program). The HUGE number of offended customers caused their owners to pull the show. Bravo! Viva the Free Market!
Thank you for the compliment!
You seem to have missed the point. How would these kids react if their own mother was the one portrayed on South Park, dripping blood from her vagina? A little snicker? Or, a howling guffaw! How would you react?
Nope. The facts are clear, they mocked the beliefs and icons of the Roman Catholic Faithful. They lost. So do you.
You sure are eager to jumpstart the judging portion aren't you? God probably hates that.
That was not judging, it was fact. If you feel 'judged' while reading the truth, that's a good thing. Oh, btw, God hates sin and loves when the truth is spoken.
What exactly does that say about the Madonna? Nothing. Its potty humor nonsense, intended to tweak sensitivities through irreverence.
Im going to crash.
If you say so. Good night.
serving a statue
If that's what you think.
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