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 Viacom’s 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 Freston’s 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 we’re used to such things and will not be deterred.”
I'm not judging anyone. I am asking you to place yourself in the position of your Lord and Savior. How would you feel if Viacom portrayed your own mother in this fashion? You be the judge! Would you be comfortable with an image of your mother on TV, dripping blood from her vagina? Maybe you are. But you can't compare your mother to that of God ... and that is my point. If you can't defend the Mother of God, then you can't defend your own mother, for Christ entrusted her to you.
If someone held up in public a picture of your mother in a pose that was deeply offensive to you, and you heard report of this, would it be enough not to have to look at the picture yourself?
Self-restraint is not what these guys do.
Correct, since it was not the Madonna who did anything, so it says nothing about her. But that's not the point.
Our objection is about the disrespect shown toward the Madonna. Maybe I'm dense, but you wouldn't view it as disrespectful toward your mother if someone showed a photo or statue of her in the same situation? I know I would if they did it to a representation of my mother; and I would object. And that's what I'm doing.
Some FReepers don't understand the difference between censorship (which is done through government force) and voluntary market decisions (which is what apparently happened in this case).
I am sometimes a fan of South Park, to at least some degree, but in this case, I applaud Bill Donohue for calling them to the carpet. This blasphemous attack on the Blessed Mother ought to be denounced.
Blah blah blah.
You get off on pretending to be so superior to others, so you can judge them.
Its almost 2006, since the beginning of organized religion, there have been people mocking others religion. There even have been wars where each religion kills others to show how holy they are.
I'm defending the right for South Park to do a show and the right for you to turn it off. Evidently you want whatever is on TV to have to pass through your filter first before anyone else gets to see it. Tough luck sister.
You are defending the right of someone to pour a slop jar over someone's head. But You won't be so liberal when the head is yours. So don't give us this line of bull.
Why are you so angry?
Not angry at all, just think that calling for something to be censored isn't a good thing. Let people decide on their own if they want to see something.
Life is tough, if you want truly free speech, sometimes you have to allow speech you don't agree with, or else you are a hypocrite.
Liberal has nothing to do with your politics but your trite argument that "South Park" , or anone else, has the right to do as they please. I should have worked in the term "libertine."
17:24 God that made the world and all things therein, seeing that he is Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temples made with hands;
17:25 Neither is worshipped with men's hands, as though he needed any thing, seeing he giveth to all life, and breath, and all things;
We who believe that Jesus Christ took ALL offenses upon Himself have no right to be offended. Make Jesus Christ and the Cross ever the focus of your faith. Pray for forgiveness of those who slander you. God Himself needs no defending.
Just thought I would add this one from a couple of chapters down
Acts 19:2 He said unto them, Have ye received the Holy Ghost since ye believed?
May you all have a blessed 2006
Whoo-ey! Do those South Park producers have a death wish? Don't they know what Mary did to Satan?
Don't mess with the Man's Momma!
The producer has to make a decision about "how much is TOO much?". If he creates an episode that alienates a significant portion of his audience share, he runs the risk of losing advertisers and permanently losing too many viewers.
I will accept disagreement, but I will not accept tomatoes in the face. We have been objecting to the WAY that "South Park" tries to make its point. WE have to let THEM set the rules of the game? Don't be absurd. Part of any argument, as opposed to a food fight, is setting the terms of debate, what is allowed and what is not.
Its pay TV, they have the right to broadcast that show, you have the right to protest.
I just think that calling for censorship of it is wrong.
Don't like South Park?
Don't watch it.
There are any number of shows that I find offensive to anyone with a brain, yet I could care less if they are on, I choose not to watch them.
You want to censor a show because you disagree with it. Like I said, no one censors things they agree with. The Taliban did a great job protecting their people via censorship.
Don't like it? Don't watch it. Very simple.
Images are dangerous. Yes, but not in the way you mean. They can invite parody, they can inflame the feelings of iconoclasts. But Bibles are icons to many protestants, so are the scrolls of the Torah. They represent the world of God. You would not be happy if South Park were to depict the pages of the Bible being used as toilet paper.
WE have to let THEM set the rules of the game?
Exactly! Good post, RobbyS
However, there are some who STAND for nothing, that is why they FALL for anything.
They are promoting weakness - a 'anyone can do anything, and if I don't like it, just turn your back mentality.
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