Trey Parker and Matt Stone have been censored by their coporate sponsor, Comdey Central, agianst showing an unflattering image of Mohammed, the prophet of Islam. This stems from the murder of Theo van Gogh by an insane, Islamic radical. The "threats" received by Comedy Central overrode their courage to support their artists' rights to free expression.
In the West, where our culture is more advanced, tolerant and flexible (summarize "better") than that of Islamic nations, this sort of discourse is taken for granted. The faithful of satirized religions take these jabs in stride - supposedly recognizing the old idiom about sticks and stones.
Islam, apparently, continues to invoke the older idiom with the use of sticks and stones (in the form of beatings and medieval punishments). Let me be clear, no genuine deity should ever fear mockery by any earthly entity. They are simply above such petty critiques. on the other hand, if they are not a genuine deity - then the mockery is deserved and it is the adherents who should reflect upon their choice of faith.
No matter how you slice it, the deity doesn't care or it doesn't exist.
Op-Ed Columnist - South Park - NYTimes.com
