Oliphant joins in condemning threats to South Park creators

Comments ¹²

1. dan reynolds

   I agree with the South Parks’ right for freedom of expression/speech. This is provided for under our Constitution.

   Having said that, their use of this freedom in many respects is in bad taste, anti religious, and juvenile.

   There. Now I have exercised my Constitutional rights as well.

2. dan reynolds

   Having said the above comments, let me make it clear the First Amendment doesn’t GIVE us this right. It provides protection for this preexisting right…a right that predates the existence of the Bill of Rights and the Constitution.

3. Jim Jackoviak

   Too many people seem to forget that it’s freedom OF speech, not freedom FROM speech. So long as it is neither threatening of harm nor inciting others to harm, it’s protected.

4. Ted Rall

   @Dan: Statements of support for free speech should never be equivocal. Giving even the slightest support for censorship is tantamount to giving aid and comfort to fascism. There is no room for nuance when it comes to support for fundamental human rights. Support for free speech must be uncompromising.

5. Shane Davis

   Ted,
   I agree, but its not just extreme forces on the right (fascism, as you said) that threaten that right.

   Communism is just as deadly to free speech as anything else. Remember Tian’anmen Square? And I doubt many folks in Cuba, Laos or North Korea would get away with any editorial cartoons similiar to yours.

6. Pat Crowley

   Can we get the Pulitzer Prize winners to do something about political correctness?

7. Jim Lavery

   This whole issue has nothing to do with the Constitutional freedom of speech and/or censorship. The freedom of speech clause in the US Constitution prohibits the US govt. from censoring anyone’s free speech. If Comedy Central wants to censor its creators it has every right to, as do any publishers who choose not to print cartoons THEY might find offensive. Long as the govt. isn’t doing that the First Amendment hasn’t been violated.

   Muslims of certain persuasions are also free to protest when they feel their beliefs have been trampled on. They can lobby, protest and campaign against their percieved injustice all they want, that’s their freedom of speech. But they do not have the right to threaten anyone with death or harm no matter how offended they are and content providers across the board should not cave into their threats. Threatening “speech” should be prohibited and those who express it should be prosecuted.

8. Tom Wood

   So now we get episodes like this:

   Lars Vilks, Muhammad Cartoonist, Attacked During Lecture

9. dan reynolds

   Ted…

   That’s what I was saying. I agree with you.

   I also used that very right to express myself about what South Park does. Sure, I can laugh at it, too. I’m just saying, in my opinion they go into areas that are too much

10. Art Dawson

    South Parks creators will never evolve beyond walking up right. The show is more crude and vulgar than funny. They could have used some other (humorous) topic. South Park went too far! SOME THINGS JUST ARN’T FUNNY! Don’t mess with another man’s prophet! Can’t we all just get along?

11. Tom Wood

    Lars Vilks attacked again

    They set his house on fire.

12. Art Dawson

    This is starting smell like a publicity stunt…… No one stupid enough to keep polking a sleeping bear.