thanks for stopping by.
I received a reply on the afternoon of the 15th from Comedy Central. Here's an excerpt:
To reiterate, as satirists, we believe that it is our First Amendment right to poke fun at any and all people, groups, organizations and religions and we will continue to defend that right. Our goal is to make people laugh and perhaps, if we're lucky, even make them think in the process.
Comedy Central's belief in the First Amendment has not wavered, despite our decision not to air an image of Muhammad. Our decision was made not to mute the voices of Trey and Matt or because we value one religion over any other. This decision was based solely on concern for public safety in light of recent world events.
With the power of freedom of speech and expression also comes the obligation to use that power in a responsible way. Much as we wish it weren't the case, times have changed and, as witnessed by the intense and deadly reaction to the publication of the Danish cartoons, decisions cannot be made in a vacuum without considering what impact they may have on innocent individuals around the globe.
It was with this in mind we decided not to air the image of Muhammad, a decision similar to that made by virtually every single media outlet across the country earlier this year when they each determined that it was not prudent or in the interest of safety to reproduce the controversial Danish cartoons. Injuries occurred and lives were lost in the riots set off by the original publication of these cartoons. The American media made a decision then, as we did now, not to put the safety and well being of the public at risk, here or abroad.
Comedy Central needn't have sent me this form letter to make excuses for itself. I would have appreciated CC more if its marketing department hadn't sent this letter to me and scores of other people around the internet, trying to justify its decision based on some false sense of duty to the First Amendment of the United States Constitution. CC is a business first and foremost. Its primary goal is to make money; anything else, including attempts to embrace and promote free speech, necessarily come after. While it was kind enough to admit joining the majority of major media outlets in bowing to pressure exerted by a few riot-loving reactionaries, CC did true lovers of liberty no favors with their message.
The First Amendment is not for wimps. It was written by adults for adults who knew that people will occasionally have to bloody themselves to do the right thing. There are individuals and groups who will act improperly, immorally, even offensively under the protection of the First Amendment1, and as adults we learn to tolerate speech we don't like. This is because we realize that, while people say objectionable things all the time, far more good has happened and continues to happen as a result of the guarantees of the First Amendment. If not for the First Amendment, bloggers, essayists and other smaller media types couldn't have spoken out against the Muslim extremists on the one side and the major media outlets on the other.
And I may not have written to CC about its hypocrisy.
If either Comedy Central or its confederates wants to suppress certain words or images out of concern for their employees' safety, fine, but don't drag the First Amendment into the matter. The First Amendment is not safe. It exists to protect individuals and groups who might have offensive things to say and need some guarantee that government won't punish them because of their remarks. It has nothing to say against businesses or individuals who refuse to speak because they fear the mob. That CC fears the mob is clear: its decision to black out an image of Muhammad from South Park confirms our belief. It shouldn't add injury to itself by insulting people with appeals to its right to offend; CC recognizes no such right except where it thinks it has nothing to fear from its viewership.
Leave the appeals instead to people who are willing to suffer real injury in the cause of free speech.
1. The Catholic League frequently accuses Comedy Central of offensive speech and imagery, e.g. when its show South Park featured Jesus of Nazareth defecating on the American flag.
I was last here the 17th of April, 2006.