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First, here’s what we know:

• South Park, created by Trey Parker and Matt Stone, celebrates 200 episodes on April 14th with the first half of a two-part special that brings back nearly every celebrity that has been ridiculed and/or satirized on the late-night laffer.
  
  
• In the episode, a pack of 200 public figures – led by Tom Cruise – promises a class action lawsuit against South Park, unless the town produces the Muslim prophet Muhammad. Muhammad is never shown on-screen. Instead, he is either censored by a large black box or hidden from view in a U-Haul truck or a giant bear outfit.
  
  
• After the April 14th episode, US-based website RevolutionMuslim.com warns the creators of South Park that they could end up like Theo Van Gogh, a filmmaker who was murdered by an Islamic militant six years ago over a movie he produced accusing Islam of condoning violence against women.
  
  
• On April 21st, Comedy Central airs the second half of the two-part special. Muhammad is obscured from view and all mentions of his name are censored. Additionally, long monologues by multiple characters at the end of the episode are censored. A Comedy Central spokesperson confirms the network censored Muhammad’s name.
  
  
• On April 22nd, Parker and Stone release this statement: “In the 14 years we've been doing South Park we have never done a show that we couldn't stand behind. We delivered our version of the show to Comedy Central and they made a determination to alter the episode. It wasn't some meta-joke on our part. Comedy Central added the bleeps. In fact, Kyle's customary final speech was about intimidation and fear. It didn't mention Muhammad at all but it got bleeped too. We'll be back next week with a whole new show about something completely different and we'll see what happens to it.”
  
  
• Neither episode – 200 nor 201 – can be streamed on South Park’s official website, SouthParkStudios.com. Additionally, Comedy Central has yet to re-air 201. Usually, the network airs repeats of new episodes during the week they premiere.

Despite the fact that Comedy Central probably censored 201 to protect its employees, the cable network made a huge mistake. Here’s why:





The network’s decision is hypocritical and infringes free speech

In 2001, an image of Muhammad was shown in the fifth season episode, Super Best Friends. On South Park, the Super Best Friends is a group of major religious figures who defend the world against evil. Members include Jesus, Buddha, Moses, Krishna, Lao Tzu and Muhammad, among other members.

Granted, the episode aired in July 2001 – two months before 9/11. But, I think that does very little to excuse the fact that a depiction of Muhammad appeared on the network during an episode of South Park. Today, Muhammad’s image, voice and even name gets censored by Comedy Central.

May I refer you to the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, which states, “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech…”

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