Wednesday, April 05, 2006

I can’t believe I’m writing those words. In the beginning, I wouldn’t let my kids watch the show.

Tonight’s episode was brilliant. And brave. Basically Matt Stone and Trey Parker took all of their creative capital and threw down a gauntlet: America, will you submit to Dhimmitude (beginning with the continual placing of your head in the sand) or will you stand up for free speech and liberty.

It’s about the Mohammed Cartoons. It’s about more than that, though. Much more. Part II is next week. If you can see Part I before then, try to…it is a scathing critique of America and Americans and their willingness to weaken themselves through fear and misplaced sensitivity.

And, in a weird synchronicity, Dan Simmons is also throwing down a gauntlet via a sobering piece of fiction.

In the end, both the story and the SP episode are about misidentifying the enemy and the goal. And about not being as ruthless and savage as might be necessary when the enemy doesn’t mind dying, if he gets to kill you.

UPDATE: I’m getting a few emails from people offended that I dare praise South Park: “don’t you know that they made a horrific episode mocking the Virgin Mary?”

Well, yes, I saw that episode and was offended by it and shut it off…but they weren’t mocking the Virgin Mary so much as people who look for supernatural signs and go overboard with them. But yes, I was offended, but I didn’t take it personally. South Park mocks everyone, and to be honest, they want to mock Mary, she’ll get them in the end - she’ll bring ‘em to Jesus; you don’t mess with Mary! :-) After I turned off the The Virgin Mary episode I frankly prayed for the guys (they’d hate that, I know). Too bad. I prayed for ‘em. Imagine how different the world would be if Muslims prayed for those who offended them, instead of declaring fatwas on them.