Russia has no Respect for Cartman's Authority
First they came for the emos, and I didn't speak up (too loudly, anyway) because I don't wear mascara. Then they came for the Georgians, and I didn't speak up because I don't care as much as I should about territorial disputes. And now they've come for South Park, and I'll be damned if I don't take this opportunity to poke some fun at the silliness of it all:
Moscow prosecutors began legal proceedings aimed at the cartoon series South Park today in a bid to kill Kenny in Russia.
Prosecutors took action against the 2×2 television channel for broadcasting an episode of the animated comedy show that featured Christmas songs including a medley duet performed by Santa Claus and Jesus Christ.
The Basmanny regional prosecutors office in Moscow has announced that the programme "bore signs of extremist activity".
The episode in question called Mr Hankey's Christmas Classics was aired in Moscow in January. It shows a number of regular and guest characters including Satan, Adolf Hitler and an anthropomorphised human faeces called Mr Hankey performing in a Christmas variety show. An accompanying CD is available to buy….
A statement by Moscow prosecutors read: "It offends the honour and dignity of Christians and Muslims alike." It could just have easily included Jews, Scientologists, Catholics, Mormons and Moonies all of whom have been mercilessly targeted by American series.
Should South Park be on public airwaves (as opposed to cable)? Yes. Yes it should. The world would be a better place if its children learned to laugh at religiosity and morality before they were "mature" enough to embrace stringent fundamentalism. If I were in charge of PBS programming, I'd air South Park right before Sesame Street, then Zalman King's Red Shoe Diaries, Thunderbirds (because creepy puppets helped me become the man I am today), and Cheers.
