The Hartford Courant reports on the idiotic decision by Borders bookstores to pull the April/May issue of Free Inquiry magazine off the bookshelves because it contains the Mohammed cartoons. (Hat tip: InstaPundit.)
In a related story — and with apologies to those who believe I’m overhyping it — tonight at 11:00 PM is your last chance to watch Part 1 of South Park’s “Cartoon Wars” episode on TV. Part 2, if it actually happens, is due to air Wednesday at 10:00 PM.
CORRECTION: Actually, Comedy Central has added another showing of Part 1, on Wednesday at 9:30 PM — immediately preceding when Part 2 is supposed to air. That wasn’t on the schedule before, but it is now. Seems like a good sign.
P.S. And of course, you can always watch it on YouTube: parts 1, 2 and 3.
April 9th, 2006 at 3:40:56 pm
Wow, when you latch on to something you just can’t stop
April 9th, 2006 at 4:00:15 pm
Yeah, especially since the episode was super lame.
April 9th, 2006 at 6:41:56 pm
Yeah, it wasn’t particularly brilliant imho, I mean sure the subject was interesting, and its nice that they brought up that topic, but I dunno, with the way Brendan’s been going on and on about it, I expected to be floored by its cleverness and insightfulness.
I did, of course, enjoy the lampooning of Family Guy, and it was one of the cleaner South Parks I have seen, and I’ll probably watch the other episode just for the heck of it, but over all? meh
April 9th, 2006 at 7:23:34 pm
I do not give a [expletive deleted] about South Park. (again Apologies to Nixon & the Lire :) However, re the Censorship at Borders:
“If people are in the idea business and expect First Amendment protections, they have to stand up in defense of those free speech protections,” says Bidinotto…”
Of course since it is a Constitution we are Expounding :>, it’s Not actually a question of First Amendment Free Speech Protections, unless Borders has merged not only with Waldenbooks but with The Gummint as well. :} BUT in the Spirit of the law etc & So forth, i.e. the Defense of Liberty being No Vice (hi Andrew :), I shall join the Boycott. / THAT should bring these bookburning Weasels around PDQ. :)
April 9th, 2006 at 7:32:27 pm
Yeah, good point about the “First Amendment” thing. I didn’t catch that. It’s annoying when people can’t tell the difference between private suppression of worthwhile speech (usually bad), and government suppression of any sort of speech (nearly always bad, unless content-neutral, and even then, still sometimes bad). Still, the point remains valid — the spirit of the law, as you say … the concept of freedom of speech, and not being intimidated into self-censorship by extremist thugs.
As for South Park, I assure that very few expletives are deleted. :)
And for those of you who didn’t like the episode, oh well, there’s no accounting for taste. ;)
April 10th, 2006 at 4:43:25 am
No need for an apology. I did enjoy the Family Guy part.
April 10th, 2006 at 9:04:47 am
well i won’t be going to borders so count me in, but also count me out since i’ve never been to a border’s before in my life and will thus be ineffectual.
as for the south park episode i really enjoyed it, but you know how it is brendan… you may have oversold your snake oil and dissapointed the natives. now if you had pitched the episiode as the ‘train-wreck’ you have to watch in disgust to believe…
April 10th, 2006 at 3:09:23 pm
I thought the epsiode was good.
In the defense of people who don’t realize who is suppressing their speech (private v. public), at least they are realizing that they are being wronged and objecting to it.
Too bad they couldn’t do the same when the Patriot Act was coming up for renewal.
Also, for all you public / private marksman, remember, most of the world doesn’t make such a distinction…
April 10th, 2006 at 6:58:19 pm
The Family Guy part was funny, as was the criticism from Zawahiri. But seriously, didn’t the pointless Big Wheel chase seem like filler? And the people burying their heads in the sand. It wasn’t particularly clever. Finally, Cartman’s justification for wanting to get rid of the Family Guy, “You seem like a person who would like the Family Guy.” It was totally without any comedic inspiration. Maybe it is a set-up for a brilliant Part 2, but it seems to me the show so far this year has been running on hype and fumes.