to: Aubrey

“Can everything in this (this!) world we live in be neatly defined as good or bad?
No.”

True

“Can anything?
No.”

Wrong! YES

If you can’t name good and bad, then you are in bad trouble (courtesy of South Park)

make that “induction into right-wing extremism”.

How much do you want to bet, that many South Park viewers move easily into hate media? Media Matters (for one) has been reporting for awhile now on the alarming rise of hate radio and hate blogging.

The profanity on South Park and the irreverence for…anything (especially, the bashing of things that are important) make for an easy transition into right-wing blogs and hate radio.

What else does South Park “make fun of”? let me guess: Immigrants? Minorities? Women? Public education?

and to Frank:

“Virginia might get it if she actually watched some complete episodes, particularly the one about hippies. She might find that the episode’s characterization of hippies wanting to ‘change the world’ amounts to little more than them hanging out and dancing at big concerts, smoking pot, and complaining about corporations and capitalism.”

hello?? “Complaining about corporations and capitalism” is EXACTLY what needs (and has been needed) doing in our country!

these South Park idiots are demeaning crucial action taken by the people needed to keep our world healthy.

I’d say this show is a big problem.

to: Aubrey

“South Park appeals to a whole ‘nother crowd, amongst which are young people who would take no interest in politics otherwise;”

That scares the crap out of me

“people who would be completely unaware of world issues without South Park’s coverage;”

Now I’m not scared… I’m terrified!!

“people who, after the daily barrage of depressing world truths, just need a laugh before going to sleep at night.”

“A laugh before going to sleep”? or an induction into right-wing politics.

I’d say the latter!

to: purplewolf

“So what if Southpark is making fun of basically everything and everyone.”

So what? is “everything” in this (This!) world we live in today, equally good and bad?

answer: NO!!

Dale Davis, the jews get their fair share too, in the anti-semitic jibes and tirades of character Eric Cartman, much to the annoyance of his jewish pal Kyle Broflovski, who sees Cartman for the racist, manipulative jerk he is, but inevitably hangs out with him all the time anyway and gets caught up in his absurd schemes.

Aubrey gets it.

Virginia might get it if she actually watched some complete episodes, particularly the one about hippies. She might find that the episode’s characterization of hippies wanting to ‘change the world’ amounts to little more than them hanging out and dancing at big concerts, smoking pot, and complaining about corporations and capitalism. This seems to be in line with her own complaints about the ‘hollow shell’ the left has become. Who knows, maybe Virginia will actually find some humor as well as truth in it.

Virginia, first of all it is the “right” that behaves with the attitude of thinking they are better than others, the left, liberals or dems or others who do not do and think exactly like they do. It is the right that divides people of different religious beliefs and not the left. It is the right that ignores the poor or else makes it harder for them to eek out a living for themselves and their families but cutting services to assist the poor with medical and food. It is the right that wants to continue and expand the wars-did you not listen to John McCain, Mitt Romney and many others who would have expanded Gitmo, the war into other countries, when they were campaigning? G.W.Bush right now continues to expand the fighting zone as well as other laws he is trying to sneak through to harm animals, waterways,jobs and the news media never reports this to the public. It is the right who thinks it is okay to destroy all the wildlife and environment in the name of greed and profit for big oil. From what you have written, you belong to the “right” group who fails to see their own true selves and always points the finger at the left, liberals anyone other than themselves.

Liberals tend to look at things with an open mind, accept things and people as they are, fair minded, where as Conservatives(the right)are mean spirited, narrow thinking, stingy- dictionary definition. We have seen this the last 8 years of the repugs in office and they display the traits you peg on the left or liberal side of life. Perhaps the book “Conservatives Without Conscience” by John Dean might help you recognize this. As Dean states in the book, the majority of people with these traits fail to see it in themselves and usually deny they are like that.

So what if Southpark is making fun of basically everything and everyone. It helps to break up the tension brought to people by the “right thinking” people who think they know what is best for everyone else and then try to force these views onto everyone else. Those are the people who need to get a real productive life and leave other people to decide for themselves. And why do you think those on the left are unproductive?

Let me get this straight. Its “ok” for South Park to ridicule issues regarded as “PC” by…whom?

the creators of South Park? (or their corporate owners)

“South Park have ridiculed the left as much as the right, particularly hippies…and environmentalists.”

How is this a “good” thing? This is just what we DON’T need - ridicule of the very people who are still trying to fight the good fight? How much does this ridicule render these people AND their causes, greatly weakened?

(and add to a whole environment of mass apathy).

How much does ridicule trivialize whats important in our world?

South Park did an episode a little over a year ago on the Mormon issue. I have been looking for that show to air again, but it never has. It came about the time more of the “PC” complaints were being heard about certain shows on TV, so I just figured that to keep those who are easily offended at bay, the network pulled that episode from the rerun list. It was a trip and if anyone cannot make fun of things like, religion, jobs, themselves, etc, they are to uptight, just like he right wingers-no sense of humor.

Some of those who are offended by shows like this be glad it wasn’t done with Beavis and Butthead or Ren and Stimpy.

By Frank, November 18 at 2:00 pm #

Frank - you’re right.  I actually like south park and appreciate their equal opportunity ridicule.

oh yes, I KNOW they have ridiculed the Left - its so “funny” to make fun of Liberals…

Its all so “irreverent” isn’t it? so entertaining!

(where’s the remote?)

“politically incorrect social commentary”? - hardly!! Its social commentary alright, for a “society” that grabs its politics from cartoons…

Perhaps this has contributed to the Left becoming a hollow shell of itself, unable to devote itself with any “verve or direction” to the causes that so desperately need it!

(like the poor, like the war!)

Look, most all of the so-called traditonal religion(Mormons have worked the PR machine to be seen as one)profess anti-gay rhetoric: some have the balls to go as far to say they love the sinner but hate the sin! Is that like having your cake but NOT eating it, too? The Mormons actually expunge gay people from their church records.

For a sect suffered presecution by the dominant culture, sought refuge from it in the Wasatch basin, formed a theocracy and only banned polygamy in 1886 in order to join the union, the Mormons’ pro Prop 8 funding is egregiously hypocritical. Freedom for Mormons and their beliefs but not for others.

Religions are not democratic institutions. That’s why our forefathers decided they should stay out of government business. None of them seem to understand, agree with or intend to honor this constitutional admonition. They deserve, along with al the other religions that are work to deny others equal rights.

I’m glad that Grand Guignol theatre is alive and kicking inside the acerbically witty minds of Trey and Matt. That they attempt to blow away so much hot air with breaths of fresher is essential to our democratic purview. Iconclasts unite.

Virginia, South Park have ridiculed the left as much as the right, particularly hippies, new agers and environmentalists. They are equal opportunity offenders, lampooning cultural and ideological silliness in all it’s forms, usually in hilarious fashion.

Marshall, South Park targets ideas and ideology where they see humor. They have had fun with both racial and gay stereotypes in the past (Chef, Token, Big Al, Saddam and Satan as gay lovers, etc)  while at the same time attacking discrimination against these groups. An “anti-black” episode would be completely out of character for them.  Their shtick is politically incorrect social commentary, not hate or discrimination.

The Scientology episode was great, and I look forward to the Mormon episode.

If they’re angry about the mormon’s participation in passing Prop. 8, do you think they’ll make an anti black person movie too?

oh thats just great…

The creators of South Park, that “venerable” pop-culture trash-t.v. institution (??), take on the Mormon church.

The fact that this will promote religious divisiveness, doesn’t seem to phase them at all.

The Left needs to stop wasting its time with “we are better than them” issues.

The Left needs to come together to fight huge battles, like ending the war in Iraq, getting health care in this country - and, most importantly, taking care of the Poor.

(remember them?)