Editor & Publisher reported Friday that 25 out of 200 newspapers that regularly publish the "Opus" comic strip will not run back-to-back Sunday episodes that include Muslim references and a sex joke (h/t Dan Gainor, emphasis added throughout):
Berkeley Breathed's Aug. 26 and Sept. 2 strips -- which comprise sort of a two-part series -- show the Lola Granola character wanting to become an Islamic radicalist (and wear traditional Muslim clothing) because it's a "hot new fad on the planet." Content also includes what Shearer described as "a sex joke a little stronger than we normally see."
Think this would have been a problem if Lola was doing something that involved Judaism or Christianity? No, I don't either.
In fact, as you'll see from Sunday's strip which I include near the end of the post, the paranoia exhibited by papers afraid to publish this is almost offensive given the accepted level of atheism, agnosticism, and anti-theism -- aka secular progressiveness -- prominently and almost proudly displayed by most media outlets today. But I digress:
[Washington Post Writers Group Executive Sales Manager Karisue] Wyson said some client papers hesitated to run a sex joke and others won't publish any Muslim-related humor, whether pro or con. "They just don't want to touch that," she said.Story Continues Below Ad ↓
Violent protests took place after a Danish paper in 2005 published cartoons picturing Muhammad.Shearer told E&P that WPWG checked with a couple of Islamic experts to see if the "Opus" strips might be offensive, and they said the comics were OK. But he understands why some papers might still be wary.
Frankly, I don't see what the fuss is all about. In fact, if this is enough to scare papers away from religious jokes, maybe they should show the same restraint for all denominations.
Or, is that asking too much?
*****Update: For those having problems seeing the entire strip, please go here.
—Noel Sheppard is the Associate Editor of NewsBusters.















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Comments Policy
Submission....surrender....capitulation
August 26, 2007 - 21:12 ET by Army BratThe trend continues..... Gutless wonders of the media....
Happy Trails...
Spineless
August 26, 2007 - 21:21 ET by Felicity RandWhy are they so afraid of offending "The Religion of Peace"?
Well, here we go
August 27, 2007 - 07:15 ET by motherbeltWell, here we go again.....self-censoring something that "might" offend Muslims. That way they won't have to complain, as they did here:
Christian TV Show Off the Air
That's why I believe we will soon be on the verge of Sharia by abdication.
In the hate-filled program,
August 27, 2007 - 16:25 ET by Dan The Man 2In the hate-filled program, 'Live Prayer with Bill Keller,' Islam and Muslims are referred to in the most vicious and bigoted of terms. For example on May 2, 2007, host Bill Keller said: 'Islam is a 1,400-year-old lie from the pits of hell. It's leading a billion peoples [sic] to hell ... those who follow this false religion will die and be lost for all eternity.
I dont see any hate in the message, it merely parrots what Jesus says. Jesus told us that all other beliefs and religions are false and will lead to hell. In fact that is what the entire Bible says. I bet you that is also exactly what CAIR believes as well.
Nuke em til they glow then shoot em in the dark.
The press that is afraid
August 26, 2007 - 22:02 ET by Trix RabbitThe press that is afraid of publishing Opus needs to get out of their closet of anxieties and just admit the problem is penguin lust.
Liberal: a power worshipper without power. George Orwell
Good classic Bloom County reference
August 27, 2007 - 00:11 ET by RiharHow about this one:
Do the newspapers admit confirming not denying they ever said that they were rolling over for the Islamic Fascists?
That was a great comic back in the day.
When a liberal speaks, the truth is busy elsewhere.
Anything offensive to me is
August 27, 2007 - 01:56 ET by 4arrowAnything offensive to me is free speech.
That might make...
August 27, 2007 - 05:53 ET by sarcasmoA good t-shirt!
JMR
Rally online with fans of Dr. Ron Paul.
i seem to recall doonsbury
August 26, 2007 - 22:08 ET by lunaticcringeradioi recall derogatory comments in doonsbury directed at christians, there was never any outcry over the potential to offend a persons religious beliefs there. maybe cause christians don't blow up market places and cut off peoples head. but if you talk to a liberal about christianity you'd think they did because they'll go back to the inquisition to judge all of christianity on. they sure do keep a scorecard on all the bad things they can associate with it.
as some just stated, peaceful religions you don't have to worry about offending.
Then Publish Islamic Jokes
August 26, 2007 - 22:10 ET by Lame CherryI did a quick search for what Muslims laugh at and apparently they are void of comedy.
I remember a Philistine woman who moved to Cleveland with her husband I saw on a PBS documentary. The only time the woman smiled was saying "allah willing". Her life amounted to being locked in an apartment where she watched television and sat all day......kind of like being in Gitmo, except in Gitmo you actually got to see people even in isolation.
The only times I have ever seen sparkling eyes in Muslims is talking about atomic bombs, al Jazeera reporting on Americans getting their heads lopped off and the wonder celebrations when 9 11 happened.
So it seems the MSM does publish Islamic humor daily.......in Huffington Post with their Mr. Ed death tally to Reikhoff there enjoying American treason by foreign sounding 82nd Airborne ilk and Katie, Brian and Charlie chanting Iraq is lost. That kind of Muslim humor apparently is OK..........
and here I thought it was they just hated America, and here it was the MSM doing Muslim comedy.....funny stuff people being murdered, but then we can't judge Islam........I guess because they tell us we can't.
*HIC IACET ARTORIVS REX QVONDAM REXQVE FVTVRVS
unfortunately Newbusters censored the strip
August 26, 2007 - 22:11 ET by lunaticcringeradiothe punchline cell is covered over by the hot chick with the NRA shirt
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August 26, 2007 - 22:15 ET by dahliatraversThanks for saying; I didn't want to complain.
But as long as lunatic brought it up, there's also a block on the upper row missing.
P.S. In between complaints: Noel, thank you for posting this. Your analysis is correct throughout. All we're looking for is consistency.
Save the cartoon to your
August 26, 2007 - 22:45 ET by stratmanSave the cartoon to your harddrive and view it there. It is a 260KB JPG graphic. Won't take but a second or two to do.
Killing them with kindness isn't working. Time to get scrappy with the Donkeys.
-
August 26, 2007 - 22:48 ET by dahliatraversExcellent, thanks! Now it's in "my pictures".
You're welcome. I hope we
August 26, 2007 - 23:17 ET by stratmanYou're welcome.
I hope we get to see next week's "banned" Opus. I wonder if Fatima Struggle (Lola) will wear her "burqini" at the beach? Think of the savings from not needing sunscreen! And they're SCUBA and exploding vest certified too.
(gag)
Killing them with kindness isn't working. Time to get scrappy with the Donkeys.
Lunatic
August 26, 2007 - 22:50 ET by Noel SheppardLunatic,
Sorry about that. Comes out fine on my screen, but I see what your seeing. If I shrink it, the print will be illegible. So, go here: http://images.salon.... ns
This comic is so innocuous.
August 26, 2007 - 22:23 ET by zhombreThis comic is so innocuous. What cowards these publishers be. No wonder newspapers circulation is tanking.
II don't see what the big
August 26, 2007 - 23:23 ET by Sonny LykosII don't see what the big deal is either, but then again, I'm not a cowardly member of the wuss MSM. I guess their hesitancy is because it's not about Christianity.
I have been offended by
August 27, 2007 - 02:21 ET by 4arrowI have been offended by shows such as "Cheers" advocating promis' sex. Ted Danson sits side by side with the woman who would be president. Where is his 'til death do us part vow? His word is worthless.
Why are you missing the huge flip side?
August 27, 2007 - 06:33 ET by TokyoTomOnly 25 of 200 papers won't run the strip. That means 87.5% will. Isn't that pretty good news, even while the other papers are wimps?
Or are you really saying that the press should be consistently wimpy and show the same restraint (or lack thereof) for all denominations? If so, how would you suggest that we accomplish that - pass a federal law that tells our press to "respect" all religions (or just main Christian and Jewish denominations)? What type of things need respecting, and what should be banned?
We do tend to get some pussyfooting and homogenization in the press as it becomes increasingly corporate owned. Is this something we should do something about, or should we just let these privately owned media sources make their own editorial decisions - subject, of course to pressure from the marketplaces for readership and advertising?
"The first principle is that you must not fool yourself - and you are the easiest person to fool."
Richard Feynman
What I want to know is
August 27, 2007 - 06:40 ET by Jack BauerWhat I want to know is this: how come's Steve's hair parting flips from right in the first four panels to left in the last three panels?
Is this a subliminal political statement?
I would ban it for that alone. Oh.. and for not being remotely amusing, but they say humor is an intensely personal thang.
Oh, give me a break!
August 27, 2007 - 08:46 ET by msh1973Oh, give me a break! Anywhoo, Breathed is my husband's favorite, he has all his books. He has probably read them all three or four times. What does that say about my husband....:)
I have something in common
August 27, 2007 - 09:59 ET by smitty031with this comic strip. My first true love was a Iranian American woman. We were both 17 and in love (blush). We dated for 2 years and have fond memories of her. One day she decides to spend a weekend with her uncle...Monday comes around and she shows up at my house wearing a hijab. I kid you not. My brother answered the door and didnt know what to say. Neither did I. We went to the movies and she basically told me that she wanted to be more spiritual and I should join her at mosque if I was serious about "us". I told her that I wasnt religious to begin with as she knew and that Beng a moslem-- as she called herself---wasnt for me. Mind you this was in 1988. Long story short. We parted, I was happier, Hopefully she found happiness...probably not...
I always wondered why I wasnt allowed in the house..Now I know why...I am kaffir
Double standard (don't lose head over it)
August 27, 2007 - 14:07 ET by Blogger Guy00001It's obvious that the media have no problem printing things that trash Christianity or Judaism. They know full well that there will be NO roving raving bands of Christians or Jews crying bloodthirsty slogans and aiming to cut their heads off.
Touché!
August 27, 2007 - 14:14 ET by Sergeant ROCKlol! Well, you're right about that! Hmm.. although Amanpour might have a different take.