South Park is a long-running animated series taking place in the titular location of South Park. Inspired by the Simpsons, it follows the show’s crude humor and satire on trending topics. Due to the nature of the satire of the show, it has been bound to be in controversy eventually, but no one could’ve expected it would have come from the unapologetic depiction of Muhammad, who under the iconoclast tenet of Islam is never meant to be depicted. After the episode got banned, this old controversy has begged the question: what should be allowed to be satirized?
Satire serves as a tool to critique by creating an exaggerated version of what is trying to be analyzed. The news company The Onion is a well known example that satirizes other news companies by creating exaggerated and false articles related to current events. South Park does the same, where it satirizes relevant topics indiscriminately. For example, South Park hadn’t just satirized Islam, but other religions too.
The episode “Cartman Sucks” features one of the main characters, Butters, being sent to a gay conversion camp when he is accused of homosexuality. The episode features Christians causing kids to commit suicide by forcing them to not be gay. It explores themes of suicide and the role of Christianity in sexuality. Another episode, “The Entity,” satirizes Judaism by featuring a negatively-stereotyped Jewish boy and his relationship to another main character, Kyle.
Some argue that because South Park satirizes all religions, its depiction of Muhammad is not wrong. They fundamentally miss the point of the reasons for satirization.
The satirization of Christianity is not just bashing on Christianity for no reason. The episode serves to state a message of how kids are forced into camps for sexuality, a thing they cannot control, and get driven to the point of suicide for it. The episode is not bashing on Christianity as a religion, but rather a series of actions that are done by Christians to spread awareness. Similarly, the episode “The Entity” is not making fun of Judaism by showcasing a stereotypical Jewish boy, but rather is showcasing the harmful effects that stereotypes can have on a person’s well being.
South Park showcasing Muhammad is different from these previous examples because the satirization did not serve a purpose. The episode he appears in takes place in a fictional controversy where Family Guy depicts him. The episode was clearly written to satirize satire itself, but the depiction of Muhammad specifically did not serve a purpose other than shock value. It wasn’t a valid critique of Islam like with Christianity’s depiction or to showcase the negative effects of this depiction, but rather added purely for its edge. In this case, the show’s typically sharp satire risks overshadowing its message by using shock tactics that feel more controversial than purposeful.
Image Credits: Lu Z.
THE NORTH STAR 