Russia seems intent on making itself and its leaders into cartoon caricatures of late. Thus, it should be no surprise that the Russians are actually fighting cartoon characters in court. Russian prosecutors have filed an action against the South Park series after “experts” concluded that it “bore signs of extremist activity.” The prosecutors are seeking to ban the program.
Prosecutors specifically cited an episoda called Mr Hankey’s Christmas Classics which features such as Satan and Adolf Hitler.
Valentina Titova, a spokeswoman for the prosecutors office said: “In accordance with the conclusions made by experts from the court investigations committee, a claim has been filed against 2×2 for its broadcast of an episode of South Park.”
The prosecutors have noted that the show “offends the honour and dignity of Christians and Muslims alike.” Of course, that is the point of free speech. Yet, Russia seems to be rushing back toward an authoritarian system. In 2006, the legislature passed a law defining “extremism” as “the abasement of national dignity” and “inciting religious and national hatred.”, Abasement of national dignity. It appears that litigating against cartoon characters reinforces national dignity. Next, they will order Kenny shot.
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(sound of Kalashnikov being cocked)
Respect my aww-thor-i-TIE?
What do you mean Kenny’s in hiding? Didn’t Kenny die in one episode? Oddly, I can’t remember which one.
I must have been on some of those excellent Scientology drugs–this entry belongs under the Church post. Sorry. Cartman forced me to do it.
The Church of Scientology in France will be tried in court for “organised fraud”, according to legal sources.
The lawyer for one of the plaintiffs behind the case told the BBC that if convicted the controversial Church could be banned.
This case stems from claims by a woman who said she was approached by Scientologists in a Paris street in 1998 and offered a free personality test.
She says she ended up handing over more than 20,000 euros (£16,000) for courses, books, illegally prescribed drugs and an “electrometer” supposed to measure fluctuations in her mental state.
Olivier Morice, a lawyer for the woman and for one other plaintiff in the case, says the case could be brought before the court by the end of the year or in early 2009.’
So if my pastor told me god endorsed bush and I’d go to hell for voting kerry, may I sue my church for organized fraud upon myself and my nation? Sometimes I wish I was French!
How long till they start burning Dostoevsky?
“inciting religious and national hatred.” You mean like taking over Georgia? What’s the insult? Satan’s all muscular just like Putin. I bet Putin looked into Saddam’s eyes and saw his soul. He and cheney looked into each other’s eyes and saw a deal. This little girl I met yesterday told me her imagninary friend lives in the toilet, “sometimes”, so I think of Mr. Hankey as hyper-realism, nothing more, nothing less.
You’d think Putins government would like South Park, considering they’re both made up of cartoon characters.