[whataretheysaying] Mary Madigan: Fear, loathing and habit in the comics world..

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Posted by Mary Madigan:
Fear,  loathing and habit in the comics world..
http://whataretheysaying.powerblogs.com/posts/1188232749.shtml


   We're getting used to the imposition of Sharia law in the press. This
   time, our press is voluntarily censoring itself by not publishing a
   couple of "Opus" comics because Muslims might be "offended".

   From [1]Berkeley Breathed's site:

     [2]opusislam 

     Note to Opus readers: The Opus strips for August 26 and September 2
     have been withheld from publication by a large number of client
     newspapers across the country, including Opus' host paper The
     Washington Post. The strips may be viewed in a large format on
     their respective dates at [3]Salon.com.

   On a comic-related message board, [4]one poster writes:

     NEW YORK At least 25 of the 200 or so "Opus" client newspapers
     might not run the Sunday-only comic's next two episodes, which
     feature Islamic references and a sex joke.

     That's according to Washington Post Writers Group Executive Sales
     Manager Karisue Wyson, when contacted today by E&P. WPWG Editorial
     Director/General Manager Alan Shearer added that more than 25
     clients might not use the strips because the syndicate hasn't heard
     from about 150 of the 200 papers it alerted. 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...

     ...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.

   Our newspapers are checking with "Islamic experts" before they
   publish? Did they [5]Ask the Imam (your fatwa resource)?

   Another poster on the comics messageboard says:

     Speaking as a secular Mulsim, believe me, some 29% of the Sunnis
     and Shiites will get pisssed of at this to even violent levels.

   As [6]Andrew Anthony said, "a society that places great emphasis on
   respecting others has next to nothing to say about protecting others"
   - or protecting others' rights.

References

   1. http://www.berkeleybreathed.com/
   2. http://www.salon.com/comics/opus/2007/08/26/opus/
   3. http://www.salon.com/comics/opus/2007/08/26/opus/
   4. http://www.imagecomics.com/messageboard/viewtopic.php?p=553459&
   5. http://www.islam.tc/ask-imam/
   6. http://observer.guardian.co.uk/review/story/0,,2151530,00.html