Catholic League president Bill Donohue comments today on the most glaring double standard among comedians:
“Lewis Black’s new book, Me of Little Faith, has a chapter titled, ‘Islam. All I’m Saying Is, I Got Nothing to Say.’ The chapter is three paragraphs long, beginning with the following: ‘I have nothing to say. Nothing. And let’s leave it that way.’ But Black has plenty to say about Orthodox Jews, the Catholic Church and Mormonism. Indeed, his references are replete with vulgarities.
“Black’s book was endorsed by George Carlin, who died yesterday. Carlin trashed religion for decades, but like Black he had no stomach for bashing Islam. Indeed, he justified Muslim violence. He readily admitted that ‘when all those beheadings started in Iraq it didn’t bother me.’ In fact, the beheadings were easy to explain: ‘You strap on a gun and go struttin’ around some other men’s country you better be ready for some action Jack.’ Catholics, however, were never the victims in Carlin’s playbook—they were always the victimizers.
“Bill Maher takes it a step further by understanding the difference between Muslim violence and Islam: ‘I don’t think the hate that comes from the Muslim world comes from religion.’ But don’t look for Maher to cut Catholics a break when they act irresponsibly—their behavior is caused by their religion.
“Most sickening of all is the spectacle of pundits congratulating these comedians for ‘pushing the envelope’ and being countercultural. There is nothing courageous about pushing buttons that everyone knows are safe.”