It's still okay to make fun of some religions...
| Submit your comments on this article |
| -Short Attention Span Theater- |
| WaPo Explains Opus Ban |
| 2007-09-17 |
| Not "defends", just "explains". Edited for length; the original reads like she was required to write a 1,000 word essay, and came up with 980 words. Readers were confused and angry that "Opus" comic strips with a Muslim theme did not appear in the Aug. 26 and Sept. 2 Sunday print editions. The strips, created by Berkeley Breathed, were distributed by the Washington Post Writers Group and published on washingtonpost.com. Most of the controversy involved the Aug. 26 strip, which showed regular character and spiritual seeker Lola Granola in her version of a burqa, declaring that she has become a "radical Islamist. Hot new fad on the planet." Executive Editor Len Downie decided to kill the strip because he felt the language and depiction of Muslim female dress could be offensive. He consulted with other editors, one of whom talked to a Muslim staff member, who believed the strip was problematic. Comics have long featured social commentary; think back to "Pogo" and "Li'l Abner." And comics have been killed before in The Post. "The Boondocks," a black-oriented strip no longer being drawn, was dropped several times. Editors killed episodes of the old comic strip "B.C." that they found anti-Semitic, Downie said. "We keep things out of the paper every day that we think are inappropriate Many of the 100 or so readers who complained accused The Post of being afraid of Muslims and said that it was unfair to "censor" an "Opus" strip on Muslims when a crack had been made in an earlier strip about the late Jerry Falwell, a conservative Christian leader. Falwell, however, was a public figure and fair game The Sept. 2 "Opus" strip featured Steve Dallas wanting Lola Granola to go to the beach in a bikini. Instead she wears a Burkini, modest Muslim swimwear designed and sold by Ahiida Ltd., a company in Sydney. Aheda Zanetti, owner and designer, wears the veil and said she "just loved" the strips. The Sept. 2 strip mentioned her Web site, which prompted some hate mail, Zanetti said The reasons that strip wasn't published are murky. Downie said he did not kill it. Other editors thought that the Writers Group thought it would be hard to understand without seeing the first strip. Alan Shearer, Writers Group editorial director, said he made that point but did not want either strip killed. About 25 of the 200 "Opus" clients told Shearer they would not run the first strip. Old strips were sent as alternatives. Many ran the second strip. Most papers ran both, Shearer said, including the Chicago Tribune, the Oregonian, the Los Angeles Times and the Baltimore Sun. A check with editors showed that only the Sun and the Tribune got complaints -- one each. Two complaints from 175 newspapers that ran the strip, versus 100 complaints from WaPo readers. And apparently, no death threats. Yet. Ibrahim Hooper, spokesman for the Council on American-Islamic Relations, a civil rights and advocacy group, wasn't offended. " 'Opus' poked fun at the strip's characters, not Muslims or Islam. I see hundreds worse on the Internet every day," he said. Akbar Ahmed, chair of Islamic studies at American University, also wasn't offended. He said there is a strong Muslim tradition of satire and self-deprecation. "I think there is a danger of us becoming so politically correct that we end up by blunting the critics' bent and the satirists' wit. Muslims need to be sensitive to the fact that in Western culture there is a healthy tradition of not taking things too seriously." Breathed didn't want to talk about it, because, he wrote, "Subtlety has never been my hallmark. Cartoons only work UNPARSED. Unexamined. Un-deconstructed. Two weeks ago the 'Today Show' spent 10 minutes doing exactly that with the 'Opus' Muslim strips, and it was like watching someone try to iron wet toilet paper." I think Post editors overreacted in killing the strips. Comics are meant to be artful, fun and provocative. The two strips were all of that and worth publishing. Let comics be comics. P.S. Love that penguin! |
| Posted by:Bobby |
| #14 Same here, RJ. I keep telling them they should quit wasting their money on that trash and get a good cartoon, like Day by Day. |
| Posted by: Barbara Skolaut 2007-09-17 18:45 |
| #13 They put Doonesbury in the political pages in our local fish wrapper, I haven't read it in years. |
| Posted by: Redneck Jim 2007-09-17 17:35 |
| #12 It's still okay to make fun of some religions... |
| Posted by: Anonymoose 2007-09-17 16:15 |
| #11 RE #9 - not on Sunday, eLarson; he's on the front page of the Sunday Comics. Dallas Morning News used to run him somewhere closer to the editorial page, IIRC. |
| Posted by: Bobby 2007-09-17 15:59 |
| #10 Akbar Ahmed, chair of Islamic studies at American University, also wasn't offended. Prof. Ahmed appears to be one of the good guys. I'll take him over the likes of Ibrahim |
| Posted by: Mike 2007-09-17 15:03 |
| #9 But its not offensive to run Doonesbury, right Len? If memory serves, D'bury runs a couple-three pages back in the Style section from the rest of the comics. |
| Posted by: eLarson 2007-09-17 13:36 |
| #8 Other editors thought that the Writers Group thought it would be hard to understand without seeing the first strip. Since when has the WaPo been concerned about continuity? They certainly don't show it in their editorial stances, especially when compared to the last time a (D) was in the White House. "... it was like watching someone try to iron wet toilet paper." That's a keeper. |
| Posted by: xbalanke 2007-09-17 12:28 |
| #7 "Good dhimmi! Nice dhimmi! You learn fast. We won't kick you...today." |
| Posted by: Seafarious 2007-09-17 11:48 |
| #6 He said there is a strong Muslim tradition of satire and self-deprecation. Another self-snarking article! Are we starting to see a trend? But nonetheless, it *is* a good contender for Snark Of The Day. |
| Posted by: SteveS 2007-09-17 10:38 |
| #5 Akbar Ahmed, chair of Islamic studies at American University, also wasn't offended. He said there is a strong Muslim tradition of satire and self-deprecation. A statement which, ironically, might itself be considered satirical. Or just a bad joke. |
| Posted by: Excalibur 2007-09-17 10:32 |
| #4 I see hundreds worse on the Internet every day," [Ibrahim Hooper] said. Much the same could be said for those Danish cartoons, all of which were pretty tame. |
| Posted by: Angie Schultz 2007-09-17 10:20 |
| #3 Akbar Ahmed, chair of Islamic studies at American University, also wasn't offended. He said there is a strong Muslim tradition of satire and self-deprecation. Sure is. Just ask my friend Rage Boy... |
| Posted by: tu3031 2007-09-17 10:10 |
| #2 But its not offensive to run Doonesbury, right Len? He only insults in any order, the Presidency, America, the military, the catholic church, Jews, the Brits, anyone who is patriotic, religious, a veteran, plays sports, likes sports, drinks beer, the CIA, Fox News, Rush, Rupert, et. al. But then again, he's a cartoonist, not an editorialist, right? |
| Posted by: Jack is Back! 2007-09-17 10:10 |
| #1 Short version - someone said "ooooggga-boogah! Moslems might be offended!" And the WaPo caved as if their editorial spine were made of cream cheese. |
| Posted by: Sgt. Mom 2007-09-17 09:37 |