In light of the news about Comedy Central’s astounding cowardice in the face of some veiled threats from Troglogyte Central, my thoughts turned to this movie, and not just because I wrote the sequel:
Forget the famous love story this time, and see Casablanca for what it also is: a great World War II movie, in which the alienated ex-pat Rick Blaine finally realizes that his policy of sticking his neck out for no man is just not going to fly; when the rusty scimitars come out, you don’t have to stick your neck out to get your head sawed off.
Remember, these threats allegedly came from an American named Zachary Chesser, who styles himself Abu Talhah al Amrikee — his adopted name, “al Amrikee,” means “the American” — who is living in this country.
Mark Styen gets it. He spoke about what a crucial moment the Comedy Central espisode was this afternoon while guest-hosting the Rush Limbaugh show, and writes about it here:
Meanwhile, Comedy Central – you know, the “hip” “edgy” network with Jon Stewart from whom “young” Americans under 53 supposedly get most of their news – just caved in to death threats. From a hateful 83-year-old widow who doesn’t like Obamacare? Why, no! It was a chap called Abu Talhah al Amrikee, who put up a video on the Internet explaining why a “South Park” episode with a rather tame Mohammed joke was likely to lead to the deaths of the show’s creators. Just to underline the point, he showed some pictures of Theo van Gogh, the Dutch film director brutally murdered by (oh, my, talk about unfortunate coincidences) a fellow called Mohammed. Mr. al Amrikee helpfully explained that his video incitement of the murder of Matt Stone and Trey Parker wasn’t really “a threat but just the likely outcome.” All he was doing, he added, was “raising awareness” – you know, like folks do on Earth Day. On Earth Day, lame politicians dig a hole and stick a tree in it. But aggrieved Muslims dig a hole and stick a couple of comedy writers in it. Celebrate diversity!
Faced with this explicit threat of violence, what did Comedy Central do?
Why, they folded like a Bedouin tent. They censored “South Park,” not only cutting all the references to Mohammed but, in an exquisitely post-modern touch, also removing the final speech about the need to stand up to intimidation. Stone & Parker get what was at stake in the Danish cartoons crisis, and many other ostensibly footling concessions: Imperceptibly, incrementally, remorselessly, the free world is sending the message that it is happy to trade core liberties for the transitory security of a quiet life. That is a dangerous signal to give freedom’s enemies. So the “South Park” episode is an important cultural pushback.
To his credit, Jon Stewart has stepped up to the plate and denounced this outrage against free speech. But where are the others, so that Woody Hochswender and Stewart and Steyn and I might quote Paul Henreid’s (Victor Laszlo’s) parting words to Humphrey Bogart:
Thanks. I appreciate it. Welcome back to the fight. This time I know our side will win. Are you ready, Ilsa?
Well, Ilsa — are you?