Mark Greco
Professor Blackburn
English 101
6 October 2008
Censor Me Timbers!
“South Park” is viewed by some as shitty ‘toilet humor,’ while others think it is ‘the SHIT.’ Most people do not like “South Park” because of the uncomfortable situations presented in the show. But most of the dysfunction shown is very real and present in our societies. However, some of it is obviously not real, but is there just to make you think, “what if?” Their use of exaggerated animations and grade school point of view provide a very entertaining backdrop as they satirically delve into major social and political issues such as censorship and freedom of speech.
Although it is streamed with implications of prejudice, religion, education, and rehabilitation, at the core of South Park the Movie: Bigger, Longer, and Uncut, is the issue of censorship. The children of South Park are introduced to an inappropriate Canadian movie, and the outraged mothers start a censorship campaign that quickly gains political momentum and brings the United States to war with Canada. Although this sounds quite farfetched, the intolerance and ignorance associated with it is quite prevalent in our society. Canada is used because they are such a neutral country in the world, and since this would never happen, it acts as an example of what should never happen.
In 1985, a group of politician’s wives, known as the “Washington wives,” gave birth to a music censorship organization known as the Parents Music Resource Center (PMRC). Included in establishing this movement was Susan Baker, Tipper Gore, Pam Howar, and Sally Nevius. They believed that the youth of America was being destroyed by the music of their generation with its glorification of sex, drugs, violence, and the occult. Introducing “parental advisory” stickers on albums and publishing the “Filthy Fifteen,” what they thought to be the most offensive songs, their aim was to inform the parents of the dangers of explicit...