South Park @ MindSay 
friends
Chapter 64: Caution -- Shaky Muhammad Referencing Ahead
I finally heard back from that guy with the literary magazine (see Chapter 59) and he is still going to publish the piece about me. So, since that's pretty good news for me, I figured I'd focus today's post on the woes of a different author. I'm an equal opportunity pessimist. I say why focus on the good when you can harp eternally on the bad?
Let's dive right in: has everyone heard of poor Sherry Jones and her (as yet unpublished) book The Jewel of Medina?
The novel is about the young (as in statutory rape young) bride of the prophet Muhammad, who some may remember from such controversies as the Danish cartoons, which depicted Muslim masses as mindlessly violence-prone, which led Muslim masses to act mindlessly violence-prone. You may also remember him as the founder of one of the largest (and of late, most misunderstood) religions in the world.
Well, the book's [former] publisher, Random House, sent the book to an assistant history professor in Texas, asking for a blurb for the book's jacket, and the professor requested her name not be associated in any way with the work. This because she found its history and research to be sorely lacking. As she said in an interview with the Chronicle of Higher Education, "[Jones] distorted the past to sell a book, and I didn't want to be part of this distortion of Islamic sacred history."
Seems reasonable, right? She is one person, and she doesn't want to be associated with the book, so she's not going to offer a blurb. What's wrong with that?
Well, Random House then sent the book to other historians and received much of the same response. And has since canceled publication, citing, "publication of this book might be offensive to some in the Muslim community" and "could incite acts of violence by a small, radical segment."
Now, I may think that second part is a bit racist, but I can't argue with their business decision. Random House is looking out for its best interest. Apparently others view things differently, however, as some people are claiming the violation of 1st Amendment rights.
Wow, I couldn't disagree more. Whose rights have been violated? Jones is still allowed to publish the work. She can find another publisher (and is in fact actively seeking one) or she can self-publish it, or even turn it into an e-book and stick it up on the Web. That may not get her as much money as she may have hoped to receive, but it will get her words read by others. Which means that it will uphold her right to free speech.
But nowhere in the 1st Amendment does it say that book publishers have to publish a book that they believe will be a poor business move. Let's face it -- historians discredited the book. I don't know how many historians saw it, or just what they said about it, but they've clearly had a negative reaction to it. So, Random House doesn't think it has a hit on its hands. And to the contrary, it could cause the type of controversy they don't want (as opposed to the kind Dan Brown got, which I'm sure they'd love).
Personally (since this is my blog and you've chosen to read my egotistical take on matters I know little about), I think the whole prophet portrayal thing is silly. The whole controversy over the Danish cartoons (and a subsequent brilliant commentary by the television show South Park) stems from the idea that you can't depict an image of said prophet, even though, as far as I am aware, that is never mentioned in the Qur'an, and in fact wealthy Muslims used to show off their status with elaborate statues of the man. Plus, there was the whole fact that the people who depicted the prophet in those cartoons weren't followers of the religion and wouldn't be held to that rule even if such a rule existed.
But this is different. First, it's not about the prophet himself, and second, no one as of yet has protested. Instead, Random House is protecting its best interest -- not this woman, but its own company and reputation -- and it has every right and responsibility to do that. Radio host Don Imus was within his rights to mock some nappy-headed hoes, but that doesn't mean his radio station, when faced with nervous sponsors threatening to leave and take their advertising dollars with them, was obligated to keep the shedded snakeskin-faced cowboy employed.
What I think is craziest about the whole thing is not that people think Random House should publish this book even if the company doesn't want to (where was this active crowd when I was getting rejected by agents?) but how fast the story has gotten blown out of proportion. The historian who first rejected the blurb request is now receiving, as she puts it, about three angry e-mail messages per hour of people suggesting she is aiding terrorism and recommending that she be fired. Seriously? So should she have just blindly approved the book and lied in her glowing blurb regarding it? Just because it has something to do with Islam? Otherwise she's no better than a terrorist? Isn't she technically on the side of justice, valiently soldering on in this War on Terror by ensuring that all Islamic-based writings, which are of course inherently in support of the evil-doers threatening our free-wheeling way of life, get squashed before they can serve as steroids for those Kamikaze bastards?
But the craziness doesn't end there. The book's author is now facing rumors that her story is nothing more than soft-core pornography. Huh? How in the bloody blazes did that happen? OH, I see the problem now: Muslim sympathizers like the history professor are coming between America and its shared love of reading and not-quite-explicate sex. Now I get it.
But even better than her book's de-evolution from a work of historical fiction to a script for a late-night Cinemax movie is her reaction to these reactions: "Isn't the university supposed to support the dissemination and free exchange of ideas?" Hey, don't start blaming the university now, which didn't cause any of this and would have no control over it anyway. That's like blaming a glass for spilling liquid after you dropped it on the floor. It's not there fault scholars are accusing your book of possessing historical inaccuracies, and it's not their fault that you called the professor "irresponsible" for not supporting your book that scholars are accusing of possessing historical innaccuracies.
It's as that professor said, seemingly foreshadowing her own fate: "You can't fool with sacred history and not expect there will be consequences."
Ah, the cutthroat world of book publishing. Remind me again why I want to work in it?
Let's dive right in: has everyone heard of poor Sherry Jones and her (as yet unpublished) book The Jewel of Medina?
The novel is about the young (as in statutory rape young) bride of the prophet Muhammad, who some may remember from such controversies as the Danish cartoons, which depicted Muslim masses as mindlessly violence-prone, which led Muslim masses to act mindlessly violence-prone. You may also remember him as the founder of one of the largest (and of late, most misunderstood) religions in the world.
Well, the book's [former] publisher, Random House, sent the book to an assistant history professor in Texas, asking for a blurb for the book's jacket, and the professor requested her name not be associated in any way with the work. This because she found its history and research to be sorely lacking. As she said in an interview with the Chronicle of Higher Education, "[Jones] distorted the past to sell a book, and I didn't want to be part of this distortion of Islamic sacred history."
Seems reasonable, right? She is one person, and she doesn't want to be associated with the book, so she's not going to offer a blurb. What's wrong with that?
Well, Random House then sent the book to other historians and received much of the same response. And has since canceled publication, citing, "publication of this book might be offensive to some in the Muslim community" and "could incite acts of violence by a small, radical segment."
Now, I may think that second part is a bit racist, but I can't argue with their business decision. Random House is looking out for its best interest. Apparently others view things differently, however, as some people are claiming the violation of 1st Amendment rights.
Wow, I couldn't disagree more. Whose rights have been violated? Jones is still allowed to publish the work. She can find another publisher (and is in fact actively seeking one) or she can self-publish it, or even turn it into an e-book and stick it up on the Web. That may not get her as much money as she may have hoped to receive, but it will get her words read by others. Which means that it will uphold her right to free speech.
But nowhere in the 1st Amendment does it say that book publishers have to publish a book that they believe will be a poor business move. Let's face it -- historians discredited the book. I don't know how many historians saw it, or just what they said about it, but they've clearly had a negative reaction to it. So, Random House doesn't think it has a hit on its hands. And to the contrary, it could cause the type of controversy they don't want (as opposed to the kind Dan Brown got, which I'm sure they'd love).
Personally (since this is my blog and you've chosen to read my egotistical take on matters I know little about), I think the whole prophet portrayal thing is silly. The whole controversy over the Danish cartoons (and a subsequent brilliant commentary by the television show South Park) stems from the idea that you can't depict an image of said prophet, even though, as far as I am aware, that is never mentioned in the Qur'an, and in fact wealthy Muslims used to show off their status with elaborate statues of the man. Plus, there was the whole fact that the people who depicted the prophet in those cartoons weren't followers of the religion and wouldn't be held to that rule even if such a rule existed.
But this is different. First, it's not about the prophet himself, and second, no one as of yet has protested. Instead, Random House is protecting its best interest -- not this woman, but its own company and reputation -- and it has every right and responsibility to do that. Radio host Don Imus was within his rights to mock some nappy-headed hoes, but that doesn't mean his radio station, when faced with nervous sponsors threatening to leave and take their advertising dollars with them, was obligated to keep the shedded snakeskin-faced cowboy employed.
What I think is craziest about the whole thing is not that people think Random House should publish this book even if the company doesn't want to (where was this active crowd when I was getting rejected by agents?) but how fast the story has gotten blown out of proportion. The historian who first rejected the blurb request is now receiving, as she puts it, about three angry e-mail messages per hour of people suggesting she is aiding terrorism and recommending that she be fired. Seriously? So should she have just blindly approved the book and lied in her glowing blurb regarding it? Just because it has something to do with Islam? Otherwise she's no better than a terrorist? Isn't she technically on the side of justice, valiently soldering on in this War on Terror by ensuring that all Islamic-based writings, which are of course inherently in support of the evil-doers threatening our free-wheeling way of life, get squashed before they can serve as steroids for those Kamikaze bastards?
But the craziness doesn't end there. The book's author is now facing rumors that her story is nothing more than soft-core pornography. Huh? How in the bloody blazes did that happen? OH, I see the problem now: Muslim sympathizers like the history professor are coming between America and its shared love of reading and not-quite-explicate sex. Now I get it.
But even better than her book's de-evolution from a work of historical fiction to a script for a late-night Cinemax movie is her reaction to these reactions: "Isn't the university supposed to support the dissemination and free exchange of ideas?" Hey, don't start blaming the university now, which didn't cause any of this and would have no control over it anyway. That's like blaming a glass for spilling liquid after you dropped it on the floor. It's not there fault scholars are accusing your book of possessing historical inaccuracies, and it's not their fault that you called the professor "irresponsible" for not supporting your book that scholars are accusing of possessing historical innaccuracies.
It's as that professor said, seemingly foreshadowing her own fate: "You can't fool with sacred history and not expect there will be consequences."
Ah, the cutthroat world of book publishing. Remind me again why I want to work in it?
Election'08: Giant Douche vs Turd Sandwich
That is what the choices in this election have basically come down to for me...a douche or a turd (I leave the distinction of which candidate is which up to the public).
On one side we have a 100 year old "maverick" who sold his soul and prior beliefs down the river in his desperate bid to become president before he dies and on the other side we have a smooth talking neophyte who has done nothing of note in his political career other than run for president.
I'm sorry but these two are the best we could do out of 300 million people? It makes one begin to question the intelligence of the voting age public. After eight years of George Bush this country is dire shape and I don't have confidence in either of these assholes to do anything but make it worse because I consider both of these candidates to be hypocrites of the first order who will say and do whatever it takes to become president.
McCain has been pathetically sucking up to all of the people that he once considered bad for the country since he began his latest run for the Republican nomination and Mr. Hope & Change has already sold his progressive base out on several issues that are near and dear to their bleeding hearts.
It's kinda startling just how similar these two guys are...McCain sold himself as a maverick who follows his own principals no matter who it upsets and Obama sold himself as a new type of politician who would do whats right instead of whats politically expedient. Yet here we are with McCain adopting more of Bush's failed policies as his own in a pathetic attempt to get the Right Wing to stop hating him and Obama alternatively co-signing or co-opting Bush policies in a desperate bid to appear centrist. It's even more hysterical on Obama's part since he is basically behaving in a manner that got Hillary Clinton pilloried during the primary season. Triangulation is triangulation whether your name is Obama or Clinton.
It's high time to start really looking at the third party options for this election because there is no way in hell I am voting for a douche or a turd. My conscience wouldn't allow it.
That is what the choices in this election have basically come down to for me...a douche or a turd (I leave the distinction of which candidate is which up to the public).
On one side we have a 100 year old "maverick" who sold his soul and prior beliefs down the river in his desperate bid to become president before he dies and on the other side we have a smooth talking neophyte who has done nothing of note in his political career other than run for president.
I'm sorry but these two are the best we could do out of 300 million people? It makes one begin to question the intelligence of the voting age public. After eight years of George Bush this country is dire shape and I don't have confidence in either of these assholes to do anything but make it worse because I consider both of these candidates to be hypocrites of the first order who will say and do whatever it takes to become president.
McCain has been pathetically sucking up to all of the people that he once considered bad for the country since he began his latest run for the Republican nomination and Mr. Hope & Change has already sold his progressive base out on several issues that are near and dear to their bleeding hearts.
It's kinda startling just how similar these two guys are...McCain sold himself as a maverick who follows his own principals no matter who it upsets and Obama sold himself as a new type of politician who would do whats right instead of whats politically expedient. Yet here we are with McCain adopting more of Bush's failed policies as his own in a pathetic attempt to get the Right Wing to stop hating him and Obama alternatively co-signing or co-opting Bush policies in a desperate bid to appear centrist. It's even more hysterical on Obama's part since he is basically behaving in a manner that got Hillary Clinton pilloried during the primary season. Triangulation is triangulation whether your name is Obama or Clinton.
It's high time to start really looking at the third party options for this election because there is no way in hell I am voting for a douche or a turd. My conscience wouldn't allow it.
REPLY AND U BETTER READ THIS!!!!
im pretty bored once again som1 talk to me cuz im really bored... actually i want to get like 50 replys so reply even if you dont want to u HAVE TO!!! then tell ur friends to reply and put this link on a blog if u want. reply as many times as u want and if i get 50 or more replys ill ummm.... i dont know but leave a reply and leave suggestions of what i should do to reward ppl who reply anythin but money or stuff that costs a lot of money.
"Hi, welcome to Raisins!"
The South Park episode, Raisins, is my fucking favorite episode ever! The episode makes me laugh my fucking ass off every time I watch it. I used to hang out with this girl who looked and acted exactly like the goth chick in that episode. I just love the goth kids of South Park - they rock! One of those goth kids though should really be considered emo, but whatever - just speaking about fucking stereotypes.
I had an emotional breakdown today and now I'm not feeling so well. I'm so fucking hungry, but no matter what I eat, I feel sicker. I just feel so fucking nauseous. The only thing that sounds good is spaghetti, but I didn't want to ask my mom to make me some. God bless her, she finally did. She said that if she didn't feel good, her mom would've made it for her. Of course, this made me break down and cry, because my grandma just died a couple months ago: still feels like it happened yesterday though.
"Thanks for offering to let me join your clique, but I'd much rather be a crying little pussy than a faggy goth kid." ~ Butters
HAHAHA!
I hope I start feeling better soon - physically and emotionally. I think it all centers around my abandonment issues and shit. I don't know - I don't feel like going into detail right now. I just feel like puking.
I had an emotional breakdown today and now I'm not feeling so well. I'm so fucking hungry, but no matter what I eat, I feel sicker. I just feel so fucking nauseous. The only thing that sounds good is spaghetti, but I didn't want to ask my mom to make me some. God bless her, she finally did. She said that if she didn't feel good, her mom would've made it for her. Of course, this made me break down and cry, because my grandma just died a couple months ago: still feels like it happened yesterday though.
"Thanks for offering to let me join your clique, but I'd much rather be a crying little pussy than a faggy goth kid." ~ Butters
HAHAHA!
I hope I start feeling better soon - physically and emotionally. I think it all centers around my abandonment issues and shit. I don't know - I don't feel like going into detail right now. I just feel like puking.
Git Up, C'mon Git Down Wit Da Chipwich
If you've already read horrorinc then you probably heard about South Park from this week. Well, he's not exaggerating at all. Hands down, that was the most offensive episode of South Park ever created. Now, this is not to say that I was offended. I know what South Park is all about so I get the humor but for sensitive soccer mom America, I'm surprised that the tsunami of hate mail and death threats haven't begun yet. Seriously, this was the type of episode that Oprah moments are made of. Sadly, it wasn't even the funniest episode they've ever made....just the most brutal.
Before that, I fulfilled my promise to myself to find things to do every day by taking advantage of Kohl's big sale. Seeing as though I am in full blown S.W.U. mode (S.trategic W.ardrobe U.pgrade), I scored like Kobe at the 4th quarter buzzer after a night of hot sex in a Colorado hotel with a white woman (zing). I added another pair of pants and 6 new button down shirts for just over $100. So yes, I am getting ready to play some golf this spring.
In fact, aside from baseball season getting underway, I am more stoked about golfing this year than in probably the past 3 years. I came to golfing after a messy break-up and found it to be a perfect relaxant and distraction so spring was the perfect time for my recent fallout to occur. I guess timing is everything. Whatever the motive, I can't wait to start golfing again.
And skateboarding. It's time to stop singing and start swinging. I know that my days of being remotely good are over so now, I'm just looking for another outlet. I'm going to try and take skating as a means of just going fast and enjoy riding up embankments. If I can throw down a few flip tricks here and there, score for me. If not, so be it.
In addition to all of this, I have a vacation coming up in a few short weeks, just in time for Opening Day. So yeah, if anyone can go to a White Sox home opener on Monday, April 2 at 1 a.m., I will have an extra ticket to sell or possibly even give out to some lucky lady.
Before that, I fulfilled my promise to myself to find things to do every day by taking advantage of Kohl's big sale. Seeing as though I am in full blown S.W.U. mode (S.trategic W.ardrobe U.pgrade), I scored like Kobe at the 4th quarter buzzer after a night of hot sex in a Colorado hotel with a white woman (zing). I added another pair of pants and 6 new button down shirts for just over $100. So yes, I am getting ready to play some golf this spring.
In fact, aside from baseball season getting underway, I am more stoked about golfing this year than in probably the past 3 years. I came to golfing after a messy break-up and found it to be a perfect relaxant and distraction so spring was the perfect time for my recent fallout to occur. I guess timing is everything. Whatever the motive, I can't wait to start golfing again.
And skateboarding. It's time to stop singing and start swinging. I know that my days of being remotely good are over so now, I'm just looking for another outlet. I'm going to try and take skating as a means of just going fast and enjoy riding up embankments. If I can throw down a few flip tricks here and there, score for me. If not, so be it.
In addition to all of this, I have a vacation coming up in a few short weeks, just in time for Opening Day. So yeah, if anyone can go to a White Sox home opener on Monday, April 2 at 1 a.m., I will have an extra ticket to sell or possibly even give out to some lucky lady.
Showing 1 - 5. [ Next ]
Quick Links
Latest Comment
Re: Moving - Do you use those with art?
| Terms of Service
| Privacy Policy