Opus Censored By Washington Post, At Least 24 Other Papers (See Comic Here)

[Hissyspit]

http://www.salon.com/opinion/walsh/media/2007/08/26/opus/index.html

Sunday August 26, 2007 11:25 EST

Silencing "Opus"
Joan Walsh

We're proud to host Berkeley Breathed's "Opus" every week, but especially this week and next: At least 25 of the newspapers that normally print the comic strip, and probably more, have declined these two, at least partly out of fear that Lola Granola's latest spiritual journey -- dabbling in Islam and adopting its conservative dress code for women -- could be offensive to Muslims. Sadly, one of the papers that isn't printing the strip is the Washington Post, though the Post's syndication service, Washington Post Writers Group, distributes Opus. (The Washington Post actually ran the strip online, though it was hard to find, but not in the paper.)

According to Editor and Publisher, some papers were concerned that the strips were sexually suggestive -- Lola's boyfriend Steve makes a joke about things he's "not getting" because of her conversion -- but the anxiety seemed to stem mostly from Breathed's making radical Islam "the hot new fad on the planet," as Lola says. Washington Post Writers Group Executive Sales Manager Karisue Wyson told E&P some papers "won't publish any Muslim-related humor, whether pro or con. 'They just don't want to touch that,' she said."

I thought the strip satirized loopy American seekers who customize world religions for their own needs, not Islam. But either way, it's cowardice to shun the strip. And newspapers wonder why they're dying?

http://www.imgred.com/

[ClassWarrior]

1. Excellent point, Joan... "And newspapers wonder why they're dying?"

NGU.

[Hissyspit]

2. WaPo helped to get many Muslims and NOW they're all worried about being offensive?

America has become a fucking joke.

[ben_meyers]

3. The Amish nudist joke is okay

but not Muslim fundie jokes? On the other hand I guess the Amish aren't known for beheading non-believers.

[Bitwit1234]

4. I've said it over and over the people who USED to read newspapers

won't anymore because of the republican face of every single newspaper going. The people the newspapers write for, the rich and republican, really aren't newspaper readers. The rich read the WSJ and once murdoch screws that up with no more stock and financal reports that's going to fold also.

[elfin]

5. Thank you - was wondering

why I couldn't find it today - I think it also satirizes puerile American males whose primary concern is "getting some" over any religious beliefs at all.

[Karenina]

6. BWHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!

:rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl:

[Hissyspit]

7. .