# "Opus" comic strip suppressed **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [August 25, 2007, 6:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/opus-comic-strip-suppressed/416907 "2007-08-25T18:08:56Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![DanBlather](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/f4b2a3/32.png) [@DanBlather](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DanBlather)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2007, 2:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/opus-comic-strip-suppressed/416907/41 "2007-08-27T02:46:11Z")
Ran out here in the “Peoples Republic of Portland”. ---
**Author:** ![NDP](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ndp/32/55_2.png) [@NDP](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NDP)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2007, 4:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/opus-comic-strip-suppressed/416907/42 "2007-08-27T04:06:56Z")
The conservative Spokane Spokesman-Review also ran it. ---
**Author:** ![straight\_man](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/straight_man/32/3027_2.png) [@straight\_man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/straight_man)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2007, 12:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/opus-comic-strip-suppressed/416907/43 "2007-08-27T12:20:06Z")
The _Calgary Herald_ didn’t run it. (Not American, but I thought it was worth mentioning.) ---
**Author:** ![Happy\_Fun\_Ball](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/happy_fun_ball/32/17664_2.png) [@Happy\_Fun\_Ball](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Fun_Ball)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2007, 3:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/opus-comic-strip-suppressed/416907/44 "2007-08-27T15:35:24Z")
Well it looks to me that the majority of papers ran the strip. And since we all know that the OVERWHELMING majority of the media is composed of dirty hippy liberals, there is only one conclusion: it was the cowardly, hypocritical, gutless conservative papers that pulled it while crying like a little girl in quivering pants-wetting terror of offending some middle-eastern terrorists. Go figure… ---
**Author:** ![Voyager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voyager/32/133_2.png) [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2007, 5:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/opus-comic-strip-suppressed/416907/45 "2007-08-27T17:22:32Z")
The Fremont Argus ran it, and we have a large population of Afghanis here. Its editorial stance is fairly liberal also. ---
**Author:** ![Happy\_Fun\_Ball](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/happy_fun_ball/32/17664_2.png) [@Happy\_Fun\_Ball](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Fun_Ball)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2007, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/opus-comic-strip-suppressed/416907/46 "2007-08-27T17:42:48Z")
Uhhh… I really thought this was in the pit. I retract the above. Sorry all. ---
**Author:** ![sqweels](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f19dbf/32.png) [@sqweels](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sqweels)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2007, 6:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/opus-comic-strip-suppressed/416907/47 "2007-08-27T18:57:00Z")
Christianity represents the conservative “establishment” or “the powers that be” in the US to a large extent. Muslims are a small minority group, so there is no comparison. Liberals and the media _usaully_ bend over backwards to avoid criticizing Christianity and the backlash that would ensue. Conservatives frequently emphasize their religious faith in order to portray themselves as automatically Good and to deflect criticism. The only hypocrisy here is conservatives playing the politically correct, I’m-a-victim card. As for the charge of cowardice, well, maybe. ---
**Author:** ![An\_Gadai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d6d6ee/32.png) [@An\_Gadai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/An_Gadai)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2007, 9:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/opus-comic-strip-suppressed/416907/48 "2007-08-27T21:30:03Z")
What I wanna know is did it get printed in the _Bloom Picayune_? ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2007, 11:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/opus-comic-strip-suppressed/416907/49 "2007-08-27T23:22:30Z")
To that end, we have contacted the editor, one William T. “Bill” Cat. His comment, in its entirety, was “Aaaack!”. We are perplexed as to interpretations. ---
**Author:** ![Valgard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/7feea3/32.png) [@Valgard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Valgard)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2007, 12:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/opus-comic-strip-suppressed/416907/50 "2007-08-28T00:24:14Z")
Ran as a massive full-page strip in Sunday’s San Francisco Chronicle. Not exactly your bastion of conservativeness. ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2007, 12:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/opus-comic-strip-suppressed/416907/51 "2007-08-28T00:26:22Z")
The strip ran in the (centrist) Columbus (OH) Dispatch. I glanced at it but saw nothing to suggest the likelihood of major outraged reactions, or for that matter much reaction at all. Still, no doubt our local hyperventilating CAIR\* representative has sent a fulminating letter to the editor. \*Complaining Arabs In Rage ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2007, 3:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/opus-comic-strip-suppressed/416907/52 "2007-08-28T15:53:38Z")
The Washington Post, however, which is the home newspaper for the strip (it is syndicated by [the Washington Post Writer’s Group](http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,294779,00.html)) did not run the strip. This is in contrast to the strip making fun of the recently deceased Jerry Falwell, which was run without any discussion at all. I guess the editors at the WaPo are more confident that the Moral Majority will not respond to satire with violence. The radicals in Islam, perhaps, not so much. Regards, Shodan ---
**Author:** ![tomndebb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b9e5f3/32.png) [@tomndebb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tomndebb)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2007, 4:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/opus-comic-strip-suppressed/416907/53 "2007-08-28T16:03:10Z")
> [@](#): > > I guess the editors at the WaPo are more confident that the Moral Majority will not respond to satire with violence. The radicals in Islam, perhaps, not so much. Alternatively, they figured that no member of the so-called Moral Majority would actually read the WaPo. 😃 Has anyone yet found a statement from the Washington Post that gives their reason for choosing to not run it? ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2007, 4:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/opus-comic-strip-suppressed/416907/54 "2007-08-28T16:14:48Z")
Read my cite. Regards, Shodan ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2007, 4:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/opus-comic-strip-suppressed/416907/55 "2007-08-28T16:28:41Z")
[QUOTE=Shodan] The Washington Post, however, which is the home newspaper for the strip (it is syndicated by [the Washington Post Writer’s Group](http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,294779,00.html)) did not run the strip. This is in contrast to the strip making fun of the recently deceased Jerry Falwell, which was run without any discussion at all. I guess the editors at the WaPo are more confident that the Moral Majority will not respond to satire with violence. The radicals in Islam, perhaps, not so much. Regards, Shodan [/QUOTE] Jerry Falwell is not a world religion and did not represent a world religion. The Falwell strip wasn’t even insulting or offensive to Christians. It just had a punchline that Falwell must be annoyed that liberals were in heaven with him. How is that a shot at Christians? Your Fox News link draws a completely idiotic comparison between the two strips when they are utterly un-analogous. WAPO also doesn’t say they pulled the strip because they feared violence but because it bothered Muslim staffers at the paper and because they were uncomfortable with the sexual innuendo of the punchline. That’s not to say that I think the strip should have been pulled, but the comparison to the Falwell strip is retarded, as is your smug insinuation that WAPO feared violent reprisals. It should also be said that even if they did fear violence, you would be in no moral position to make any judgements about them since you are in no danger yourself. It’s easy to be brave with other people’s lives. Conservatives excel at that. ---
**Author:** ![Larry\_Borgia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/larry_borgia/32/156_2.png) [@Larry\_Borgia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Borgia)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2007, 5:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/opus-comic-strip-suppressed/416907/56 "2007-08-28T17:26:57Z")
It’s still a pretty weak reason to pull a strip. Humor should tweak people’s sensibilities. ---
**Author:** ![SanibelMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e4f/32.png) [@SanibelMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SanibelMan)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2007, 5:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/opus-comic-strip-suppressed/416907/57 "2007-08-28T17:34:59Z")
This is, at least partially, the topic of today’s [Chatalogical Humor](http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/discussion/2007/08/21/DI2007082100527.html) with Gene Weingarten, humor columnist for the Post. He also disagrees with the decision to hold the strips. ---
**Author:** ![tomndebb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b9e5f3/32.png) [@tomndebb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tomndebb)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2007, 6:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/opus-comic-strip-suppressed/416907/58 "2007-08-28T18:11:07Z")
[QUOTE=Shodan] Read my cite. [/QUOTE] Read my question. From your citation: > [@](#): > > Editors from The Washington Post declined to comment on why they made the decision to pull the two comic strips. Despite speculation from the Writer’s Group subsidiary, I would still be interested to see an actual comment by WaPo management. ---
**Author:** ![lalenin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/3da27b/32.png) [@lalenin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lalenin)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2007, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/opus-comic-strip-suppressed/416907/59 "2007-08-28T18:32:26Z")
[QUOTE=Shodan] The Washington Post, however, which is the home newspaper for the strip (it is syndicated by [the Washington Post Writer’s Group](http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,294779,00.html)) did not run the strip. This is in contrast to the strip making fun of the recently deceased Jerry Falwell, which was run without any discussion at all. I guess the editors at the WaPo are more confident that the Moral Majority will not respond to satire with violence. The radicals in Islam, perhaps, not so much. Regards, Shodan [/QUOTE] I don’t understand the standards of the Washington Post. The also ran [this cartoon](http://wpcomics.washingtonpost.com/client/wpc/po/2007/08/22/) which left a really bad taste in my mouth. I can sort of, kind of, rationalize it by thinking that perhaps the cartoonist is trying to lampoon the sentiments expressed in the cartoon. But I get the feeling that’s not the case. In case you can’t see the link, a figure of Uncle Sam is pushing a small boat full of men labelled “Cuban-Americans”, in the direction of Cuba. Uncle Sam is saying “Mr. Obama has made the excellent suggestion that you nuisances be allowed to freely visit Cuba…which I think is a Dam’ fine idea. Bon Voyage!” The men in the boat are saying “Outrageous! We demand a chance to interfere with the '08 election!”. In the water a small worm(?) is saying “Say hello to Batista!” There are so many thing offensive in that cartoon I simply can not imagine what it is trying to say. Is it implying that by voting in the 08 election Cuban-Americans would interfere with it? Is it saying that the USA would be well rid of Cuban-Americans? Is it implying that all Cuban-Americans are Batista supporters? Like with most instances of prejudice I am at a loss to explain it. By the way, the cartoonist name is Pat Oliphant, for what it is worth. ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2007, 6:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/opus-comic-strip-suppressed/416907/60 "2007-08-28T18:40:00Z")
[QUOTE=tomndebb] Read my question. From your citation:Despite speculation from the Writer’s Group subsidiary, I would still be interested to see an actual comment by WaPo management. [/QUOTE] I repeat, read the cite. From my cite; > [@](#): > > The syndicate sent out an alert about the two strips in question, according to Writers Group comics editor Amy Lago. > > Sources told [FOXNews.com](http://FOXNews.com) that the strips were shown to Muslim staffers at The Washington Post to gauge their reaction, and they responded “emotionally” to the depiction of a woman dressed in traditional Muslim garb and espousing conservative Islamic views. > > There was also considerable alarm over the strip at the highest echelons of The Washington Post Co., according to the sources. > > Lago said she flagged some of the syndicate’s newspaper clients for two reasons: because of the possibility that the jokes about Islam would be misconstrued and because of the sexual innuendo in the punchline. > > “The strip came in and I knew we would have to send out an alert to all the newspapers,” Lago said. “I do that fairly regularly with materials that might pose issues for local areas. … We knew that because it was a sex joke, it could raise issues. And there is another client that has issues with any Muslim depiction whatsoever.” How hard do you need your nose rubbed in this? The head of the organization that syndicates the strip from its home newspaper, the Washington Post, sends out an alert. The Washington Post, its home newspaper, declines to run the strip, because it made a joke about Islam and contained a sex joke. If you’re looking for a quote from the editors saying, “By golly, we shit our pants at the thought of pissing off the Muslims, but Jerry Falwell’s followers can go fuck themselves”, you are probably not going to find it. Those who make big noises about how sacrosanct the role of a free press but then cave instantly at the thought of not being politically incorrect are not likely to admit their hypocrisy. Sometimes you need to make inferences. Especially when you are dealing with hypocrites. If you prefer to stay in denial over it, even a direct admission isn’t going to help. Remember the denial fest over the Halperin memo? Same shit. Sheesh. Regards, Shodan [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/opus-comic-strip-suppressed/416907.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/opus-comic-strip-suppressed/416907.md?page=4)