Remember last year, when some CARTOONS got a bunch of Islamic undies in a fundamentalist bunch? Remember how it got to the point where media outlets wouldn't reprint CARTOONS that incited violence, primarily because of concerns they may incite MORE violence? In other words, they didn't want to insult anyone. . . but specifically Muslims of the fundamentalist variety.
Now, there's this: SHANGHAI -- Next month, China will ring in the Year of the Pig. Nestlé SA planned to celebrate with TV ads featuring a smiling cartoon pig. "Happy new pig year," the ads said.
This week, China Central Television, the national state-run TV network, banned Nestlé's ad -- and all images and spoken references to the animal in commercials, including those tied to the Lunar New Year, China's biggest holiday.
The intent: to avoid offending Muslims, who consider pigs unclean. "China is a multiethnic country," the network's ad department said in a notice sent to ad agencies late Tuesday. "To show respect to Islam, and upon guidance from higher levels of the government, CCTV will keep any 'pig' images off the TV screen."
Honestly, in five years, I wouldn't be surprised if we found ourselves required by some sort of international edict to read the Koran so as to better understand Islamic sensibilities, and there'd be long-winded Star-Tribune editorials espousing the wisdom and benefits of such a multi-cultural understanding initiative.
For my part, I'm going to eat a full slab of pork ribs tonight, while watching "Babe."
Posted by Ryan at January 25, 2007 10:42 AM | TrackBack
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