Satire: Handle With Care

By definition, satire (according to Merriam-Webster) is "biting wit, irony, or sarcasm used to expose vice or folly".  It is the basis for some of our greatest literature, theater and other forms of art.  It can also result in lawsuits, hurt feelings, accusations of not being politically correct, and even murder, particularly if the subject takes offense to being ridiculed.

In the last few weeks, we've learned that satire is also capable of inciting acts of terror and other international incidents.

Was That You, Charlie?

Two men who police say were Islamic militants went into the offices of Charlie Hebdo, a French magazine of satire, and murdered 12 of its staffers.  Its crime?  Publishing cartoons of the Prophet Mohammed, which is forbidden under Islam.

Charlie Hebdo, previously unknown beyond France, has apparently been mocking religion for years in a way American publications or satirists never will be accused of doing.  It isn't just the pictures of The Prophet that got Muslims upset.  It's also the sexually graphic images and depictions of Christianity that send the Vatican into convulsions and accusations of blasphemy.

Islamic groups have warned for years that there would be deadly consequences for anyone, whether they're of the faith or not, who dares to insult The Prophet.  And it has happened a couple of times, first to a Danish newspaper for publishing the offending cartoons, then to the U.S. embassy in Libya after an anti-Muslim video was released online.  An American diplomat was killed.

One week after the attack and the worldwide indignation that followed, Charlie Hebdo returned with an issue that had Mohammed on its cover and more risque cartoons inside.  Some people never learn.

Publicity Stunt Gone Wrong.  Or Was It?

Sony Pictures relentlessly promoted their big Christmas blockbuster wannabe "The Interview", which stars Seth Rogen and James Franco as TV hosts recruited by the CIA to assassinate North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.  Then came reports of Sony's computers being hacked into, releasing a torrent of embarrassing e-mails and other personal information.   There was speculation that the hacks came either from North Korea to voice its displeasure about the movie, or just some disgruntled employee seeking revenge.  Sony ended up pulling "The Interview" from its holiday release after the hackers threatened to blow up any theater showing it, prompting major chains to take a pass in the interest of safety.

But once Sony was convinced by the U.S. government that it was North Korea who was behind the hacking, they went ahead and released "The Interview" to a smaller number of independent theaters and was also streamed online.  Revolutionary?  Maybe.  But most observers wondered if all this hoohah about a film that was critically panned was really worth dying for.

Weeks later, the whole "Interview" controversy was lampooned by Tina Fey, Amy Poehler and Margaret Cho (playing a North Korean journalist) on the NBC telecast of the Golden Globe Awards.

Satire, like freedom of speech, reminds us of a certain movie line:  "With great power comes great responsibility", or something like that.  You can't just go ridiculing a subject without first thinking about how that person or institution might react to it.  It is also never a good idea to lampoon or otherwise disrespect a religion just because you think they should be, especially if that religion is backed up by threats of violence.  So, whether you write, draw or hold a video camera, choose your targets wisely.