Created: 2008-10-20 01:07:51

It looks like South Park characters could become symbols of liberty movement in Russia. The battle against ban on American cartoons, mostly on South Park, but concerning others, like The Simpsons and Family Guy, is encouraging common Russians to defend their rights.

After broadcasting South Park, cartoon channel, named 2x2, had hard times trying to renew its broadcasting license and there was a high possibility of shutting it down. This should have been a punishment for South Park transmission, and it was planned to give a frequency of 2x2 to new government channel that would broadcast programs, more favored by the powers. The official reason for this is a complaint from religious group, which sees South Park as a promoter of religious hatred, violator of children rights and propagator of cruelty. However, it is thought, that animation series is simply undesirable by governing powers, as they show American style of living and simply encourage people to think independently.

Although it is not the very important battle for democracy or highly related with politics, but it was both surprising and new, when common Russian people came out to streets to show their support for the channel and ask for their right to watch a TV channel they like. After several pickets, flash mobs and supportive rallies, the suspension of 2x2 broadcasting license was revoked, but there is still unclear, whether Russian institutions will use Soviet-style actions and move on to cartoons' ban. While at the first sight it may look as a triviality, it really concerns things like individual freedom, intolerance and censorship - all of these are very sensitive topics in Russia.

What is your opinion on this topic - will Russian powers ban the 'immoral' cartoon series, or South Park's crew will be able to spread its word all over Russia freely?