Bill Maher’s Pro-Western Culture Speech: “It Isn’t Just Different… It’s Better”

Last night, HBO broadcast an angry, pseudo-conservative monologue about how Western culture is superior to fundamentalist Muslim “old-school desert sh*t” on their weekly political program. The commentator leading this enthusiastic celebration of American supremacy? Bill Maher.

The comic community made its support loud and clear when the creators of South Park received death threats from a fundamentalism Muslim group for its depiction of the Prophet Mohammed in a bear suit. It brought out the irreverent in most; in Maher, it brought out the patriotic:

“When South Park got threatened last week by Islamists incensed at their depiction of Mohammed, it served– or should serve– as a reminder that our culture isn’t just different than one that makes death threats to cartoonists: it’s better.”

He then proceeds to backhandedly compliment all the religions he’s ever insulted (except for Scientology, he just insults them), and explain that threats are not and should no longer be part of our culture: “civilized people don’t threaten each other; we sue each other.”

Maher makes clear that he distinguishes between modern, westernized Muslims and, say, the Taliban, but notes to incoming immigrants: “the Western world needs to make it clear: some things about our culture are not negotiable, and can’t be changed,” and among those are freedom of speech and the rights of women.

His “New Rules” monologue below:

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