CHINA BANS PIGS FROM TV ADVERTISEMENTS TO AVOID OFFENDING MUSLIMS? [+] serious ballot by xxxxxxxx created Thu Feb 01, 07 "The upcoming Year of the Golden Pig is particularly lucky year for over a billion Chinese. From the small pig postage stamps to large floats at New Year’s parades, it seems that everyone’s excited about the upcoming New Year. Everyone that is, except for China’s Muslims. Although pigs have positive connotations for most Chinese, they are unclean and offensive to Muslims. Therefore, in an unusual move, CCTV, China’s state-run television network, banned all television ads featuring pigs as a way “to show respect to Islam.” To put this into perspective, this initiative would be the equivalent of not including hearts on Valentine’s Day advertisements in the United States, because a minority group consisting of about 1% of the population would be offended. According to Chinese traditions, the pig has positive connotations like fortune, fertility, and prosperity. Pork is China’s most popular meat, with citizens consuming an average of 80 lbs of pork a year. For the upcoming Golden Pig Year, which occurs once every 600 years, countries throughout Asia are expecting a huge baby boom, as parents believe that children born in this year will have extra fortune and happiness. But Asia’s Muslims aren’t quite as overjoyed with the increase of pigs, and an imam in Taipei’s Grand Mosque made headlines after receiving a “Happy Pig New Year” card from a Taiwanese foreign minister. So the big question remains: Why would the Chinese government usurp the interests of over 1 billion Chinese in order to not offend 20 million Muslims? According to a Wall Street Journal (subscription only) article, Chinese officials say that they want to recognize China's multi-ethnic identity and be sensitive to their Muslim population. Some consider CCTV's sensitivity towards Muslims to be the product of previously strained relations between the central government and China’s Muslims. Ma Yunfu of the China Islamic Association told the Wall Street Journal that he was very pleased to hear about CCTV’s ban. He remembered a political cartoon depicting pigs saving Mohammed during the last Year of the Pig, which “aroused a lot of anger” from the Muslim community. With a recent killing of 18 accused terrorists in the Uighur Region of Xingjiang Province, relations between China’s Muslim areas and Beijing are particularly tense. There’s still a chance that the government will modify CCTV’s ban on pig advertisements, and allow “exceptions,” and so far, most other pig ad campaigns are still on in full force. So for the majority of Chinese, it will probably be a Happy Pig New Year after all." (SOURCE: CBN) - Are you surprised that China would actually do a thing like that? Yes, I am surprised No, not at all surprised Ballot #111819 : SEE RESULTS Comment: show your vote with comment?

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