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7 Jun, 2015 17:36

Mocking ISIS to ‘deride sources of evil’

It’s important to make fun of Islamic State “to deride and to degrade the sources of evil,” says US comedian Lionel, adding that it’s part of human nature to mock those we hate.

The Emmy-winning comic is certainly aware of the threat that the terrorist organization (formerly known as ISIS/ISIL) poses.

“ISIS is something to worry about. Any time people are beheaded, it’s something to worry about. Whenever there is something horrible, it is human nature to sometimes make fun of it – a kind of gallows humor,” he said, speaking to RT.

Plenty of comedians from around the globe have been looking to do just that, sometimes offending people in the process.

In March, a skit on Saturday Night Live showed a young woman being dropped off by her father as she was presumably going to attend college. But waiting to pick her up was a truck filled with Islamic State fighters. The woman says “Dad, it’s just ISIS,” as she walks with her bags to join the jihadists.

“It is also important to mock, to deride and to degrade the sources of evil,”said Lionel.“This is something that has been with us forever. What you are doing is minimizing the threat. While it is terrific for us to say, ‘Listen ISIS, we are not afraid of you, do you want to be able to express yourself unflustered and unencumbered?’ So do I.”

Back in September, an Israeli parody, which was made by one of Tel Aviv’s most popular gay party organizers, was slammed at home. The group used images inspired by ISIS executions on a number of posters promoting the club’s events.

反IS国プロモbyイ国LGBT@josephwillits Israel gay party in trouble for mocking up ISIS beheading images http://t.co/vcOiIpHwjxpic.twitter.com/3X2MnxWxi2

— morim (@Hippy_Monday) October 31, 2014

Amiri Kalman, one of the founders of the group, said they absolutely rejected any forms of violence, but were on the contrary trying to show contempt for the terrorist organization. “We also refuse to participate with this fear and refuse to become hysterical. This is satire, and our way of showing our contempt of them and their videos,”Kalman told Ynet news.

“In the United States during World War II, Walt Disney and Spike Jones made fun of Hitler on a regular basis, with the Fuhrer’s face and there were a lot parodies about the Japanese, which today would be considered absolutely racist,” Lionel mentioned. “It’s always part of our collective reaction to mock those individuals [whom] we hate.”

Iraq has seen firsthand what devastation and suffering ISIS can cause. The state television channel, Al Iraqiya, put $600,000 into producing a satirical show called Dawlat Al-Khurafa (Mythical State), which looked to make fun of members of the terrorist organization, who lived in a made-up town.

The show has often tried to promote the hypocrisy of ISIS, such as looking at the organization’s ban on adultery, which is completely ignored when it comes to Islamic State fighters and the women they are enslaving. It also shows the town’s drunk, who is in charge of ensuring the population does not consume alcohol.

The 30-episode series was written by Thaer al-Hasnawi, who says he uses humor to try and make people less terrified of the militant group.

"We are doing this so that children don't go to bed scared of Islamic State," he told the BBC.

Last month, in order to expose the “evil face” of ISIS the Iranian House of Cartoon launched a contest for the best cartoon or caricature mocking the terror group. In the caricature section, participants were given the chance to mock the IS leader Abu Bakr Al Baghdadi, Qatari royal Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, or “arrogant” governments and leaders the organizers see as supporters of the jihadi movement.

READ MORE: Iran attacks ISIS & its ‘arrogant supporters’ with caricature competition (IMAGES)

More cartoons from anti-#ISIS festival in #Teheran, #Iran. #Daechpic.twitter.com/nTCkjNLqIB

— Breaking3zero U.S (@Breaking3zeroUS) May 26, 2015

The statements, views and opinions expressed in this column are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of RT.

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