How dare she rile savages!

The world would be a nicer place if good manners and consideration were not such rare commodities, especially in regard to things many hold dear, such as religious beliefs. Christians, for example, would prefer if artists of the transgressive variety did not garnish portraits of the Virgin Mary with elephant poo and pictures of genitals snipped from pornographic magazines. Likewise, not dunking crucifixes in jars of urine would be appreciated. But ours is a democracy and free speech is important, so most of us limit reactions to wondering, especially when such rudeness is underwritten by the state, just what it is that art’s modern patrons imagine they are laying  before the altar of beauty. And then, because we are civilised, we leave at that.

Your more savage specimen is apt to get physical, as two brutes did recently in Texas, where Lone Star marksmanship put pay to their rampage before it could inflict more than minimal harm on those attending the Draw Mohammad celebration of America’s First Amendment. Organiser Pamela Geller has been blamed. Of course she has been blamed! And that has meant lots of profiling in the popular press.

The unpopular press, too, where Fairfax Media US correspondent Nick O’Malley has combed the clips to make the case against Geller in today’s little-read and less-respected SMH and Age. Among the exhibits he assembles is the information that her ‘vile and preposterous conspiracy theories’ are so noxious the UK will not allow her to visit.

Well there is a little more to the story than that.

When Geller obtained official documents relating to the rejection of her visa, she learned that one reason was her support of Israel.

Just how provocative can one woman get!

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