Pornographic painting and the Freedom flag of the speach

Censorship in photography is common. It is happening every day, in all the news media that we have, and its not always that good. But I guess it can be justified from time to time. Press photography is a delicate matter. Magazine photography is an other thing, and then we got the naked flesh to think about.How dangerous can that be. 

I know it is a minefield to wander into, the deal of wikileaks and the latest developments there, but I could not but think about it when I remembered this Poster of a painting by  Fernando Botero showing a naked woman in front of the bathroom mirror partly covered by an american flag, from the Usa my way series. We where in Amalie Island and this shop and gallery owner had put up a poster with the works of one of his artists. He got charged with spreading porn but as that did not stick, those puritanists that saw pornography in the image managed to presure the town council so badly that he was orderd by the town to remove the image on the grounds of spreading porn.

He refused and faced a huge fine that would possibly put him into liqudation. But he felt bad about his fellow americans and was being interviwed by a tv station when I arrived.Bankrupt rather than being oppressed by puritans he said. I saw the swaying flag there in front and waited for the right moment so that the flag would censure this dangerous image. Just like the US government is trying to do now with wikileaks. Some how it was humorous and serious and I guess a statement at the same time.

Is wikikileaks danger to society. I have no thought on that, but I know freedom of the speach is a nessecity and should be protected at all costs. Censorship is the worst of all because it keeps you ignorant. Ignorance is a bliss I know but, in its shelter bad behaviour blossoms and devious deads are made that can affect the whole world. Wikileaks or not we might want to take a look at the cencorship that is going on closer to home. Censorship in art takes the political power away from it and in such melts it down to a mellow froth. We have enough of soap operas. 

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