Tate worries over offending Muslims
September 27th 2005, 09:34 Jeff Sela
The Tate Britain art gallery in London has refused to display a work of art because “in the current sensitive climate, post 7 July, [it] would not be appropriate.” The piece in question shows books important to several different monotheistic religions apparently embedded in a plate of glass. The artist claims that it is meant to show the commonality between religions like Islam, Judaism, and Christianity.
To me this sounds like the establishment once again reacting to Islamic terrorism by trying to stamp on anything that a Muslim could conceivably be offended by. Whether this is out of fear or shame, it's the same thing as the drive to bring in this ridiculous law to ban so-called ‘religious hatred’. With this sort of hysteria in the air we can hardly believe the government's assurances that the new law, due for its last debate in a few weeks, won't be used to censor art and political debate.
We should have the right to hate religions, to mock them, and to make art that could be offensive or susceptible to misinterpretation by some people.
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