No, the shootings are in no way excusable [View all]

[whatchamacallit]

and yes, depicting someone's deity or spiritual leader in a disrespectful manner - with the intention of inciting their outrage - is considered privileged and legal in the west... So is poking a grizzly bear with a sharp stick or banging your neighbor's wife. It may be legal, but they're bad ideas. I think we need to remember that while we cherish our 1st amendment freedoms, it's folly to assume everyone else does. Westerners in general, and Americans in particular, have a nasty habit of projecting their "values", for better or worse, onto the world. Matter of fact, we feel justified in decimating your country until you "get with the program". What is simply speech to us, may be spiritual or psychic violence to others. This Geller wretch was well in her rights, but out of her fucking mind.