Michelle Shocked has been saved, but from what?

Well Michelle Shocked has certainly managed to get a few peoples panties in a twist.

With a rant in front of a San Francisco audience that included the comment that God hates fags she has managed to draw an inordinate amount of attention on herself.

As of now no one knows if her tirade at homosexuals is rooted in a bit of a breakdown - rather sad if that is the case, or if she has just decided that as a born again Christian that she is looking to make a stance on the issues at hand, but none the less the whole debacle has thrown up a huge deluge of comment.

With the rest of her US tour dates, with the exception of two, now being cancelled by the venues it doesn't look as if the incident will be soon forgotten either.

Now here's the rub.

Among all the many opinions expressed there's quite a few referring to her right to freedom of speech.

Of course most liberal minded people are quick to support that right, but isn't that right sort of suited to a time and a place?

What I mean is that in an interview she can express her opinions on same sex marriage, homosexuality in general or the price of a pint of milk if she wants.

Similarly from a pulpit she can preach whatever she wishes, and if she wants to picket a dead soldiers funeral then while I would harbour a great deal of disgust about that, at the same time I can very grudgingly accept that she can do that to if she is sick enough to want to.

However if I bought a ticket on the premise that it was to see her perform some songs that she had written, then isn't that what I should expect rather than an insight into her current views on homosexuality?

Not many people are realistically calling for her to be silenced, but instead that she should have respected her audience and given them what they had paid for.

There's something rather dishonest about luring people in under false pretences.

From comments made by those who were backstage it seems clear that she was intent on giving the audience something that they didn't ask for.

Of course I totally disagree with here views.

I suppose I should just make that clear.

Her tirade was an ugly reminder that some people harbour illogical assumptions about other peoples sexuality and aren't shy in promoting their ignorance.

I can feel comfortable in saying that on my blog as no one is paying to read this and I'm not saying anything that no one hasn't heard from me before.

There's no surprise here or intent to mislead anyone.

That's me sort of exercising my rights to freedom of speech in an appropriate environment.

Maybe Michelle Shocked is thinking that she should have done the same right now, but as her thought process seems to be leaning towards the fundamental it's doubtful.

It would be rather sad if instead she is perceiving herself as a Joan D'Arc figure who feels the heat of the flames of the media and public opinion licking at her toes.

It all seems a bit hypocritical to.

Not that hypocrisy is anything that I find to be surprising whenever religion is shoe horned into a point of view.

Lets be honest here.

Those who use religious tracts to support their anti homosexual views are often just cherry picking what they want to suit an already held opinion.

I wonder if Michelle feels as strongly about everything that is written in the Bible.

Maybe when she gets back to gigging she will express some support for slavery and such as that's all in there to.

Only this time she could do us all a favour and pre-warn us that the ticket price doesn't just cover a couple of tunes, but also an uncomfortable tirade.

I've always enjoyed her music and shared her political views in the past, but it looks like we have lost Michelle to the dark side.

If that hate filled exclamation of anti homosexuality is the result of being saved then it's safe to say that you can leave me downing in my non belief.