So long as no one is put in harms way, as Americans we can express whatever ideas we like. In reality, there are always going to be people who believe it is their right, no, mission, to make sure that points of view not consistent with their own are not allowed to be heard.
Artists are easy targets for all three of the types of censorship noted above.
The ridiculous mess in Brooklyn is an unfortunate example of a combination of political, religious and economic threats against the free expression of an artist. I won t belabor the details here because I suspect I d be preaching to the choir. What I m actually here to do is tell you about a gallery in Seattle which has a primary mission of providing artists with an uncensored, non-juried venue to express themselves as they wish. It is not necessary for the gallery to pander to the pressures of political correctness faced by traditional commercial galleries and publicly funded art venues, nor are its members captive to the vision of a single curator. There are a wide range of serious, talented artists who enjoy the freedom to decide what they will show and how it will be presented.