A few weeks ago, entertainer Jamie Foxx was roundly criticized for referring to the newly re-elected Barack Obama as “our Lord and Savior” while trying to gin up enthusiasm for the President during the Soul Train awards show.

Saint Anselm College student Caitlyn Jarvis has a few observations about another artist whose painting makes a similar analogy and who is also chafing at the complaints.

Recall 2008 when conservatives began to berate the loose-minded liberals who referred to President Obama’s election as the second coming? It’s happening again, and this time those loose-minded liberals are famous celebrities and public universities.

Sunday night during the Soul Train Award Show, actor Jaime Foxx opened the night thanking God and “Our Lord and Savior Barack Obama.” What could be more shocking than the groundbreaking revelation that Christians have been worshiping the wrong man all along? The fact that the mainstream media was hush on the entire faux-pa.

Yesterday morning, it was reported that Bunker Hill Community College, in the ever beautiful, never conservative state of Massachusetts, would be featuring a painting by artist Michael D’Antuono entitled “Truth.“The painting is a colorful depiction of our President hanging in front of the White House seal with a crown of thorns on his head. The painting was previously scheduled to be unveiled in New York City but was cancelled due to public outcry. In an interview with Fox News, D’Antuono said:

“I always regretted cancelling my exhibit in New York because I feel my First Amendment rights should override someone’s hurt feelings. We should celebrate the fact that we live in a country where we are given the freedom to express ourselves.” He went on to blame the conservative media for “trying to promote the idea that liberals believe the president to literally be our savior.”

I agree with Mr. D’Antuono, our First Amendment Rights should always be protected; they are vital to keeping our freedoms alive and well. Yet somehow, in New England, a slightly blasphemous picture of our President is less offensive then a prayer quilt hanging in a public school? The First Amendment applies to everyone, not just the artists and the atheists, so when a group of Christians complains of the offensive tone of the painting their complaints also deserve to be heard.

As for D’Antuono’s idea that the conservative media is at fault for portraying liberals as believing the President is literally the reincarnation, I have no idea from where that originated. Nor did I realize Jamie Foxx was part of the conservative media. D’Antuono asserts that his intent was not to compare the crucifixion of Jesus Christ to Barack Obama’s presidency, yet somehow when I look at the painting I’m reminded of many portraits of the crucifixion of Jesus Christ I’ve seen hanging in every Catholic Church. The body posture and the downcast expression are somehow eerily similar to perhaps the most famous symbol in the world. But, never mind, that wasn’t the artist’s intent.

It’s hard to believe we’ve returned full circle from where we were four years ago. We again have liberals screaming of racism and sexism, while our religious symbols are trampled on in the name of secularism. This deserves a public outcry, as the artist defends his First Amendment rights, Christians too should stand up declare their religious symbols violated in the name of art.