Hello, Dalai

DAMN the Herald Sun, which has put Melbourne at great risk. Here we all are on the shores of Port Phillip, enjoying a respite from grey skies and rain and anticipating the spectacle of the Pies giving the Demons a footy lesson this afternoon. But who now can visit the Gee with any confidence of leaving in one piece? That’s what happens when newspapers insult religions and  religious leaders, which the Herald Sun certainly did with its doctored photo of the visiting Dalai Lama, accessorised with a pile of spaghetti on his shaven head.

Hang on, we might be safe after all.

While the picture was undoubtedly offensive, stupid, tasteless and irredeemably juvenile, the Herald Sun had the good sense to pick the right target. Turns out that the one-L lama is a priest, a Buddhist no less, and that limp creed eschews violence. Indeed, there is no recorded instance of a Buddhist waving a sign demanding death for those who offend Siddhārtha Gautama.

So we’re probably safe here in Melbourne, at least until the Herald Sun tries the same stunt with a cleric of the bearded variety.

Those Greek Orthodox types, they can get very stroppy.