I am responding to the controversy surrounding Sinead O'Connor's "Saturday Night Live" performance in which she tore up a picture of Pope John Paul II, calling him "the enemy." In Tuesday's column by James Orsag, I was pleased to read that "Tolerance should work both ways in this country." I eagerly read on and agreed with his first arguments. Then I came to his commentary on the Sinead O'Connor incident, and his contradiction became apparent to me. He views her actions as being hateful and intolerant, but isn't he throwing this hate and intolerance back at her?

It was my understanding that intolerance meant being able to respect others' opinions and behaviors. Is he doing this? No. He is participating in the same actions he is condemning by implying it was a publicity stunt and that her career should end because of it. Give me a break. We were tolerant of the plethora of Gideons on campus last week offering us the New Testament between every class. Why shouldn't we be tolerant of Sinead's actions? Did they harm us that much?

On the back page of The Daily Collegian I found an article describing the commotion caused by her performance. The spokesperson for a Brooklyn bishop stated that Sinead needed "professional help." Please. Religious dissent has been around as long as religion, and someone validly engaging in it does not need professional help.

I watched her performance as it aired and was equally as stunned as the audience, which was consumed in silence. But my first reaction was not to condemn her, but rather to think about the message she was conveying. I thought about what my views on organized religion would be if I lived in a country where every news broadcast tells of another incident involving Catholics and Protestants violently clashing against each other in the name of God, in the name of organized religion.

I thought about the amount of power and domination that the Pope -- one man -- has over a multitude of people all around the world. I thought about his ability to control millions of people's minds on such issues as AIDS and condom use, abortion, homosexuality, etc. This fact has always scared me, and I was excited to see Sinead O'Connor have enough guts, as always, to express her views.

Freedom of expression should not be scoffed at and passed off as "left wing" as James Orsag suggests. Its alternative, censorship, frightens me as an artist, as it should frighten him as a journalism major. Every person has the right to express their views, be it James Orsag or the many others that have opinions concerning this issue. Just as Sinead O'Connor has the right to express her opinions, Andres Serrano has the right to express his, and I have a right to express mine. Freedom of expression has allowed this. Whether you agree with me or not, that's fine. It's your right. Hey, I'm tolerant.