"A 2 year old dips it's fingers in paint and swirls them around on a page...the child is being creative, but is the result art?"

If the childs intent is to be creative, then yes.

"So, my real point in all this is, if this image is really only a political statement (which in my humble opinion is all it is), does it really belong in the galleries, which are there presumably to display art. If in fact it is not art and is only a political statement...it is irrelevant whether or not it is offensive, and what is relevant is whether it ought to be in the galleries at all."

I think the point is that there are several little galleries and not just one big one. That fact seems to go over heads in discussions like this. Only if you view all galleries will you see every image. You can choose to avoid the pin-up gallery or the political gallery or the fantasy gallery.

If they start to outlaw anything that makes a political statement then they might as well do the same for any art that makes a religious statement. Making a statement is part of art.

...... Kendra