A few days ago, the Prime Minister of Australia officially announced that the country was denying Snoop Dogg a visa into the country on “character grounds.” Snoop, who was set to present at an MTV awards show, was denied based on his recent criminal conviction as well as reasons that were not on the public record.

Although I’m not building any picket signs for this cause, I strongly oppose the country’s decision to deny Snoop entry into the country. First of all, Snoop is not a real threat to the Australian people nor is he likely to commit a crime while there. His recent drug conviction, while problematic, was for marijuana transportation, which doesn’t suggest that he is going to be involved in any drug deals while there. (The gun charge came when police searched his home at a later time). The fact that he received probation and community service demonstrates how seriously the courts took the crime.
More importantly, Australia has consistently admitted celebrity criminals, particularly rock stars and actors, into the country with little consideration for past deeds. Do you really think that Nicole Richie would be denied access into the country based on character concerns? Just like when the country blocked Holocaust denier David Irving, this has more to do with publicity and politics than concern for the public good.