The freedom of speech is the protection of speech that would offend. If every image/message/writing/pamphlet ect. didn't offend someone (personal, political, governmental ect.), then there would be no need to protect the speech from censorship in the first place. In my opinion, they should have left the thing up and taken the heat it would have caused, but also enjoyed the benefit of the national coverage it would receive for being such a controversial image and spread their message as far as possible....which i believe was the intention to begin with.