Je Suis Charlie

Hello Gentle Reader

Freedom of expression is something that is ingrained in to all enlightened societies, as a human right that is essential for the democratic process to be successful. What happened in Paris earlier in January was an atrocity, which defiled human life, and one of the rights of the democratic individual, to hold an opinion – regardless of offense given or not. After the Charlie Hebdod shooting, many French citizens and people around the world, chanted in solidarity: “Je Suis Charlie,” which translates into English as: “I am Charlie.” The shootings came because the French satirical magazine published a cartoon that was considered offensive, and blasphemous towards the prophet Muhammad. Though the Quran does not explicitly state that depicting the Islamic prophet in human form is wrong or blasphemous; it is considered by many Islamic people to be incredibly disrespectful and borderline blasphemous, and punishable by death. What the disaffected and radicalized youth who perpetrated this terrorist attack do not understand – or understand and oppose; is that France as a democratic nation allows all its citizens to openly voice their opinions – without restraint of it being offensive or considered differentiating or opposing to another’s views, perspective or religion. The youth offended by the satirical cartoon, decided the best way to seek retribution for their prophet being ‘mocked,’ or ‘defaced,’ was by arbitrary bloodshed and barbaric violence. Yet what France did after the attack, was not revert to violence in itself against a larger group; but rather congregate and stand in solidarity with other citizens and chant “Je Suis Charlie,” in remembrance of the victims of this attack, and to solidify support for the freedom of expression – kudos to France.

After these attacks, I had mentioned to a friend in a coffee shop, about how the controversial French author Michel Houellebecq’s novel will be taken. His new novel “Submission,” once again rattles the cage of society; and once again rattles Muslims some more. Houellebecq has already come under fire, in previous court cases for being anti-Islamic, and utilizing ‘hate speech,’ to argue his opinions. Houellebecq however one that case on the grounds of freedom of expression. His new novel “Submission,” predicts France in the year 2022 under a Muslim majority run party. Once again Houellebecq has been forced to defend his position and his views, as many are stating that the author is encouraging intolerance towards Muslims, and inciting distrust of the Islamic religion. At the end of the day – and one can picture his apathetic way of stating it: “one has a right to write those kinds of books if one wants to.”

At the end of the day, freed of expression can never be compromised because of someone else’s feelings. It has nothing to do with respect, satire is satire – there is a reason why it is very rarely used in debates or arguments on the basis as a fact. What is factual in this case however is that people in France died because of their freedom of speech and expression; and they defended it. The French populace and those across the world have stood alongside them, and will be just as quick to defend their own freedom of speech and expression. The contemporary past shows us: that those who have the freedom to speech, voice and opinion or draw a cartoon; will never roll over and let it be taken from them. From the Fatwa called on Salmin Rusdhie over his novel “The Satanic Verses,” or “The Muhammad Cartoon Crisis,” of two-thousand and five; people will not sit back and allow their own freedoms be taken away from, simply because it hurt another ones feelings or is offensive.

If I may quote Nobel Laureate Herta Muller from her novel “The Land of Green Plums,”:

“When we don't speak, said Edgar, we become unbearable, and when we do, we make fools of ourselves.”

The truth is: we speak – even if we do make fools of ourselves; because if we don’t we do become unbearable.

Je Suis Charlie!

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M. Mary