Je Suis Charlie: When Terrorism Creates Unity

Posted by Unknown January 08, 2015

Je Suis Charlie: When Terrorism Creates Unity

Are we going to let extremism keep us quiet or will it make us louder?

https://soundcloud.com/franceinter/jai-perdu-tous-mes-amis

«Ils voulaient mettre la France a genoux, ils l’ont mise debout»

Today France is mourning. We have taken freedom of expression, freedom of press and even freedom of irreverence and provocation for granted. Yesterday, Wednesday 7th January 2015, in Paris, 2 armed men didn’t target the state or the military or the police, they targeted journalists and cartoonists. Let me just write that once more. Cartoonists. They targeted perhaps offensive, but innocent people. They stormed the offices of the backbone of France’s satirical media industry, Charlie Hebdo, notoriously known for its anti-religious and controversial content, killing 12 people in the name of their faith. Yesterday’s attack and reactions to the attack remind us that freedoms are fought for, that there are still a lot of narrow-minded people in this world and that absolutely nothing can justify murder, especially not a drawing.

My Facebook, Twitter and Instagram feeds were filled with the same image. JE SUIS CHARLIE. Every scroll I made carried me to a new article about the attack or photo of the crowds gathered in Paris, Berlin and Rome, to name a few cities. Every scroll made me sick to the stomach, catalysing outrage and horror, yet every scroll showed the power of bringing people together. The callous killing of these people brought their work to life even more. Last night Trafalgar Square was flooded with a sea of banners proclaiming «Je suis Charlie» held high, with pens held high, with flowers held high. Hundreds silently stood in solidarity to show their respect to the victims: Stéphane Charbonnier (known as Charb), Jean Cabut (known as Cabu), Georges Wolinski, Bernard Verlhac and Bernard Maris as well as the policemen and others who died in the attack. The overwhelming representations of nationalities and religions, whether they enjoyed Charlie Hebdo’s work or not, who had taken their evening to stand together, bringing a message of peace and solidarity to unite against those who think that a drawing can be fought with an arm, was a reminder of hope for humanity. In the hope of creating division, the terrorists created unification.

Trafalgar Square, 7.1.15

We spoke to a few people at the scene who had all come, shocked, violated and emotional, following a potential threat that had just become vividly and horrifically real. One French student told us that he never thought anything like this could happen in France, “they had their caricatures but I never thought it would result with such violence. I’m distraught for the symbol and the victims. The symbol is more powerful than other attacks because they attacked the symbol of freedom.” Another member of the crowd, Alain. D, ex French photographer who knew Cabu, told us with tears in his eyes that he was worried for the freedom of expression. “Muslims aren’t like this” he said, “this attack was claimed by Islamic fundamentalists. The problem is that there is a fragment of the French population, some of whom are from the Maghreb, who are lost because they are stuck between French culture and the culture of two or three previous generations, and despite being born in France, they do not recognise themselves as French. Their parents have a different culture, which is an honourable culture, but which is nonetheless a different culture and we haven’t made room for these youngsters which I think is where the danger lies.” Although it is true that France has failed to assimilate some Muslim immigrants from its former colonies, the problem here isn’t Islam, it’s tolerance. As many people have argued in the past 24 hours, a pen is not a weapon of mass destruction and murder is not the answer to disagreement with blasphemy.

Trafalgar Square, 7.1.15

Whilst we were leaving the scene at Trafalgar Square, a man curious about the commotion confronted us. When we explained to him our reasons for the gathering with makeshift placards, he responded by telling us that the cartoonists were playing with fire in the first place and that they should not have been provoking Muslims. Certainly, provocation isn’t necessary but nothing can justify the murder of these people. As stated in one of Charlie Hebdo’s court rulings, «In a secular and pluralistic society, the respect of all faiths goes hand in hand with the freedom to criticise all religions.» (1) The magazine didn’t just attack Islam; it attacked all religions and this man’s comment shocked us because essentially his words translated to “we must change our democratic values because it doesn’t please fanatics”. Should we all think like this man and let the extreme win against humour?

These cartoonists and journalists made people laugh in a country where they thought they were protected; in a country where freedom of expression is not only a right, but at the heart of the constitution. However yesterday, this right, this freedom, this privilege led to their execution. So today France is mourning, but this isn’t even about national identity. This is about values. What values do we teach our children? How can somebody murder in the name of religion whilst so many of that same religion use it to promote a message of peace? How can somebody die for an idea? And how can others be so narrow-minded? How can small drawings, created with just pen and paper, result in a massacre?