- I have recently seen postings that deprecated the Je Suis Charlie meme with the argument that the humor created by the magazine was juvenile and widely disapproved of. The suggestion is that by expressing solidarity with them we somehow elevated what was intolerant and tasteless humor, and thus those with better taste would not want to say Je Suis Charlie. I think these folk miss the point of this statement. At least for me, it is solely a stance to defend freedom of expression and freedom from retributive violence. Such a stand is best made with a non-sympathetic icon. Defending the rights of someone few are offended by is too easy, and does not demonstrate just how committed we are to the cause. Yes, even though I found some of Charlies humor over the top and downright offensive (and it takes a lot to offend me), I will still stand with those that insist that such humor must never be subject to violent retribution. - On a related note, Pastor Terry Jones, of Quran-burning infamy, has moved on from being an intolerant jerk to just being a mall french fry salesman in Bradenton, Florida, I greatly dislike this man. I found his previous behavior detestable and pointlessly inflammatory. I would support torte or even criminal charges against him for inciting violence. He is on the same list that Stephane Charbonnier (Charlie) was on. As much as I find this mans beliefs loathsome, I still would fight for his right to be free from violent religious retribution. There are plenty in the public venue that will serve as just critics of bad messages without resorting to violence. But it is our willingness to stand up for those we least agree with - without judging the message - that proves our commitment to protecting our freedoms. - So now, as the short-lived public awareness of Stephane Charbonnier slowly sets in the west, I will still proudly say Je Suis Charlie . . .
Posted on: Sat, 10 Jan 2015 23:13:19 +0000
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