#JeNeSuisCharlie In the wake of #jesuischarlie (IAm Charlie) hashtags, I guess Ill just throw in, Im not Charlie. In no way did anyone deserve to die, but this magazine was severely perverted and racist, and I wont stand with their actions on the basis of Freedom of Speech. Freedom of Speech does not equal Freedom of Hate Speech, which the offensive Charlie Hedbo covers and cartoons fell under, as they showed racist and offensive caricatures without providing the discourse that should come with satire. This makes this magazine no better than the Der Jude propaganda posters designed in Nazi Germany. No thank you. Again, NO ONE DESERVED TO DIE, however, I cannot excuse Charlie Hedbos actions. They were asked and even sued multiple times and were told in no uncertain terms how explicitly disrespectful their cartoons were. For instance, one depicted the prophet Mohammed kissing another man (I think the Pope) with saliva running down his cheek. As someone whose religion involves a very prominent prophet, I can tell you that I would be so unhappy, in fact, distressed in my soul to see such a depiction of our prophet. This doesnt excuse the radical, militant actions of the few. But please, please remember, a few bad people do not a crappy religion make. Just remember your own damn holy wars if you dont believe me. And the Mormons have some violence in their past, too (lets not talk about the mountain meadow massacre). The central teaching of true Islam is peace. The response of cartoonists and the French - to make more racist, propagandizing cartoons, and to have a freaking kristallnacht in Islamic neighborhoods - is also not appropriate. This is the last thing Ill say. In one of my classes that I taught, a student raised his hand and said, for whatever reason (he knows; I do not), I just really dont like Muslims. They treat their women really badly. One of my Muslim students was actually sitting right behind him, and his eyebrow raised a mile and a half high. After class, the (Muslim) student approached me. Im really sorry that happened, I told him. That really sucked. Its okay, he said. I just wanted to say to him, Have you ever been to my country? How do you know what you say is true? Before you judge the Islamic religion as hateful, or acquit Charlie Hedbo as a magazine of martyrs on the altar of free speech, talk to an Islamic person. See for yourself if they are not as good and kind as anyone youll ever meet.
Posted on: Fri, 09 Jan 2015 05:57:40 +0000
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