On Wednesday, Jan 7, three masked gunmen attacked a magazine in France and killed twelve people in cold blood, some at point-blank range, because the magazine had published material they deemed offensive to their religion, or their organization, or both.
The gunmen that attacked Charlie Hebdo magazine represented the Islamic State and its gun-toting, threat-bearing, murder-propped, hate-fueled, fear-dependent, depraved, sick, psychotic MO. They wanted to send a message to the world that if the world applies its standards to them, they will retaliate. They will avenge. They will kill and terrorize to make everyone think twice before criticizing them.
The only fitting response to these vicious murderers is to pay tribute to the victims of their savagery. First and foremost. Twelve people, who fell in the line of fire in a war carried out in the name of fundamentalist righteousness. In the name of religious fascism. In the name of the twisted belief that some people, or things, are above criticism. We salute these twelve people, and mourn them, and grieve with their families.
Anything that harms people in an effort to shut them up belongs to prison, or the grave.
The second response to this atrocity is to reiterate that religious fundamentalism belongs to the wrong side of history. Anything that refuses to grow with the times is destined for smallness, if not oblivion. Anything that harms people in an effort to shut them up belongs to prison, or the grave.
Anything that refuses to adapt to the knowledge and development of the world will become history, because that’s the way it works. That’s how it goes. So say the data over the millennia. End of story, no matter what any dogma says to the contrary.
The third response to this atrocity is to remind ourselves that this atrocity was committed because somewhere out there resides a belief that some things are above criticism. As long as this belief is upheld, there will be sickos and psychos who will uphold it to the extreme, through violent means, seeking to incite holy war. Subvert the idea of untouchability and you minimize the violent extent to which it is upheld.
Having said that, let us also not give in to rage. Let us exchange the anger we feel with a healthy appeal to all Muslims who don’t share the views of the Islamic State. Let us help these moderate and peace-loving people to rise up and identify themselves. Let us help them denounce extremism.
Let us help them expunge the Islamic State’s supporters from their mosques, schools and relationships.
Let us remind them that we and they are in this together, ghting toward the same purpose: the elimination of Islamic fundamentalism. The elimination of religious crime, so that we may go about our business in peace.
So that there will be an end to jihad.
So that there will be an end to civilian beheadings and shootings, to maiming and executions.
Let us remind them that a crime committed in the name of God is still a crime, and that it will be punished.
Let us remind them that a crime committed in the name of God is still a crime, and that it will be punished.
Above all, let us emphasize once again that the ability to voice one’s opinion against the fallacious and dubious is the only way to advance, because debate promotes inquiry, and inquiry promotes the world. If someone has a problem with that, he or she is on the wrong side of history.
Charlie Hebdo, the magazine that published satirical cartoons about the Islamic State and about Islamic fundamentalism, has paid a huge price for its stance. Some say that despite the tragedy, the magazine went looking for trouble.
I think that’s a despicable thing to say.
Charlie Hebdo’s stance was an admirable initiative. Crude but admirable.
I hope others follow suit and do what Charlie Hebdo did, to each their own. I hope newspapers and magazines all over the world lock step, throw away their fear and publish worthy cartoons and articles, so that the extremists of the Islamic State will know they don’t stand above everyone else. So that the religious fascists of this era will understand that the world stands united against them, reminding them that no matter who drew first or second, religious fundamentalism doesn’t draw last.
We do.
From your pen-wielding Spin Doctor,
Eyes open, mind sharp.