I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it.
These words, incorrectly attached to Voltaire but actually written by biographer Evelyn Beatrice Hall, have rarely seemed so pertinent.
Charlie Hebdo published crass cartoons, designed to cause a reaction. That’s what satire does.
Some of the french magazine’s illustrations seem quite obviously offensive, particularly when it comes to religion.
There’s no point in debating the cartoons, or the publication though. people’s sense of what is too far and upsets them is, naturally for us humans, varied.
People are free to call out, criticise and lambast whatever they do not like, whatever they disagree with.
It’s like Benedictus de spinoza said in his Political Treatise: “That in a free state every man may think what he likes, and say what he thinks.”
That quote is more than 300 years old and yet it feels sadly depressing to have to defend its principle today, in 2015.
I’m no expert on French magazines but those who I’ve spoken to who know a great deal more than me say Charlie Hebdo did not discriminate in its religious targets. A cursory glance through some of their covers illustrates that.
They are anti-everybody. Multiple targets, not single. Offend all. And you know what? That’s great.
It’s very healthy be able to poke fun at and criticise people and institutions, no matter who they are, how powerful they are, or what pedestal they put themselves upon.
Great satire, think Spitting Image, shows no distinction between its targets. No one is let off the hook. So, how do you respond when you find something offensive?
You don’t have to like Charlie Hebdo or what it published. As with any commercial entity, you are perfectly entitled to hate it, find it deeply insulting, refuse to buy it and encourage other people to do so too in the hope it goes bust because of business reasons.
What is unacceptable, under any circumstances, is to try and silence through violence and murder.
Taking offence at something which has been written or drawn is no excuse to kill and maim. Not now. Not ever.
Atrocities are committed across the world because of conflicting beliefs and people’s refusal to be silenced with alarming frequency.
Those carrying out such acts shame whichever faith they claim to follow.
It may be we only start to pay attention when the casualties are closer to home. Paris has brought attempts to suppress free speech through the worst kind of intimidation to our immediate attention.
We must stand tall. We must resist. We must speak our minds.
Being Charlie Hebdo isn’t about agreeing with its views. It is about having your own and being able to speak them without fear or favour.
Je suis Charlie.