"Je Suis Charlie!" Across the globe, cries go up and tears fill the eyes of thousands as they hold vigils, organize marches and post millions of messages to social media, highlighting the vicious and barbaric attacks by al-Qaida jihadists against the 12 employees of Charlie Hebdo magazine this past Wednesday. "Je Suis Charlie!" It has become a rallying cry for proponents of a free press, free speech, human rights and a world free of terrorism — from the U.S. to England to Israel.
Even though outrage against terrorism is nothing new, this fresh attack has touched something deep in the hearts of men and women. It even led to an unprecedented darkening of the Eiffel Tower in support. Perhaps it is the fact that these killings were the deadliest that France has seen since the Nazi occupation, and the first example of terrorism from al-Qaida within French borders. Perhaps it is because the men that perpetrated these despicable acts of terror specifically targeted a "Western" institution: that of satire. In reality, Muslim satirists are targeted by the same people that killed the 12 victims from Wednesday. Where is the outrage at attacks against them? Why are Muslims only highlighted in the news after terror attacks?
Many Westerners have begun to view this attack as an indictment of all Muslims, as if all those that practice Islam support the actions of those at the extreme fringes of their religion. Rather than take the time to understand differences, people have jumped to conclusions, relied on prejudices and past experiences and forgotten themselves. For example, Bill Maher took out the time to bash Islam as a religion immediately following the attack, saying that “When there are that many bad apples, there’s something wrong with the orchard….” This gross violation of the decency and respect that should be afforded not only to Muslims but also to the people of every religion and faith that peacefully practice it.
It is not that I blame Mr. Maher or any other Westerner who is feeling the pain and the shock of such a brutal attack. It is sometimes easier to generalize an entire culture in an effort to understand why a few individuals would feel that they have to do something like this. It is sometimes easier to spit venom against all the people in a certain category just because they happen to have something in common with people who have grossly distorted that commonality through their actions. I don’t want to hear about nuances and complexities and differences; I want someone to be held accountable, whether they are responsible or not.
What has happened? In the anger, anguish and bitterness over the deaths of these talented and vibrant souls (and those of thousands of others who have been the victims of terror), amid all demonstrations of solidarity and the shouting of "Je Suis Charlie!" another much smaller voice has been steadily drowned out: the voice of the Muslims who are just as appalled at this demonstration of brutality and violence as the rest of the world. We have forgotten that Islam does not equal extremism. We have forgotten that while families, fans and colleagues of Charlie Hebdo’s murdered staff are in mourning, so is another group: the family of a Muslim police officer who was shot while the terrorists were fleeing the scene.
I simply cannot allow that to happen. I simply cannot allow the ignorance of some to become the voice of all. I cannot let generalization become the norm while nuanced visions of the world are marginalized because it is more convenient to blame an entire part of the populace for the actions of a few madmen. In taking that stance, I suggest that we use this tragedy to do something which would defeat the purpose of the terrorists even more than shouting "Je Suis Charlie": actually coming together as a human race and discussing our differences and each other's pain, as thousands, including 40 world leaders, did today at the Place de la Republique. Even though Charlie Hebdo's staff had a right as both journalists and a cartoonists to create those satirical pieces, perhaps they should have been more respectful and thought about Muslims as people rather than as figures of fun.
Reach the columnist at jbrunne2@asu.edu or follow @MrAmbassador4 on Twitter.
Editor’s note: The opinions presented in this column are the author’s and do not imply any endorsement from The State Press or its editors.
Want to join the conversation? Send an email to opiniondesk.statepress@gmail.com. Keep letters under 300 words and be sure to include your university affiliation. Anonymity will not be granted.
Like The State Press on Facebook and follow @statepress on Twitter.
