Let's vow never to give in to terrorism

[Lite Beer]

EDITORIAL
Let's vow never to give in to terrorism
The Nation

But it's also important to ensure every muslim is not seen with suspicious eyes because of the actions of a few

As France and the rest of the world were trying to come to terms with Wednesday's massacre at the satirical weekly magazine Charlie Hebdo, French police on Friday found themselves in a twin standoff with terror cells.

The two brothers behind the attack at the magazine office took hostages inside a printing house northeast of Paris.

Hours later, a man suspected of killing a young policewoman in Montrouge on Thursday attacked a kosher supermarket in Paris and took five people hostage.

The horrific event in Paris last Wednesday was beyond words. Ten journalists and two police officers, one of whom was a Muslim on patrol, were gunned down by extremists who were out to teach critics of Islam a bloody lesson.

Regardless of a magazine's editorial line, there is no justification for killing the writers and the artists. The killers called themselves Muslims but had no qualms about the fact that the vast majority of Muslims around the world did not agree with their methodology and politics or their warped version of Islam.

In the land of Voltaire, there is a famous saying: "I do not agree with what you have to say, but I'll defend to the death your right to say it."

A hashtag that went viral, #JeSuisAhmed, has become a way of honouring Ahmed Merabet, the 40-year-old Muslim police officer who tried to stop the two gunmen, as they were about to storm the magazine but was shot dead execution style.

"I am not Charlie, I am Ahmed the dead cop. Charlie ridiculed my faith and culture and I died defending his right to do so," wrote one Twitter follower under the name Dyab Abou Jahjah.

In Thailand, where the very concept of freedom of expression has often taking a beating because of interference by state officials and societal indifference, it's not hard for people to relate to the incident.

In fact, any society that is serious about liberty must do its best to defend such a freedom no matter how rude or provocative these words may be. Bad taste does not constitute a crime.

The massacre came amid anti-immigrant sentiment in Europe. Such killings only feed into the agenda of the far-right nationalists in France and elsewhere in Europe.

It also came at a time when much of the Western world has been overwhelmed with Islamic terrorism.

Some of these acts were carried out by self-radicalised lone wolfs. Other incidents were part of the calculated acts of terrorist organisations.

Many people tend to dismiss the killers as fanatics and terrorists.

But looking at the calculated efficiency and the facts of the Paris massacre, it is not hard to see that the killers had planned well to maximise the death toll. They picked the weekly editorial meeting as the time to attack.

The best way to counter extremism, is to not let these acts get the better of us. We must hold true to our values and virtues. Straying from these principles is akin to admitting defeat.

As expected, Muslims in France and Europe are afraid of a pos-

sible backlash. But for freedom

of expression to endure, it is important that this outrage and anger does not become an excuse to condemn the Muslim community because of the actions of a handful of people.

Many Muslims also took part in showing solidarity for the Charlie Hebdo victims, while Muslim or-
ganisations in France rallied be-hind President Franois Hollande.

But bigots will be bigots, as reactions in the form of firebomb at-tacks on mosques in France have shown. Lumping Islam and Islamist terrorists together as a single adversary would not only be a huge mistake but it would also be unfair to law-abiding Muslims around the world.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/opinion/Lets-vow-never-to-give-in-to-terrorism-30251669.html

-- The Nation 2015-01-11

[newatthis]

" In fact, any society that is serious about liberty must do its best to defend such a freedom no matter how rude or provocative these words may be. Bad taste does not constitute a crime."

Correct. People have been saying "Jesus <deleted> Christ" for years. Not many have been jailed, beheaded, shot, flogged etc, even if others find it offensive. And, in spite of the common belief that religion is the cause of war / violence, we must remember that it is people who are the root of the problem, the other is just an excuse.

[rijb]

Unfortunately, terrorism works. http://gawker.com/terrorism-works-1678049997

[MisterTee]

The best way to prevent it is not to do the things that provoke it.

[Steely Dan]

If journalists are serious about defending freedom of expression they should assert that freedom by publishing Charlie Hebdo cartoons, each and every newspaper should do this. Talk is cheap and to give up the right to offend and be offended only encourages the militants to make even more demands. The law abiding Muslims mentioned in the OP could exercise their democratic right to peaceful protest if they chose to.

Edited January 11, 2015 by Steely Dan

[Mosha]

The best way to prevent it is not to do the things that provoke it.

Lets ban Christmas while we are at it.

[MisterTee]

The best way to prevent it is not to do the things that provoke it.

Lets ban Christmas while we are at it.

You miss the point entirely, which is about not provoking terrorism, and above all not participating in it ourselves.

[zydeco]

Okay, lots of ink for the killed muslim policeman. Do the others count? What about the Jews killed at the kosher market? This piece of agitprop doesn't even mention the killing of the "hostage," much less that they were Jews. Instead, it's real focus is on this:

As expected, Muslims in France and Europe are afraid of a pos-

sible backlash. But for freedom

of expression to endure, it is important that this outrage and anger does not become an excuse to condemn the Muslim community because of the actions of a handful of people.

Yet once again only muslims are the true victims of islamic terror that kills Christians and Jews. Forget about those pesky people in churches and synagogues. All pity for the real victims, the muslims. Give them more free stuff. Turn your churches into mosques. Change your dietary habits. Alter the way you dress. Otherwise you are attacking muslms.

[Mosha]

The best way to prevent it is not to do the things that provoke it.

Lets ban Christmas while we are at it.

You miss the point entirely, which is about not provoking terrorism, and above all not participating in it ourselves.

If you want to live on your knees it's up to you

[SiSePuede419]

"Let's vow never to give in to terrorism"

Unless one of your own family members is kidnapped, then you quietly pay the ransom?

[upena]

But, never any outrage at the 5,000+ killed by terrorists in Thailand the last 10 years.

[hawker9000]

The best way to prevent it is not to do the things that provoke it.

In other words, always give in to intimidation... A real pearl there.

[Thongkorn]

braking news, Britain fought two world wars against terrorists.

[anon022]

Let's vow never to give in to Muslim bashing!

[anon022]

If journalists are serious about defending freedom of expression they should assert that freedom by publishing Charlie Hebdo cartoons, each and every newspaper should do this. Talk is cheap and to give up the right to offend and be offended only encourages the militants to make even more demands. The law abiding Muslims mentioned in the OP could exercise their democratic right to peaceful protest if they chose to.

I think that if you have the right to offend me, and do this ongoing, then I should also have the right to get your azs wiped.

[F430murci]

If journalists are serious about defending freedom of expression they should assert that freedom by publishing Charlie Hebdo cartoons, each and every newspaper should do this. Talk is cheap and to give up the right to offend and be offended only encourages the militants to make even more demands. The law abiding Muslims mentioned in the OP could exercise their democratic right to peaceful protest if they chose to.

I think that if you have the right to offend me, and do this ongoing, then I should also have the right to get your azs wiped.

Therein lies the problem.

[Kitsune]

The best way to prevent it is not to do the things that provoke it.

Lets ban Christmas while we are at it.

Charb said : If we stop guarding the frontiers of republic, we can just all leave the place and give them our country

Je suis Charlie

Edited January 11, 2015 by Kitsune

[zydeco]

If journalists are serious about defending freedom of expression they should assert that freedom by publishing Charlie Hebdo cartoons, each and every newspaper should do this. Talk is cheap and to give up the right to offend and be offended only encourages the militants to make even more demands. The law abiding Muslims mentioned in the OP could exercise their democratic right to peaceful protest if they chose to.

I think that if you have the right to offend me, and do this ongoing, then I should also have the right to get your azs wiped.

Let me get this clear. You're offereing to wipe people's "azsezs"?

[Thaiready]

The only ones expected to tolerate are the ones getting killed.

You Liberal Azs Wipez make me sick.....

[Kitsune]

If journalists are serious about defending freedom of expression they should assert that freedom by publishing Charlie Hebdo cartoons, each and every newspaper should do this. Talk is cheap and to give up the right to offend and be offended only encourages the militants to make even more demands. The law abiding Muslims mentioned in the OP could exercise their democratic right to peaceful protest if they chose to.

I think that if you have the right to offend me, and do this ongoing, then I should also have the right to get your azs wiped.

NO

Words for words

Cartoons for cartoons

Pencils against pencils

Charb: "Instead of trying to kill us, why don't you make your own newspaper making fun of us?"

They went blank

The very reason they use violence is because they are incapable of expressing themselves any other way

Je suis Charlie

Edited January 11, 2015 by Kitsune

[zydeco]

The best way to prevent it is not to do the things that provoke it.

Lets ban Christmas while we are at it.

Charb said : If we stop guarding the frontiers of republic, we can just all leave the place and give them our country

Je suis Charlie

And what the heck does that mean? The people that got him were from within. I don't think that the Collected Thoughts and Wisdom of Chairman Charbs are going to be of much use in these circumstances. Unless, of course, he was talking about some "airy-fairy frontier of the soul or mind." And even then it's about as useful as tits on a bull.

[Kitsune]

Unfortunately, terrorism works. http://gawker.com/terrorism-works-1678049997

The first line says : Terrorism works because we let it

[Jingthing]

Thailand doesn't seem very "charlie" to me.

Just saying.

[Kitsune]

The best way to prevent it is not to do the things that provoke it.

Lets ban Christmas while we are at it.

You miss the point entirely, which is about not provoking terrorism, and above all not participating in it ourselves.

"If we stop defending our democracy, we might just as well leave the country and give them the keys" Charb

[johna]

We have been either overthrowing their governments, or invading them since 1948, all in the name of Democracy, I can't understand why they are so pissed off with us.

[Steely Dan]

If journalists are serious about defending freedom of expression they should assert that freedom by publishing Charlie Hebdo cartoons, each and every newspaper should do this. Talk is cheap and to give up the right to offend and be offended only encourages the militants to make even more demands. The law abiding Muslims mentioned in the OP could exercise their democratic right to peaceful protest if they chose to.

I think that if you have the right to offend me, and do this ongoing, then I should also have the right to get your azs wiped.

How very revealing, it's not hard to see where freedom of speech and expression are coming under assault from, the OIC and progressive liberals.

P.S I do like the word 'Progressive', it's so Orwellian.

[uptheos]

The best way to prevent it is not to do the things that provoke it.

The fact that the infidel exists, automatically promotes it.

[tartempion]

"I am not Charlie, I am Ahmed the dead cop. Charlie ridiculed my faith and culture and I died defending his right to do so," wrote one Twitter follower under the name Dyab Abou Jahjah.

If you don't know who Abou Jahjah is see here:

http://www.aboujahjah.org/articles-and-blog/category/israeli-crimes

He is a weekly columnist at Flemish newspaper "De Standaard" and he teaches Politcal Science at Université Catholique Louvain.

Guess he is Moslim, pro Palestine and anti Israël...just an other nutter.

[Steely Dan]

"I am not Charlie, I am Ahmed the dead cop. Charlie ridiculed my faith and culture and I died defending his right to do so," wrote one Twitter follower under the name Dyab Abou Jahjah.

If you don't know who Abou Jahjah is see here:

http://www.aboujahjah.org/articles-and-blog/category/israeli-crimes

He is a weekly columnist at Flemish newspaper "De Standaard" and he teaches Politcal Science at Université Catholique Louvain.

Guess he is Moslim, pro Palestine and anti Israël...just an other nutter.

Ahmed was going about his daily business setting aside his own personal beliefs and politics, that's what people do in democracies. Whether or not he felt his faith and culture were being ridiculed we will never know. What is for certain is that this Jahjah bloke is trying to make political capital out of Ahmed's death in a most distasteful manner.

[lucky11]

The best way to prevent it is not to do the things that provoke it.

Precisely!!

It is clear that these radical islamists carry out these atrocities because people ridicule their religion, and worse still,these misguided journalists rubbed their faces in it by taunting them on Facebook and Twitter - its as if they seemed to treat it as a game of dare or a challenge of 'come and get me if you can'. Well they did and lost!!

They died because of this and only have themselves to blame for it. I hope that the journalists families give a thought about the innocent civilians that lost their lives because of this continual baiting by these reckless individuals. All of these protests and marches are irrelevant and they (those journalists) are not deserving of them.

I have no sympathy for these irresponsible journalists, only the innocent civilians that paid for their lives in this unnecessary and dangerous game played out in the warped minds of idiots hiding behind democracy and the flawed blanket 'freedom of speech' ideals that the Americans so love and cherish.