PAGING PDS: Freedom requires respect and responsibility

The shootings in Copenhagen on Feb. 14 and 15 remind us of how the world was shaken by the horrific terrorist attack on the French satirical newspaper, Charlie Hebdo, at the start of the year.

The Charlie Hebdo terrorist attack, in which 12 people were killed, was carried out by two men who targeted the newspaper because of cartoons it had published crudely depicting the Muslim prophet Muhammad. Among those murdered were cartoonists, maintenance workers and police officers.

Immediately after the terrorist attack, the Internet was flooded with a range of reactions. Many labeled the terrorist attack as Islamist, Jihadist, and a clear attack on freedom of speech. Twitter went wild condemning the attack, some even turning their despair into Islamophobia using the hashtag #KillAllMuslims.

Communities banded together to condemn the atrocious attack. Countless posts and articles were written. People went out to the streets to protest. The campaign Je Suis Charlie was the mantra for many of these protests. The phrase, meaning I am Charlie, demonstrated the publics support of freedom of press.

The protests evolved from the mantra and became about three things: terrorism, freedom of speech, and Islamophobia. Certain protests called for governmental action against terrorism and for a resurgence of effort in the war against terror, particularly in the West. Some people attacked Islam and called for the end of its supposed support of terrorism.

A widespread reaction after the attack was to support Charlie Hebdo as a publication, as seen by the rise in sales of the newspaper. But that is not how I think we should have reacted. Charlie Hebdo has and had every right to publish its terribly offensive depictions of prophet Muhammad, the Pope, and many other religious and prominent figures but that does not make it something I support.

I absolutely respect Charlie Hebdos right to publish its satire. However, just as I do not support Fox News inaccurate reports, I do not support the insensitive content of Charlie Hebdo. I believe in freedom of speech and protection of it, but I believe in a world where we uphold our responsibility to exercise our freedoms with a greater deal of care, sensitivity, and respect.

I am sure many of you have subscribed to the mantra of Je Suis Charlie, but I have subscribed to the mantra of Je Suis Ahmed. I am Ahmed, the fallen policemen. I am a Muslim who will defend Charlie Hebdos right to ridicule my religion.

Ahmed Merabat was a Muslim French police officer who was also executed in the Charlie Hebdo attacks. Ironically, as the world blamed Islam for rampant terrorism and suppression of freedoms, in France after the shootings there were 128 attacks against Muslims and 54 arrests of those who condoned the attacks.

I agree with Frances decision to arrest those 54 people as apologists of terrorism because I recognize there must be limits to what is acceptable. I do not think what Charlie Hebdo publishes is acceptable, but nothing is more unacceptable than the disgusting terrorist attack that those two demented, delusional, and disturbed men committed.

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PAGING PDS: Freedom requires respect and responsibility