‘Je Suis Charlie’ Unifies World, Misrepresents Free Speech

KAYIU WONG
Opinions Editor

On Jan. 11, an unprecedented crowd of 3.7 million people surged the streets of France, arm in arm in a rally of unity. In what French officials deemed the largest demonstration in French history, thousands of posters and banners bore the words “Je Suis Charlie” (I am Charlie) in commemoration of the 12 people who were shot dead when masked gunmen attacked the editorial board of satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo. The terrorists, who claimed they were avenging the Islamic prophet Muhammad, were angered by the magazine’s cartoons ridiculing both the prophet and Islamic ideals. Though the public response to the massacre encompasses the global urgency to stand together in times of shock and violence, the incident also reminds us of the battle between free speech and disrespect.

To “be Charlie” honors the killed journalists but on a greater note, many forget that the slogan identifies with the core element of the freedom of expression. However, freedom of speech is not absolute. There will always be limits to what can be said and in what context.

The freedom of expression does include the right to criticize, but Charlie Hebdo’s running series of derogatory cartoons comes off with anti-Muslim sentiment and even borders racist taunting.

Now there is no justification for the horrific act of violence and despite the gunmen’s motives, it no doubt stands as one of the biggest atrocities in 21st century Europe. Yet, we need to understand that those cartoons were still deeply hurtful to Muslim minority populations.

As journalists, this serves as a reminder that there is a fine line between being expressive and offensive. Though “Je suis Charlie” represents an international solidarity, it should not defend the magazine’s right to free expression when its crude satire was also a form of inflammatory criticism. I, for one, am for free speech but I am not necessarily for Charlie Hebdo.