I am Charlie

Awaking to the horror that occurred in Paris yesterday turns my stomach and grips my heart.  I just posted “The Death Penalty for Being Different” on December 20^th.  Therein I said, 

“Attacking people because they are different is intellectually and emotionally equivalent to those 5^th graders.  Sadly, very sadly, we see it all over the world.  Immature humans in some state of power waging a war of persecution on folks who are different, think differently, look differently, and believe differently.  The worst, in my opinion, are those who believe their hate is justifiable based on their religious faith.  Surely to believe in the persecution of a fellow human is not inspired by a deity of love and forgiveness.  I remain absolutely amazed that some humans are capable of such hypocrisy, such self-deception, such cognitive dissonance.  To claim one’s position as a persecutor is somehow morally blessed and thereby legitimate is by definition immoral.”

The sin committed by this Parisian paper is satire.  It poked fun at some core Muslim beliefs.  Therefore, employees there as well as police officers were sentenced to death.  If we lack the freedom to look at issues and beliefs differently than others we are not free.  If we cannot poke fun, scrutinize, disagree with belief systems we are not free.  Any effort to straight-jacket human intellectual thought and human belief systems is an effort to establish tyranny and must be resisted on every front.  If, that is, you believe in freedom.  If you do not, then we will continue to wage war and terrorist attacks on each other, discriminate against fellow humans for thinking differently, and somehow justifying our persecution based on our own interpretation of our own beliefs.  As they opened fire with automatic weapons on unarmed, civilian journalists, the attackers yelled, “God is Great.”  What blasphemy!

Two brothers remain at large as I write this, two suspected perpetrators.  I am sure there is a sense of anger and revenge inherent in those who seek those who committed such terrible crimes.  It would be so easy to kill them once found.  But we must not do that.  We must support a civilized, legal response to everyone accused of crime.  We cannot afford to have police serve as judge and jury.  Police do not want that responsibility, though police are human too.  I pray for French law enforcement officers in pursuit of these killers.  I pray they show restraint.  I pray they are safe.  And I understand that if the villains come out shooting they must protect themselves.

In all of this I have hope.  All over the world groups gathered last night under the slogan “I am Charlie” in reference to the name of the satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo.  As they lit candles they held signs in multiple languages saying “I am Charlie.”  Thank God that there remain among us people who cherish freedom even if they disagree with others, and people who remain horrified by acts of terror. 

This morning, I stand with them.  This morning, I am Charlie.