Je ne suis pas Charlie Hebdo

The reaction to the attack on Charlie Hebdo is another instance of our media mischaracterizing a tragedy, similar to Bush's admonition to go shopping after 9/11 and his analysis that "They hate us for our freedom." This is not a matter of free speech, nor are the idiots chanting, "Je suis Charlie Hebdo" anything close to being Charlie Hebdo.
First, free speech is a right limiting a government to not impede free expression, i.e. Lennie Bruce could not be stopped from speaking obscenities. France does not have an anti-blaspheming law yet, and Charlie Hebdo has enjoyed full freedom of expression of all kinds for years. Unfortunately, they pissed off the Muslim world by depicting the prophet, which is blasphemous in Islam. You know the old song, "Sticks and bones may break my bones, but Muslims will never kill me"?
Second, the Charlie Hebdo cartoons are really way out there. They are totally irreverent and blaspheme just about everyone: the Pope, Jews, Catholics, Protestants, French Presidents, Americans; all the cartoons are culturally relevant, but some verge on, well, bad manners. Very, very few journalists, cartoonists, or people outside of asylums have dared to do what they have done. For more about Charlie Hebdo, see a great article on Slate, http://www.slate.com/articles/news_and_politics/foreigners/2015/01/charlie_hebdo_cartoons_the_anti_clerical_newspaper_tradition_that_s_as_french.2.html

On another note, Juan Cole's analysis on Truthdig implies the killers' attack was a false flag intended to create the very anti-Muslim reaction that has occurred, all for the purpose of Al Qaeda recruitment. These killers do not care about Islam (they killed a Muslim guard); they only further their cause, although I have not heard much definite about what that cause is lately. Osama Bin Ladin was quite clear in his call to expel the infidels from Saudi Arabia and Palestine, but he is dead.

It is important to understand that the lives of Muslims in France are not so great. French colonialism in Algieria was brutal (see the Battle For Algiers movie), nor did the French behave well in other parts of the Middle East. When the French needed cheap labor, they allowed immigration from their colonies; nevertheless, they really have not treated their immigrants very well. The result is the French Muslims are angry, resentful, and frustrated, perfect conditions for extremist recruitment. It is thus not too far a stretch to foresee more brutal attacks followed by repression, followed by attacks, and so on.

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I finished painting the hull of my pram yesterday and took off the masking tape. So, now the sides are painted 'Seattle Grey' and the bottom is painted with Pacifica Plus black anti-fouling paint, while the transoms and rails are varnished wood. Almost ready to launch!