It didn’t take long for the wannabes to claim the mantle of daring journalism. It seems it took only a few hours until the saying Je Suis Charlie showed up on Twitter and tee shirts.
I understand why the media outlets are so upset by the attack on Charlie Hebdo. They view the attack as being against all journalists.
Therefore, they will wring their hands about this terrorist attack much more than they do when Jews in Israel are murdered.
All I can say is: “Baloney!”
You are NOT Charlie.
What have you done to champion free speech against those who would vilify you? And maybe kill you?
Not so many weeks ago there was a movement on the UC Berkeley campus to block Bill Maher from speaking. What was his crime? He’d dared to be critical of Islam.
Whose side did you take in that issue?
Free Speech? Depends Where
Let’s continue to look at US college campuses.
Does your local college have a “speech code” or a designated “free speech” area on campus?
What have you done to fight this blatant violation of the the First Amendment?
Some college students have been harassed or worse because they tried to distribute literature outside of the “free speech” area on their campus.
In one very poignant case, a student was stopped from distributing the US Constitution. On Constitution Day!
Stolen Valor
There’s a concept that’s gotten a bit of publicity recently known as “stolen valor.”
Stolen valor is when a person who has not served in the US Armed Forces tries to be honored as a service member by wearing, for example, an Army uniform.
Many people appreciate the service performed by those men and women who volunteer to serve in the military. They will treat them with respect and deference when they see them. Some businesses offer soldiers wearing their uniforms discounts.
You will now find some low-lifes who try to take advantage of this and wear a military uniform that they have not earned the right to wear.
Stolen valor.
Je suis Charlie
I say, if you haven’t been on the front lines of the fight for freedom of the press, then you haven’t earned the right to proclaim “Je suis Charlie.”
Rather, find a tag line you can rightfully claim. It seems there are plenty of other aspects of Western culture that infuriate the Muslim terrorists around the world.
For myself, here’s what I claim:
Je suis Americain. I am an American.
Je suis Israelien. I am an Israeli.
Je suis Juif. I am a Jew.