A million or two, possibly more, people marched through Paris today, led by political leaders who knew that it was important for their standing at home for them to appear there, in a supposed support of the cartoonists murdered by Islamic extremists. An interesting event supporting those standing up to such extremist violence.
This however is France. France a nation capable of anti Jewish sentiment and one that may not notice the Muslim immigrant who saved many lives during the Kosher shop raid, but will notice how dangerous Muslims can be. This also is a nation that is well aware of the troubles caused by Islamic groupings in Africa, their troops have been based in Mali for some time now for that very reason, yet how much publicity was given to the 2000 killed by Boko Haram in Nigeria the other day? How many care if thousands are murdered in the Middle East or Pakistan daily? It is troubles at home that worry us, problems in distant lands about which we know nothing can be ignored for the most part.
I wonder how many claiming to also be 'Charlie' had actually read the magazine he edited? I had never heard of it, no surprise there, but how many French and looked at it or bought it - once? Few I suggest.
It may well be that underneath there is indeed a fear of extremists, which is understandable, or possibly anti-Muslim feeling now being allowed expression, it also may be the freedom to poke fun at or insult those we do not like being what many support. Not so much freedom of expression but freedom of their expression. These I say are the same individuals who scream with rage when what is important to them are laughed at or insulted. Like the 'Daily mail' and the 'Guardian' such demand a free press yet refuse to publish comments that disagree with them or indicate where they go wrong.
The 'Guardian' also dislikes the reference to 'Nazis' when they do this I have discovered.
Many differing opinions now coalesce into a movement with little depth. A great many will wish for a peaceful world where all are accepted, many keen on all sorts of 'equality' even if only for their grouping, many among the marchers will seek peace, others have just attended an 'event.' Once again an event has arisen from a tragedy and when politicians are involved the words flow long and loud very easily - but the suffering in Nigeria will not be eased by that!
We face trouble from several Islamic groups, none of them pleasant, most based in the Yemen or Iraq or Syria and out of our reach, except by bomber aircraft. Young men, especially men, will be tempted to see such marches as an attack on their Islam, preachers will already be indicating this to those willing to listen. A march for peace may well lead to more trouble to such men seeking a purpose in this world and a cause to fight for and who lack the world knowledge understand a wider picture.
I am wary of the reasons for the support for the cartoonists, I am wary of the words flowing onto our news sites, I know that much will be said and little actually done by the people who march. It is clear nothing will be done in Nigeria, the President is after all attempting to be re-elected, and missing schoolgirls, slaughtered villagers, and an increasing death toll in Muslim nations may be sad and indeed bad, but surely the west will consider our few dead are more important and little needs to be done, or indeed mentioned on our newscasts or papers about such as they?
God bless the news media, as long as cameras are available, and 'our people' are at risk. Three or four dead here are worth more in the media than a thousand or two dead way over there.
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8 comments:
The politicians marched out of the Elysee into a street cleared of people - the genuine marchers held back by barricades - guarded by police and with helicopters flying overhead. Once photographed they - with a few honourable exceptions - messed off back into the Elysee. Sheer hypocrisy, especially when you look at the human rights records of some of them - including imprisoning journalists - but I expect Hollande thinks it will gain him a few more votes in 2017 and several invitations to foreign parts in the interim.
I did not like Charlie Hebdo. I thought it crude, somewhat like a small boy trying to win a pissing contest and certainly not a beacon of enlightenment.
There might have been a chance that the people who have marched and manifested would have started to consider how the murders came about - their government's economic policies at home and its protection of oil interests policies abroad but that has safely been smothered by the media broadcasting platitudes to make people feel that having marched and manifested is enough.
Very well done. Just because one has the freedom to say something does not mean it should be said. Poking fun at Muslim extremists is a prime example of that--especially when the avengers expect (even hope) to die in their attacks.
I have nothing to say...
Fly, I notice the freedom they wished has begun to erode, the arguments re the march arise, and media speculation brings strife where it need not.
Jerry, Good points.
Lee, Pah!
I agree that there are far worse atrocities currently happening that are not given the same media attention that this event has received. However it is important to speak out against any one who responds in the way that these people did. To my mind if they truly followed sharia law then surely they should have picked up a pen and blasphemed Jesus, buddah, jehovah, or any other religious prophet. Murder is murder no matter how it is dressed.
To be seen or not to be seen was the only question. Marches like this accomplish nothing but a few blisters. Peace
I can't help feeling it is doing some good if it focuses us on thinking what we value. I don't think the Brits are as hot on liberty as the French, we have spent too long being crushed by the top brass. It exasperates me how this has become an issue about one magazine. The kosher supermarket was raided by these thugs because they too offended these thugs just by existing.
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