Friday 9 January 2015

SILENCE


  • Ex-editor: 'Silence is the threat'

    Posted at 
    Charlie Hebdo's former editor Philippe Val: "Do you know what threatens democracy the most? Silence. To reduce ourselves to silence means that we will lose all we have gained of liberty, freedom for women, for homosexuals, the freedom to come and go as we please, moral freedom.
    "But we must not believe that the Muslims who are today outraged by what has happened cannot understand it. They can understand it. They can understand that today, their religion needs to reform. So that it does not in the heart of the democracy where they have chosen to live, create terrorists, terrorism, which is of course opposed by most Muslims, who are victims of it."

9 comments:

  1. Grace in OZ wrote So well said. It's heart breaking to think that this happened! Having had an attack in Sydney a few weeks ago I can understand the terror that the Parisians must be experiencing now and my heart goes out to the friends and family of those lost to this senseless act.
    It's totally unnecessary. Achieves nothing only grief and anguish.
    When will we learn to live in harmony no matter what religion we believe in.

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  2. Thank you for your understanding Grace

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  3. In some ways, I think - at least I hope - that this dreadful attack has actually backfired on those who perpetrated it. I am so very glad the response of the Parisians and of thousands of people in major cities around Europe has been so supportive of the vast majority of peaceful, caring muslims. But I do agree - silence is not an option. However, I feel just as strongly this is a time for holding hands together with our muslim brothers and sisters and not for reprisals of any kind. I was inspired to see the mayor of Rotterdam, himself a muslim, stand before a crowd and say "usually I am mayor of Rotterdam, but today I am a Parisian and I am Charlie." It brought a lump to my throat.

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    Replies
    1. Thank you for your thoughtful comments Val and you are correct the majority of Muslims are a peace loving people.

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    2. "Je suis Charlie"! For fraternity, for liberty, for equality.

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  4. We must not forget that the French Policeman who was shot was also a Muslim, neither must we turn a blind eye to all of the other Muslims around the world. Who are being murdered by terrorist factions who wrongly interpret the words of Allah.

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  5. The time has come for us all to stand up, stand out, speak out and be counted. We will not be suppressed by these cowardly megalomaniacal terrorists. This affects the liberty of us all.

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  6. I absolutely agree with you Irene as Martin Niemöller poem reminds us :-

    First they came for the Socialists, and I did not speak out—
    Because I was not a Socialist.

    Then they came for the Trade Unionists, and I did not speak out—
    Because I was not a Trade Unionist.

    Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out—
    Because I was not a Jew.

    Then they came for me—and there was no one left to speak for me.

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