Tragedy hits Paris: was it
avoidable
Death came to many in
Paris, in the last few days, as radical Muslim extremists vented their anger
over a satirical portrait of their religious icon. In the aftermath 12 people
were murdered at the publication Charlie Hebdo with another dozen wounded. Violence
jumped from this site to several other areas including a kosher deli where 4
more people were killed. Numbers of casualties are fluid which may rise as
reports are revealed to the public. Three of the 4 terrorists were killed with
a female counterpart remaining to be apprehended. Provocation for these
horrific acts was rooted in the themes this weekly magazine expressed. Negative
characterizations of religious figures were one of its specialties. Media hype
around the World, for the most part, sided with the editorial staff at Hedbo
believing freedom of speech allows publications to denigrate religions and
their leaders. Some have suggested that by portraying the most holy Muslim
leader in such a manner violence was automatically invited upon on this
magazine. Muslim leaders across the World were slow to condemn this vicious
act. High profile Muslim clerics went so far as to praise the attack with a
righteousness hard to define by western standards. Consequently President Obama
condemned the attack without directly blaming the Muslim community. Many facets
of these violent acts have yet to be defined. Atheistic rhetoric demeaning
religion was regular fodder fed to Charlie Hedbo’s audience. The media speaks
of free speech rights which they believe gives them a license to incense
billions with their religious bigotry. The question is: Where do these rights
end and propriety of mind begin? Muslim culture in Europe has not merged with the
culture of the countries that invited them in. Instead many of them live in
enclaves separated from the general population. Hate has not capitulated itself
as Middle Easterners moved across
borders. Western thoughts and traditions are an anathema to many from the
Middle East. With this clash of cultures it is only a matter of time before
other cities in Europe and this country must defend themselves from such
assaults. Will we surrender to the Muslim hammer, merge with them or evict this
crawling terrorism before it becomes unmanageable? One thing for sure, time is
not on our side.
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