This week’s tragedy at Charlie Hebdo reminds us of the importance of freedom of speech
When putting together our small, hyper-local, weekly publication, there are many things that we worry about. Often, we worry about being late for sending the paper to the printers. Other times, we fear getting an angry letter from someone unhappy with a story. We hope we haven’t missed any errors. And, once in a while, we fear getting a letter from a lawyer.
But there is one thing that we are never worried about, something which no journalist should ever have to fear.
The fear that someone will dislike what has been published to the point that they feel it is acceptable—no, necessary—to send journalists and publications letters filled with hate. The fear that these people will throw a Molotov cocktail into the publication’s office. The fear that armed people will enter the office and attempt to shoot and kill as many of its employees as they can.
Simpy because these journalists—these human beings—exercised their right to free speech.
On Jan. 7, two armed gunmen walked into the office of the satirical French magazine Charlie Hebdo. Ten employees and two police officers were shot dead. Their satirical drawings were known internationally for depicting touchy subjects with an irreverent pencil to paper, including comics ridiculing the Prophet Muhammad.
Since the tragedy, the whole world has come together to remember those who died last week, and to speak of the importance of freedom of speech. Those who took to the steets in protest, it is important to remember, supported many things more than just boundless free speech. You do not have to support what the editorial staff at Charlie Hebdo chose to print, but their right to do it should not be threatened under any circumstances.
Regardless of whether the public agrees with the satire produced or not, everyone deserves to live in a society where discourse on controversial issues is allowed, period.
In that sense, The Concordian is Charlie. We believe that innocent people should not be killed over drawings and words, that differences in opinion should be welcomed, and that freedom of speech is a human right that should be a given for everyone, everywhere.
fully agree