I think most of the world would agree: we´re all Charlie.
The criminals who murdered the journalists at the French newspaper “Charlie Hebdou” may be on the spotlight but they´re a small part of a big problem.
I´m no politician and I have no intention of gathering some more enemies (I have a generous amount of them – no need for more, at the moment…) but here´s a few facts no one seems to mention and I think are worth saying out loud:
1. This crime that has shoked the world reflects the mentality of many people who refuse to DISCUSS and QUESTION their religion. I AM NOT saying all of these people who refuse to question their religion are killers – what I´m saying is the BASIC idea that QUESTIONING the “Quran” or Prophet Mohamed is “haram” (forbidden by God) is not EXCLUSIVELY on the hands of criminals. This is an idea I found in 99% of the Muslims I met while I living and working in the Middle East/North of Africa. The “Holly Book” and its prophet are UNTOUCHABLE subject for the majority of the Muslims I met. This is not (only) a critic – it´s a fact.
Perfectly “normal”, intelligent, well educated and travelled individuals become crazy, fundamentalist “sheiks” when their religion is put in question. Questioning the “Holly word of God” is considered “haram”, for God´s sake (pun intended)! Extremism of various sorts can easily flourish from this basic rule that most Muslims I know follow.
2. Muslim extremism has been financed by Saudi Arabia but no one touches that country because – you guessed! – that´s the place where The Big Bling comes from (aka oil). The big world potencies have their ass stuck to the Saudis and none of their CRIMINAL activities are mentioned. Talk about hipocrisy!
People – especially women – are being tortured and killed on a daily basis in Saudi Arabia for daring to drive a car or walk out of the house without a male “protection”. No one would dare to question anything written in the “Quran” or a saying of the prophet because they know they would be instantly killed. Isn´t that terrorism?
3. The tricky discussion of MULTI CULTURALISM must be on the table, more than ever.
I´m a traveller, someone who has already lived in Spain and Egypt, aside from working all over the world. I obviously defend that every well intentioned person who´s willing to work honestly for a better life, should have the right to search for it wherever she/he wants. That doesn´t mean Europe has to decline the values upon which is founded – FREEDOM of THOUGHT and SPEECH are two of them – in order to be “politically correct” and make foreigners feel adapted and welcomed.
No one has ever gone out of their way to make me feel “adapted” while I lived in Egypt.
-If you don´t like the way we live, you can leave. Maasalama (goodbye)!” – I heard it several times.
Even if you´re not a Muslim, you´re somehow forced to live like one in countries like Egypt. Atheist, Agnostic, Christian, Jew, Hindu, Buddhist, whatever you are – it doesn´t matter: you still have to live according to laws that are deeply inspired by the Muslim “sharia´” and you still have to move according to Muslim routines (the most obvious ones are the calling/times for prayer). Christian or Jewish men cannot marry Muslim women (it would be illegal to do so) because children inherit their fathers religion and no one wants Christian kids, right? A new generation of Muslims MUST be garanteed. How sick is that?
Am I the only person who finds this appauling?
4. Empty lives easily lead to criminality. It´s the ones who have nothing to lose that usually fall into criminality. The social question of raising people´s education, future perspectives and hope is another tough cookie to crack – one more question raised by this hideous crime.
The list of incoherences and clues is endless and, as I said, I´m not in the mood to make new enemies. I´m stopping right here for the sake of my own sanity. For now, all that matters is to FIX the problem. No one can bring those journalists back to life – the same way no one even thinks about bringing thousands of victims of terrorism back to life.
How to handle a NEW WORLD – a world where nationalities, cultures, mentalities, religions and ways of life meet, like never before – is The Question.
Where does my freedom start and end? That´s another one.
My heart is with all the victims of terrorism/despair/ignorance.
Joana Saahirah
E a título de curiosidade,
Salman Rushdie — who had a fatwa placed on his head after publishing The Satanic Verses in 1988 — made a statement today about the attack on the Paris office of Charlie Hebdo that left 12 people dead:
Rushdie said that “[r]eligion, a medieval form of unreason, when combined with modern weaponry becomes a real threat to our freedoms.”
"Religion a ‘medieval form of unreason’ that deserves ‘fearless disrespect’
“Respect for religion' has become a code phrase meaning ‘fear of religion'. Religions, like all other ideas, deserve criticism, satire, and, yes, our fearless disrespect.”
“This religious totalitarianism has caused a deadly mutation in the heart of Islam and we see the tragic consequences in Paris today,” he continued.
“I stand with Charlie Hebdo, as we all must, to defend the art of satire, which has always been a force for liberty and against tyranny, dishonesty and stupidity.”
Política, Sexo e Religião.
Três áreas nas quais as pessoas têm que aprender a sentir-se ofendidas.
Não incluo o futebol, porque para mim isso nem existe...
Ser pela liberdade de expressão é defender o direito dos outros expressarem aquilo com o qual não concordo e que posso até achar ofensivo.
A ofensa não constitui qualquer limite válido à liberdade de expressão.
Pelo contrário, é sinal de que ela existe.
Sou clamorosamente a favor da ofensa e contra a iniciação de violência contra terceiros.
...
Não sei se fica claro mas vou exemplificar:
Sou a favor de que uma pessoa racista me insulte, porque não gosta da minha raça. E defendo o seu direito de o fazer.
É isto que significa ser a favor da liberdade de expressão.
E sou também a favor de escrever contra o racismo, a xenofobia, a homofobia, e tudo o que é idiota.
Porque a estupidez tem que ser conquistada pela inteligência, gentileza e educação, não pela violência.
O único uso legítimo da violência é como defesa contra a iniciação de agressão.
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