As the Holy Friday draws to a close, proof of Islam as a religion of peace has overcomed Islamic demonstrations. To the notable exception of Pakistan and a couple sporadic occurrences, the Faithfuls of Allah have gone to pray and gone home without the feared backlashes against France for the earlier publication in the satyric magazine Charlie Hebdo of caricatures of Mahomet.
For those of my readers that had checked out my recent post on the subject, and others all around the World, it was a distinct possibility that some would be out of the mosks and in the streets for a remake of attacks then seen on American interests in response to a US independent movie depicting a very dim and negative view of Islam. Even though those events were the fact of a minority of Muslims, a majority of Westerners were worried. It did not happen; Salam Aleykum!
Charlie Hebdo’s “journalists” knew full well that their choice was timed in such a manner as to exacerbate passions and nonetheless chose to publish those drawings, a provocation that they are customary of, that is actually part of their ways in order to sell more mags. Although I wholeheartedly support freedom of expression, taunts for the sake of taunting cannot be seen in my view as anything of value. Playing with people’s nerves by attacking their values serves no high purpose. I have long liked Le Canard Enchainé, a newspaper that mixes styles and spans the whole gamut from information to satyre; I read Charlie Hebdo at times and its predecessor Hara Kiri and others such but in this past week’s situation, the word that comes to mind was : childish. And irresponsible was also coming to mind. They could but should not have; they did and save the immediate publicity gotten for their stunt, more or less “lost”.
As the Muslims of France and elsewhere showed grace that the West often thinks them devoid of, another provocation advocate reared its ugly mind. French Far Right Front National leader Marine Le Pen chose that very same day to suggest that religious symbols should be banned from public use. Not here or there, just banned, everywhere. Of course, her proposition failed to mention the French traditional religion symbols, Christian ones! The French Republic already bans such a use, in the specific case of civil servants or at school or if you prefer in a Republican setting where/when a citizen’s rights are to subside to the Nation’s rule. You will not be asked about your religion when you ask the State for an education or a job. In exchange, you will not be allowed to exhibit it at work or school so as to respect others.
On the street however, in the subway or even more at home, you can live freely. French Muslims can wear the veil; French Jews can wear the Kippa and French Christians can wear the Cross. Were we to go Madame Le Pen’s way, maybe colors would also be banned and I’d be force to forego my favorite purple? Was she Scottish, would I be forced to wear the kilt? Ridiculous!
And in parting, although all other political tendencies and constitutional experts condemned the Front National’s idea, the most public man in the country did so from a special standpoint. French President François Hollande was at Drancy today where French Jews were gathered from 1941 to the 1944 Liberation as a prelude to their voyage to the Nazis’ extermination camps to officially mark it as a Memorial place so as to prevent it to go into History’s oblivion.
Shame on you, Charlie Hebdo and Madame Le Pen.
Good Friday, my brothers and sisters! Good Saturday, my brothers and sisters! Good Sunday, my brothers and sisters !
And good day of your choice to my brothers and sisters whom are not concerned by faith, peace out, Tay.
http://www.channelstv.com/home/2012/09/21/egypts-mufti-urges-muslims-to-endure-insults-peacefully/
http://ktvl.com/template/inews_wire/wires.international/214a2e9a-www.ktvl.com.shtml
Definitive Lapse of Reason 