Another Opinion On The Charlie Hebdo Terror Attack In Paris

The attack occurred yesterday, therefore the writer Expressed the opinion yesterday and not today as you may read in his opinion.

Ahmed Shihab-Eldin

I'm surprised by the number of people (many Muslim) shocked and offended that I posted a picture of myself with a placard that reads ‪#‎JeSuisCharlie‬. Is that really what is offensive about today's events? Perhaps it is worth clarifying the motivation behind the post.

I do not condone racism, nor do I applaud all the satirical pieces Charlie Hebdo creates. But what I do condone is their right to create them ... and still have the right to life. ‪#‎FreedomOfSpeech‬ is not universal, nor is it easy to imagine a world in which it will be.

 But today I am in solidarity with Charlie, to champion the 

basic, if somewhat simplistic principle, that just because someone doesn't like what someone says or draws about religion, politics or anything for that matter, does not mean they should be jailed without trial ... or murdered ... which happens all too frequently in the Muslim and Arab world, and which occurred today in Paris.