Charlie Hebdo - First Thoughts

I'm sitting in my office watching the talking heads on CNN cover the most recent terrorist attack in France (12 killed in an attack on the editorial office of Charlie Hebdo, a French satirical magazine). The magazine has in the past published articles and cartoons mocking islam, or at least the form of islam practiced by extremists. The attack appears to be in retaliation for those articles and cartoons.

More on the attack and its implications later, but what jumped out at me in the coverage so far has been statements by the CNN 'reporters.'

Speculating on the well-planned and executed nature of the attack, one TH (Talking Head) said something along the lines of 'The gunmen appear to be well trained - perhaps former members of the French Army.' (Note: this and the subsequent quotes are not necessarily word-for-word. They are based on my best recollection of what was said. The wording may not be exact, but the gist is accurate.)

The same bozo TH went on to wonder where the gunmen got their weapons: 'After all, France isn't a country where you can go to the local WalMart and buy an AK-47.'

Another clown TH, while paying lip service to freedom of expression, proclaimed that the magazine has published 'ugly and scurrilous' articles and cartoons that were offensive to muslims. A second TH characterized the magazine's cartons as 'over the top.'

You can see where this is going. Anyone who ever served in the military is suspect. Lax gun control laws lead to mass shootings. Freedom of expression is allowed, as long as it doesn't offend anyone.

And make no mistake. The magazine can generously be described as tasteless (see the examples below). But as the now-dead editor said after the publication's offices were firebombed in 2011, 'My pen has never killed anyone.' (Here and here).

English translation: "100 lashes if you don't die laughing!"

English translation: "bin laden is alive!"

It is worth noting that Charlie Hebdo has also satirized other religions as well, including Christianity and Judaism. However, an extensive Google search failed to turn up any violent attacks by Christians and Jews on the magazine.


So much for the 'religion of peace'...