To ask you to circulate this photo

[DreamingofSummer]

Je Suis Charlie

Silver, people have been using JeSuisCharlie in the same way 'I am Spartacus' is used, it's been mentioned 130,000+ times since this morning.

Silver & Medoc

Do whatever you think is right including being cynical or singing the Marseillaise

silveroldie, well, no, it's not going to stop extremists is it?

But it might just make journalists the world over feel a little bit better today, y'know, knowing that a few internet bods bothered to do what they could. Even if all that is is copying a photo onto Facebook and twitter. What with hopping on a ferry with a Kalashnikov under one's arm and taking out the terrorists themselves being a tad impractical on a weekday and'all.

Would you prefer a cake sale? Or a nice raffle?

I apologize but I have no idea what 'I am Spartacus' means, other than with reference to the Kirk Douglas film.

And I still don't understand how circulating the photograph achieves anything, nor me singing the Marseillaise (which I am not about to do). It doesn't bring back the people killed, nor does it help catch the three missing gunmen.

It surely goes without saying that I am saddened and appalled and offer my condolences to those involved.

Now, Medoc understood my original question, can anyone answer it?

Absolutely awful. I hope they catch the bastards and soon before they kill again.

Cross-posted with Drank. I have no interest in cake sales or raffles.

So you are saying a journalist sitting in a newsroom somewhere in the world will be cheered by someone copying the photograph onto facebook or twitter? Really? Well you go right ahead then, I'm sure the journalists will be much comforted .

As I use neither version of social media and am obviously not cuddly enough for this thread, I shall withdraw and hide the thread.

You know those red poppies outside the Tower of London?

Didn't bring anybody back did they?

You know when people send flowers for a funeral?

Or a bereavement card?

Or a minute's silence? Or three? Or ringing a bell at Ground Zero?

Waste of bleedin' time, clearly. What with everyone still being dead.

You do that love. Before you get compassion fatigue.

Sharing the photo shows solidarity. Je Suis Charlie is to tell the people responsible that terrorism won't work. The same way people carried on as normal during the blitz or got back on the tube after 7/7.

silver the final comment from the terrorists before they got away was "we have avenged the Prophet, we have killed Charlie Hebdo". Charlie Hebdo being the magazine which published cartoons of the Prophet Mohammed. People in Paris are carrying placards, and tweeting "Je suis Charlie" as a way of saying to the terrorists "you haven't killed Charlie Hebdo, we are all Charlie Hebdo."

The people of France are taking to the streets in solidarity, they think it's worthwhile anyway

www.npa2009.org/communique/une-folie-barbare-et-reactionnaire

I assumed that everyone would be familiar with this major story and wish to express their horror and sympathy

I had to google it. Heard nothing of events in Paris until OP's post.

Silver It's the poster being put up on websites in France to express support for the victims.

Toby

where are you?

But terrorism does work. I have been personally affected by terrorism in two separate European countries, perpetrated by two entirely separate politicised groups.
It is effective therefore people continue to perpetrate it.

YADefinitelyNBU, OP.

I'm standing in solidarity with Charlie, and the 12 people murdered in the name of extremist lunacy.

I found out about this earlier than some people may have; family in close proximity. Very close, but safe.

The perpetrators apparently dumped their getaway vehicle less than five minutes walk from family member's home, on a little side street I have walked past countless times and can clearly see in my mind's eye.

The good news is that the police believe that they know who is responsible, and where they are.

What has happened is absolutely terrible. My thoughts are with the families of those who were killed.

I am all in favour of free speech but some of the cartoons were pretty disgusting and bound to enrage extremists. Why put a stick like that into a hornets nest ffs.

Absolutely NO excuse for what has happened but you'd have to be mad not to realise they would cause huge offence. Publishing even a respectful image of the Prophet is banned in Islamic culture.

For anyone not familiar with the type of cartoons published:

3.bp.blogspot.com/--2bMSjGOCNY/UFsGSKRauYI/AAAAAAAACZ8/ZfA0-Cz0X5Q/s1600/iTumRdEJePilN-e1348078503609.jpeg

(Translation: Mohammed: A star is born)

I agree absolutely, FightOrFlight, that there is no excuse for this horrific act. None whatsoever.

I too believe absolutely in free speech, but wonder if the aims of these murderers isn't precisely to stifle free speech. Let's kill 12 innocent people

I am all in favour of wearing what you like but some of those skirts were so short and bound to entice rapists

I am all in favour of being independent but some of those routes are quite deserted and walking home alone was bound to attract murderers.

Not sure how much i like your reasoning Fight, sounds a bit like 'it's really bad, but...'

....posted too soon...

12 people, including police officers to make us afraid of their fundamentalist lunacy. I don't want to be ruled by fear, or to walk on eggshells. There is respect for a culture and submissive kowtowing. What do they want and how many innocent people must die to satisfy a twisted idealism?

Nerf

"sounds a bit like 'it's really bad, but..."

Not at all. There is absolutely NO excuse for this horrific act.

Likening that cartoon to wearing a short skirt though is not a good comparison imo. A cartoon like that was deliberately provocative, wearing a short skirt isn't. Many (most?) Muslims would have been offended by that picture though very very few (thank whoever) would react in such an extreme way.

I find the cartoon very offensive tbh and I just don't understand why anyone would want to flame the fires of religious hatred.

There is respect for a culture and submissive kowtowing

That cartoon has absolutely no respect for Islam, nothing to do with kowtowing. We aren't talking about some saucy, seaside postcard type of cartoon. It's highly offensive to followers of the religion.

'Many (most?) Muslims would have been offended by that picture though very very few (thank whoever) would react in such an extreme way.'

Showing how little this has to do with Islam or the cartoons.

Alan Henning didn't publish any cartoons and wasn't offensive, nor was Lee Rigby, James Foley or any of the others who were painfully murdered.

The people who do this kind of shit are well able to flame the fires all on their own, they don't need an excuse.

The cartoon isn't to my taste, but I can't help but think who the fuck do they think they are to try and tell anyone what they can/can't do??

They target lots of religions.

I'm not a Muslim, science bod who dislikes organised religion.

Those cartoons were designed to provoke upset and stir a reaction amongst Muslims: effectively telling them "we are free to mock things that you hold heartfelt and sacred. What are you going to do about it?"

No excuse for violence, but I can't really muster up much sympathy here.

Shouldn't "journalists" be, y'know, taking risks and covering stuff that actually matters, rather than scoring cheap social points bullying an ethnic and religious minority?

FightOrFlight. Would you kill someone if they offended your belief? No. Or at least I bloody hope not.

Religion is a belief, like Santa Claus. If it works for you, it works for you.

I'd like to know the average IQ of these offended twats.