[graciegirl]

The paper was one that pushed the edge, made everyone angry, held nothing sacred. The cartoon was one of An Isis member in black holding a knife to the throat of a person dressed as the prophet and that figure saying, I am God, you idiot. Or at least that is what I got from the Today Show this morning.

The retaliation was planned. The editor and the cartoonists rarely were there at the same time, some worked for other publications. They were all there when the gunman killed them, and the police officer(s) who protected them.

They have traced the gunmen to the northern edge of Paris to a downtrodden area where a heavy population of Islamic people live. A white athletic shoe fell out of the car driven by the gunman so the police surmised they were ready to change clothes and blend in.

Is this violence or is it terrorism?

How do you feel about this? What should be done? Does this scare you?

[Taltarzac725]

7 janvier 2015 : mort de mai 68 #jesuicharlie http://t.co/r7Rga9MCFO - scoopnest.fr

Despicable act.

[dbussone]

This is terrorism. I have a couple of points to make:
We, the citizens of the U.S, who love this country, are part of the problem. We have been beaten over the head so often about cultural sensitivities that political correctness is the order of the day. This needs to stop NOW.
Our Muslim citizens who stand by and don't speak out against acts like this are part of the problem.
Our Muslim citizens who don't turn out the radicals in their midst are a larger problem.
That we as a nation don't tell immigrants who come here to adopt the laws and cultures of our country - because of political correctness - is a problem. Instead we allow them to come here and segregate themselves into ghetto like enclaves; then they want us to recognize their "right" to practice sharia law.

We love to welcome immigrants who are excited to come here and join the fabric of the greatest nation on earth. Do NOT come here and try to tell us how to run it or how to change it. If you don't like the way we do things, DON'T come here.

It's time to take a strong position against those who wish to see us wiped off the face of the earth. Stop political correctness; stop extremists and do what is necessary to make that happen. Sorry if this offends a few people - or even a lot of people - too bad. This is a war for survival for us, for our country, and our way of life. If you don't recognize that, then YOU are also part of the problem.

[Villages PL]

Originally Posted by graciegirl

The paper was one that pushed the edge, made everyone angry, held nothing sacred. The cartoon was one of An Isis member in black holding a knife to the throat of a person dressed as Allah and that figure saying, I am God, you idiot. Or at least that is what I got from the Today Show this morning. The retaliation was planned. The editor and the cartoonist rarely were there at the same time, some worked for other publications. They were all there when the gunman killed them, and the police officer(s) who protected them.

They have traced the gunmen to the northern edge of Paris to a downtrodden area where a heavy population of Islamic people live. A white athletic shoe fell out of the car driven by the gunman so the police surmised they were ready to change clothes and blend in.

Is this violence or is it terrorism?

How do you feel about this? What should be done? Does this scare you?

I think the cartoon you described, if true, was a bit extreme and they brought violence upon themselves by acting stupidly. They lost their lives for what, to prove a point?

How do I feel? Fine. What should be done? Search for the killers. Does it scare me? No, should it?

[kcrazorbackfan]

This is terrorism. Not many things worry me, but the possibility of another large terroristic act on US soil really scares me. And what is it where nearly everyday we hear of a high profile shooting (Ft. Bliss yesterday). What is happening to America?

[redwitch]

It doesn't scare me but it certainly angers me. People should have the right to express their views. They should not be killed for that.

As to the comments about political correctness, here's my view. Used correctly, being PC is the right thing to do. It is showing an acceptance of another's beliefs and respecting them as individuals. To me, this is exactly what everyone should be doing. However, it does not mean kowtowing to another. It does not mean having ballots printed in myriad languages. It does not mean having to deny one's own beliefs to accommodate another.

English was not my first language. It was my fifth. My parents firmly believed we would learn the language of the country in which we resided. We would learn their customs and accept that they had a right to their customs as much as we did ours. My poor mother could not pick up a new language to save her life, but she tried.

America has gotten confused and somehow decided that people have the right to practice their customs everywhere, not just in their homes. No demands are made to integrate into our melting pot. We go out of our way to accommodate those coming here. It is well past time that the government and corporations stop with the Spanish option on phones, etc. Foreigners in the past were forced to learn English. It made assimilation possible. Today, there is no need to assimilate.

You don't like our laws? Then work within the legal framework to change them. Don't demand that you have special laws just for your group. Peaceful protest has been proven to make a difference.

Some of the issues we've brought upon ourselves. Americans have always relegated newcomers into their own ghettos and enclaves. It was easier for a group that looked like our forefathers to move out and become part of the upwardly mobile. It is not so easy for people of color to move out and up, especially when they don't speak English and have no need to learn it. We need to quit bending over backwards but it has to start at the top, not with the average man.

[Taltarzac725]

Originally Posted by Villages PL

I think the cartoon you described, if true, was a bit extreme and they brought violence upon themselves by acting stupidly. They lost their lives for what, to prove a point?

How do I feel? Fine. What should be done? Search for the killers. Does it scare me? No, should it?

Art no matter how bad an idea is still just an expression of something. It should never be met with violence. French history is full of people using ideas to propel violent actions. That's probably why they support freedom of speech so strongly. Just think what could have been done if people were made to laugh at various monsters throughout European history rather than taking them seriously.

This seems to be a reason for better communication, education and tolerance about other cultures, religions, etc., and not less.

[Barefoot]

Originally Posted by dbussone

This is terrorism. I have a couple of points to make:
We, the citizens of the U.S, who love this country, are part of the problem. We have been beaten over the head so often about cultural sensitivities that political correctness is the order of the day. This needs to stop NOW.
Our Muslim citizens who stand by and don't speak out against acts like this are part of the problem.
Our Muslim citizens who don't turn out the radicals in their midst are a larger problem.
That we as a nation don't tell immigrants who come here to adopt the laws and cultures of our country - because of political correctness - is a problem. Instead we allow them to come here and segregate themselves into ghetto like enclaves; then they want us to recognize their "right" to practice sharia law.

We love to welcome immigrants who are excited to come here and join the fabric of the greatest nation on earth. Do NOT come here and try to tell us how to run it or how to change it. If you don't like the way we do things, DON'T come here.

It's time to take a strong position against those who wish to see us wiped off the face of the earth. Stop political correctness; stop extremists and do what is necessary to make that happen. Sorry if this offends a few people - or even a lot of people - too bad. This is a war for survival for us, for our country, and our way of life. If you don't recognize that, then YOU are also part of the problem.

Dbussone, I agree.
Political correctness is also rampant in Canada.

[Villages PL]

Originally Posted by Taltarzac725

Art no matter how bad an idea is still just an expression of something. It should never be met with violence. French history is full of people using ideas to propel violent actions. That's probably why they support freedom of speech so strongly. Just think what could have been done if people were made to laugh at various monsters throughout European history rather than taking them seriously.

This seems to be a reason for better communication, education and tolerance about other cultures, religions, etc., and not less.

I agree 100% with everything you said. However, did the cartoonist show tolerance concerning another culture and religion? I think he was trying to provoke a reaction and he got one, which was not very smart if one wishes to stay alive. I'm looking at it from an immediate and practical standpoint. Did he solve any cultural problems by his actions?

[Sandtrap328]

Basically, it was downright stupid to publish a cartoon like that in light of the large Muslim population in France. The paper was asking for trouble. Dang, use common sense- it is not capitulation to use common sense.

Was it terrorism or violence? Both. Was it justified? No.

[Beechie]

Originally Posted by Villages PL

I agree 100% with everything you said. However, did the cartoonist show tolerance concerning another culture and religion? I think he was trying to provoke a reaction and he got one, which was not very smart if one wishes to stay alive. I'm looking at it from an immediate and practical standpoint. Did he solve any cultural problems by his actions?

Political correctness can and will quell freedom of speech. Political satire is the exercising of that fundamental right in a democracy. Like it or not. We only agree with the satire if it suits our ideology. To accept and succumb to the horrible outcome as "expected" in light of their political satire is outrageous. To suggest they got what they deserved is a victory for the terrorists. Certainly the two dead policemen were just there to do their job. We have to stop making excuses for their rampant murdering sprees and we need to resist blaming the victims.

[dbussone]

Originally Posted by Beechie

Political correctness can and will quell freedom of speech. Political satire is the exercising of that fundamental right in a democracy. Like it or not. We only agree with the satire if it suits our ideology. To accept and succumb to the horrible outcome as "expected" in light of their political satire is outrageous. To suggest they got what they deserved is a victory for the terrorists. Certainly the two dead policemen were just there to do their job. We have to stop making excuses for their rampant murdering sprees and we need to resist blaming the victims.

Amen. Well said.

[Taltarzac725]

Originally Posted by Sandtrap328

Basically, it was downright stupid to publish a cartoon like that in light of the large Muslim population in France. The paper was asking for trouble. Dang, use common sense- it is not capitulation to use common sense.

Was it terrorism or violence? Both. Was it justified? No.

They were not asking to be murdered. This was terrorism targeting someone who offended the religious and cultural viewpoints of extremists. It is not political correct to support these kind of murderous acts in any peaceful society that I know of in 2015.

[Sandtrap328]

Originally Posted by Taltarzac725

They were not asking to be murdered. This was terrorism targeting someone who offended the religious and cultural viewpoints of extremists.

Terrorism targeting someone who offended the religious and cultural viewpoints of extremists. Absolutely correct.

Once again, the paper was not exercising common sense in publishing an insensitive and offensive cartoon in a country with such a large Muslim population. Some extremists got very angry and committed murder. Definitely wrong but common sense would have prevented that from happening.

[Chi-Town]

This cartoon was the cover for the New Yorker magazine a few years back. Satire and press are common associates. But not worth murdering for. Unless you're a nutjob.