In
the Philippines (above), Pakistan, Algeria and other Muslim nations,
people are just as outraged by the work of Charlie Hebdo
as Westerners
are about the massacre of its editorial staff.
Questioning Charlie Hebdo or Being Algerian is not Terrorism! (Le Quotidien d'Oran, Algeria)
"At the
moment in France and Europe, 'it is not good to be a Muslim.' It is not good to
be Algerian or of Algerian origin. Yet most Muslims completely share the view
expressed about these 'jihadists' by Hezbullah chief Hassan Nasrallah, who said
that through their 'vile, violent and inhumane acts, have harmed The Prophet
and Muslims more than did their enemies … more than the books, films and
cartoons that have so insulted The Prophet.' … These 'militants' - like the
indigenous citizens of the Republic, journalists thinking 'outside the box,'
and others, are being held 'responsible' for crimes they disapprove of with
every fiber of their being. … It is not through the stigmatization of entire
populations, emerging political forces and by silencing those who struggle to
expose political contradictions that these problems will be resolved."
Whether they are practicing religious believers, agnostics
or atheists, French and Europeans of Arab, North African or African descent,
however distant, are experiencing very hard times. They are blamed, ostracized,
held responsible for or complicit with the very serious acts committed in
France last week. The phrase "reject lumping
everyone together" is used purely as a matter of form so that people who
see an opportunity to remark and analyze these criminal actions absolve
themselves from criticism later.
At the moment in France and Europe, "it is not good to
be a Muslim." It is not good to be Algerian or of Algerian origin, among
others, who have often been classified as dangerous. These are the messages
we're receiving from people we know in France, more or less formulated in
identical terms. Yet most Muslims completely share the view expressed about
these 'jihadists' by Hezbullah chief Hassan Nasrallah, who he said that through
their "vile, violent and inhumane acts, have harmed The Prophet and
Muslims more than did their enemies … more than the books, films and cartoons
that have so insulted The Prophet [video below]." Obviously these are
voices we are trying not to hear.
The situation is even more difficult for those who are
actively and publicly engaged - acting within the law, let's make that clear, in
the fight against social discrimination and Islamophobia.
The "lumping together" is in fact already operating against those
who, exercising the right to free expression recognized under the law, voice their disagreement with the ideas of Charlie Hebdo. These "militants" - like the indigenous
peoples of the Republic, journalists thinking "outside the box," and
others, are being held "responsible" for crimes they disapprove of
with every fiber of their being. It is not pure emotion that obliges them to
defend themselves. Some, like extremists on the far-right, but not only them,
have already launched an assault on the free expression of others for the
purposes of political exploitation, summoning them to keep quiet.
This moment of intense emotion and anger seems to some the
perfect time to impinge on free expression, which is nonetheless the signpost
being brandished. Sensing the ill wind, the French unionists of "Solidaires," on the very
day of the carnage, unanimously
rejected "all the enemies of freedom whose will is to stigmatize individuals
and groups based on their origin, culture, or religion after this atrocious
act." This wasn't just a case of simple premonition. Looking at the television
coverage where the words "lumping together" are frequently repeated,
there is indeed a blacklisting with respect to a Muslim community that doesn't
exist, and which is summoned not in order to condemn it, which is a foregone
conclusion, but to assume "responsibility." Pure fantasy!
Posted By Worldmeets.US
With emotions unleashed, people are choosing their words
carelessly, thoughtlessly referring to those involved in the public and
political debate as "guilty." It's as if they want to impose a
conclusion: that the fault is with Islam and Muslims. This, however, is not a
simple matter of religion or of the alleged incapacity of Islam to adapt to
modernity. The modern "jihad" was born of the Cold War. It was
orchestrated and perpetuated. The policies pursued by Western States and Arab
governments created these mutants that destroy Arab and Muslim countries. It is
not through the stigmatization of entire populations, emerging political forces
and by silencing those who struggle to expose political contradictions that
these problems will be resolved. This in fact creates Daesh
recruits. That is to say nothing of attempting to exploit painful times to
engage in political maneuvers.
