Until a few days back, I had never heard of "Charlie Hebdo"; and with a circulation of some 60,000 not many around the world would have known about it either. The reason for the slaughter was attributed to blasphemy as the magazine had published cartoons depicting Prophet Muhammed. If one was to read up on him; their would be a realization that like any man, he too had a sense of humour - and more than that - a sense of forgiveness towards those who had even wronged him. How then can someone kill in his name or justify the killing with his preaching? There are many who believe that the magazine pushed the envelope a bit to far and offended the sentiments of Muslims around the world; and that the French government should have put a ban on it. What they don't realize is that the constitution of that Country and that of many others allows freedom of expression - right or wrong. Incidentally, Charlie Hedbo has made disparaging fun against all ethnic groups including Jews. (https://firstlook.org/theintercept/2015/01/09/solidarity-charlie-hebdo-cartoons/). Thank God that Hindus have not gone to the same extremes at their mythical Gods and Goddesses being converted to caricature and mythical lore rewritten as new age fantasy fiction. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ramayan_3392_A.D.).jpg)
But; the purpose of the perpetrators has been achieved. It has taken the divide between various ethnic groups of the world versus the Muslims of the world one step closer to confrontation even though a significant majority are themselves shocked at and opposed to what has happened on the streets of Paris. The anguish of the aftermath has been capitalized upon by world leaders to justify their own actions against a certain communities pushing more into the fold of radical fundamentalism. If turning peace marches into a political statement march was not enough; more insanity followed with one news channel's anchor making a statement on air for Muslims to kill all radical Islamists (http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2015/01/13/fox-news-host-jeanine-pirro-islamic-terror-rant-we-need-to-kill-them_n_6461328.html). Is this an isolated view or that of a growing majority? It scares me to think that it is the latter.
There is a growing call by citizens of Western nations with a liberal immigration policy to re-examine who gets to come in. America; called the "Biggest devil" by the radicals is actually one of the most tolerant and liberal of all nations when it comes to welcoming people to its shores and permitting expression even that hurts it at times. [I was in Washington DC a couple of years back and stayed there for a few days close to the White House. I witnessed a Man from Afghanistan shouting anti-American anti-President slogans outside the White house by day (unhindered by the security) and retiring to a Church shelter for food, bed and bath by night. Can't imagine where else this would have been tolerated]. Should such barriers on religious lines come up the divide will only get deeper and push the world closer to a tipping point.
Charlie Hebdo has reached a tipping point of sorts in global visibility. The sales of its latest print magazine carrying a depiction of the Prophet (yes once again) is projected to cross over 3 million*. "Maintenant, je sais trop Charlie" (Now I too know Charlie)
On a very different note I feel that 2015 will be known as the year of paradigm shifts - some even positive. We are precariously close to the edge on many fronts - emotional, environmental and economic. I hope we as humanity can save ourselves through our own actions from irreversible disaster; and in that belief wishing this world a Very Happy 2015 from here on.
*Latest news is that 5 million copies will be published.
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