There’s a lot going on in the wake of the tragic shootings at Charlie Hebdo , the French satirical magazine that drew the ire of radical extremists due to caricatures of Mohammed , as reported by the Inquisitr . Soon after the shootings that killed 12 people in and around the Paris-based offices of Charlie Hebdo , this reporter watched the Charlie Hebdo website transform from its ironic “Charlie is in danger!” headline — presumably published prior to the terrorist attack on the magazine’s staff and the officers who responded to help those under attack — to the “Je Suis Charlie” heading that can currently be seen on CharlieHebdo.fr, along with additional statements about freedom of the press.
“Because the pen is always above barbarism…
Because freedom is a universal right…
Because you support us…
We, Charlie, get out your next Wednesday newspaper!
Charlie Hebdo Journal Survivors Wednesday, 1/14”
The “Je Suis Charlie” or “I Am Charlie” message became a rallying cry, not simply for journalists, but for everyone who believes in being able to freely express their feelings on a number of issues – chiefly politics and religion – and not worry about suffering the wrath of terrorists using violence to try and shut them up.
As such, the Associated Press reports that Kevin Seraphin of the Washington Wizards donned a black T-shirt prior to a game on Friday night against the Chicago Bulls emblazoned with the “Je Suis Charlie” message to demonstrate his support with the Charlie Hebdo staff. With family living in Paris, Seraphin, who hails from French Guiana, sent his mother a text message to make sure she was okay after the attacks. NBA player Nicolas Batum – from the Portland Trail Blazers and French-born – also wore a “Je Suis Charlie” T-shirt prior to his team’s game on Thursday versus the Miami Heat.
One wonders if Charlie Hebdo staffers appreciate the sudden support, with cartoonist Barnard Holtrop stating that he missed the editorial meeting on Wednesday because he didn’t like the Charlie Hebdo meetings – a move that saved his life – but that he regurgitates on new friends showing support, like the pope and Queen Elizabeth, according to the Malay Mail Online .
“We vomit on all these people who suddenly say they are our friends.”
Interestingly, the Daily Mail reports that Jewish people are leaving Paris in droves due to anti-Semitic actions and terrorist attacks in France that have caused the country’s Jewish residents to drop from 500,000 to approximately 400,000 or less.
[Image of ‘Je Suis Charlie’ T-shirt Via Fox News]