After the recent attack on twelve well-known French humorists and cartoonists (including Charlie Hebdo), thousands of people have been gathering on the streets of major cities in France to defend rights to free speech and freedom of expression. The attacks, instigated by a small group of Middle Eastern people, targeted a select number of journalists who had satirically written cartoons, etc. that portrayed aspects of Middle Eastern religion and culture in a mocking manner. London, Berlin, Barcelona, Rome, Tours, Toulouse, Brest, and Lyon are just a few of the European cities where demonstrations were held. Protesters have coined the phrase "Je Suis Charlie" ("I am Charlie" - referring to the cartoonist, Charlie Hebdo) that has been chanted throughout these crowds to show how people are uniting around the world to defend the right to express oneself.
These demonstrations are an example of how the populous society has banded together to protect their freedom of speech, (which is recognized in America and many other democratic societies today in our prospective constitutions). Personally, I think that these actions are essential; threatening one's right to speak out with violence will only lead to a dictatorial society that must follow the will of one omnipotent, threatening power. However, I do not agree with some of the cartoonist's positions (I don't think that mocking another's religion/culture is necessary or appropriate in the media), I do defend the cause that has been created in these cartoonist's honor.
Source:
http://www.cnn.com/2015/01/07/world/france-rally-reaction-charlie-hebdo-attack/index.html
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