(IMAGE:
IAN LANGSDON)
January 7, 2015.
People from different nations have trended #JESUISCHARLIE on
different social networking sites, in memory of the Paris Shooting Incident. ‘Jesuis Charlie’ means ‘I am Charlie’ (someone who fights for
his/her rights by using a pen or in other words, a journalist)
12 people died because of the massive shooting incident in
Paris, France.
These people are journalists, cartoonists and writers from Charlie Hebdo.
The said publication have been under the surveillance of the
Islamic society because of its satire, insulting yet truthful cartoons.
I will not be sugar coating this incident by writing “The people from Charlie Hebdo deserves to
die because they were against different religions…” because they were free
to do so. They have every right to say their thoughts through literary pieces
such as their cartoons.
I do not want to say hurtful things against the Islamic
Faith. Because as much as I want to oppress and condemn the people who are
liable on this occurrence, I am afraid --- that I am not different from the
murderers. The ‘religious ones’ who were finding fault at the citizens who does
not believe the faith they want them to believe, and by killing the people and
using religion as an excuse. It is inhumane and I do not want to be labeled as
a ‘religion hypocrite’ like them.
I do not belong to free thinkers, Atheists, Theists,
Agnostics, Buddhism, Muslim, Catholicism, Hinduism and many more, but on God
alone. I am a Christian journalist and my faith is compelling me to respect
other people’s rights. I would not blame the people of Charlie Hebdo for enjoying the freedom of speech.
Oh wait… were they really FREE?
(Illustrated by David Pope)
Where is freedom? Where is justice? Where is humanity? Where
is peace?
We were not even free to begin with. Although we remain tough,
we could not hide that the society is controlling us in whatever we do.
Every year, thousands and thousands of journalists are
killed because the people wants to stop them from publishing their reports and
opinions about politics, religion and other sensitive topics that is evident in
the society. They want us to be quiet. They want us to hide the darkness of the
world. They want us to hide the truth. They want the people to believe the
half-assed media. They want us to believe the ‘manipulated truth’.
Too bad for them because we will not let this go anymore.
Even if we are going to be killed, we have chosen to fight-
with our pens, with our minds, with our souls, with our bodies.
And I believe that God will be with us as we face this
warfare.
Join the campaign “#JesuisCharlie”.
(Pens are held up as a
support for #JESUISCHARLIE.
IMAGE: DAMIEN MEYER)
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