There are two sides to every story. In the case of the Charlie Hebdo massacre, one side — the one that has received by far the most media attention — tells us that crazy terrorists mowed down innocent journalists, who were just standing up for free speech in publishing their controversial magazine. In this version of the story, the Charlie Hebdo staff and their allies stare wide-eyed into the camera, victims of religious extremists who just don’t know how to take a joke.
But there is another side to the story, too — one we have been hearing far less about. This side of the story is told by people who — though condemning violence born of religious fundamentalism — take offense at the Charlie Hebdo style of baiting the religious with satire and sarcasm. It is a sad commentary on our society — and even our own little neighborhood here in the Berkshires — that a local woman who felt strongly enough about the offensiveness of Charlie Hebdo’s mockery of Islam to write about it for EdgeWise, still felt she could not risk attaching her name and face to her opinions.
She did, however, want to share her perspective anonymously, as a counter to the prevailing discourse glorifying the cartoonists’ right to freely offend whomever they wish. These are her words:
“As an ordinary mother, wife, and Muslim woman living in Berkshire County, I send my sincere condolences to the families who lost loved ones this month in France. Killing and shooting any human being is a crime. I am truly sorry for the awful act of this group of terrorists who claim they are Muslim. I am also writing to say that ‘I am not Charlie.’
There is a clear line between freedom of speech, satire, and insulting others. As a mother, I was outraged by the Charlie Hebdo cartoon that depicted as welfare queens the Nigerian girls who were kidnapped by the Boko Haram group. What was the intention of the cartoonists when they drew a Black minister of justice as a monkey? Are these cartoonists allowed to make fun of any religion or any kind of misery? For example, are they allowed to make jokes about the Holocaust? And if they did, how might people react?
“It hurts me to see that these cartoonists can insult a faith or religion under the cover of ‘freedom of speech.’ It hurts to know that nobody cares. It hurts to feel and to live as ‘the other’ — for example, imagine living in a place that celebrates almost every religious holiday, except yours.
“Islam is not the religion which Al Qaeda, the Taliban, Boko Haram, ISIS, or even Charlie Hebdo magazine tell us it is. Islam invites people to peace, compassion, tolerance, and mercy. The Quran repeatedly prohibits fighting. Jihad is only to be used in self-defense: ‘Fight in the cause of God those who start fighting you, but do not transgress limits [or start the attack]; for God loveth not transgressors’ (The Quran 2:190). According to the Quran, Jihad is not about blowing up buildings packed with civilians, or shooting others because they do not agree with your beliefs.
“A true Muslim is a person who can be trusted not to harm with words or actions. Although unfortunately the verses in the Quran can be interpreted in many different ways, I do not believe that these terrorists are true Muslims. I also believe that mocking and insulting other faiths goes beyond the boundaries of freedom of speech.
“I send my deepest condolences to the people of France, and I hope we can soon be united to fight the terrorists, but ‘Je ne suis pas Charlie.’ ”
I, Jennifer, envision a diverse world community that is respectful and accepting of a wide range of faiths, ideologies, political systems and ways of doing things. Yes, there is certainly room for humor within all societies, and yes, sometimes it’s true that political correctness can go too far, stifling free expression. But like the anonymous author above, I believe that no one is well-served by mockery. Every group wants to have its beliefs and revered figures taken seriously. In the wake of the tragic massacre in Paris, I hope that those of us who care about freedom of the press will also acknowledge the responsibility of the press to use that freedom for the good of every component of our global social mosaic, as well as for the good of society as a whole. That would be a banner and a hashtag worth uniting behind: #Freespeechforsocialgood.
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The anonymous author moved to the United States with her family to pursue a better education and a new life. She is currently a part-time student and enjoys working as a volunteer for several local organizations. Her long-term goal is to help immigrant women who are seeking a better life in a foreign country; she believes that happiness can be reached in part through helping others.
The weekly EDGE WISE column is curated by Jennifer Browdy, Ph.D., associate professor of comparative literature, gender studies and media studies at Bard College at Simon’s Rock and the Founding Director of the Berkshire Festival of Women Writers. Women writers interested in publishing in EDGE WISE can find writers’ guidelines on the Festival website, or may submit queries or columns to Jennifer@berkshirewomenwriters.org.
