"I was in Paris when the city that I love most, Boston, was bombed during the Marathon. Tonight, my heart is in Paris with all of those mourning the 12 lives lost far to soon."
Three heavily armed gunmen stormed the offices of a Parisian satirical newspaper on Wednesday where they shot and killed 12 people before escaping and prompting a massive manhunt across Paris.
The suspects, 2 brothers born in Paris, and one other man, killed the newspaper’s editor, along with journalists and police officers, in the name of Islam. The satirical newspaper, Charlie Hebdo, has enraged Muslims for printing cartoons of the Prophet Muhammad.
Due to the caliber and military-style of the attacks, it is believed that the suspects have been trained and that this was a precisely planned attack. This act of terror, the deadliest Parris has seen in decades, brings fears that non-native jihadists will continue to carry out attacks across Europe. The same newspaper offices were firebombed in 2011 after the newspaper featured a cartoon of the Prophet Muhammad on a magazine cover.
NBC has reported that one of the suspects has been killed and the two others are in custody.
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First of all, I would like to offer my deepest sympathies to France and all those affected by these devastating attacks.
These attacks bring about two issues for me.
As a journalism major, I see these attacks as a threat to free speech. These people were murdered because they printed things about a specific religion. I can only hope that France, and the rest of the free-speaking world does not let these attacks restrict what they say, print, or report. Freedom of speech should be a universal right, one that should not be thwarted in fear of terrorist retaliation.
The recent Sony hackings have also threated free speech with the delayed and in some cases cancelled premiere of the movie, “The Interview”, which negatively portrays North Korea’s leader, Kim Jong Un. North Korea, the country behind these cyber attacks threatened violence on any theatre that showed the movie.
I understand refraining from showing the movie in fear of violence on innocent civilians, and I applaud the theatres that have decided to show it. I also think that it is impressive that Sony has found other ways to show the movie, such a viewing it On Demand. We must not let fear restrict our rights.
Secondly, I just cannot understand how any act of terror can be carried out in the name of “religion.” I strongly believe that all people have the right to practice whatever religion they so choose in whatever way they choose to do so. But I find it devastating that so many innocent people have lost their lives in the name of “religion.”
In my opinion, religion can be many different things for different people. Religion can guide one’s life; or offer solace, guidance, and strength in times of weakness. It can provide a source of community, or be a personal commitment. I believe that religion can be a major part of ones life, a piece of ones life, or not present at all. All human beings deserve the right to practice, or not practice religion as they see fit.
But I don’t believe that religion should be one in which people are killed for not believing in the same things. In radical Islam followers are encouraged to take their destiny into their own hands and attack non-believers, or anyone who defies Islam. Any extremist religion, whether it is radical Islam, white supremacy, or anything else, which carries out acts of terror, is certainly not a religion in my eyes.
I was in Paris when the city that I love most, Boston, was bombed during the Marathon. Tonight, my heart is in Paris with all of those mourning the 12 lives lost far to soon.
The suspects, 2 brothers born in Paris, and one other man, killed the newspaper’s editor, along with journalists and police officers, in the name of Islam. The satirical newspaper, Charlie Hebdo, has enraged Muslims for printing cartoons of the Prophet Muhammad.
Due to the caliber and military-style of the attacks, it is believed that the suspects have been trained and that this was a precisely planned attack. This act of terror, the deadliest Parris has seen in decades, brings fears that non-native jihadists will continue to carry out attacks across Europe. The same newspaper offices were firebombed in 2011 after the newspaper featured a cartoon of the Prophet Muhammad on a magazine cover.
NBC has reported that one of the suspects has been killed and the two others are in custody.
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
First of all, I would like to offer my deepest sympathies to France and all those affected by these devastating attacks.
These attacks bring about two issues for me.
As a journalism major, I see these attacks as a threat to free speech. These people were murdered because they printed things about a specific religion. I can only hope that France, and the rest of the free-speaking world does not let these attacks restrict what they say, print, or report. Freedom of speech should be a universal right, one that should not be thwarted in fear of terrorist retaliation.
The recent Sony hackings have also threated free speech with the delayed and in some cases cancelled premiere of the movie, “The Interview”, which negatively portrays North Korea’s leader, Kim Jong Un. North Korea, the country behind these cyber attacks threatened violence on any theatre that showed the movie.
I understand refraining from showing the movie in fear of violence on innocent civilians, and I applaud the theatres that have decided to show it. I also think that it is impressive that Sony has found other ways to show the movie, such a viewing it On Demand. We must not let fear restrict our rights.
Secondly, I just cannot understand how any act of terror can be carried out in the name of “religion.” I strongly believe that all people have the right to practice whatever religion they so choose in whatever way they choose to do so. But I find it devastating that so many innocent people have lost their lives in the name of “religion.”
In my opinion, religion can be many different things for different people. Religion can guide one’s life; or offer solace, guidance, and strength in times of weakness. It can provide a source of community, or be a personal commitment. I believe that religion can be a major part of ones life, a piece of ones life, or not present at all. All human beings deserve the right to practice, or not practice religion as they see fit.
But I don’t believe that religion should be one in which people are killed for not believing in the same things. In radical Islam followers are encouraged to take their destiny into their own hands and attack non-believers, or anyone who defies Islam. Any extremist religion, whether it is radical Islam, white supremacy, or anything else, which carries out acts of terror, is certainly not a religion in my eyes.
I was in Paris when the city that I love most, Boston, was bombed during the Marathon. Tonight, my heart is in Paris with all of those mourning the 12 lives lost far to soon.