We want to live in a beautiful world.
Currently, demonstrations in solidarity with the victims of the Charlie Hebdo terrorist attack are being organized around the world. Estimates of hundreds if not thousands of people from all walks of life are protesting the very idea of religious fundamentalist violence.
Many people say that it’s about damn time that we “sided with the victims”, That it’s a far-cry from the polar opposite that followed the publication and controversy of The Danish Jyllands-Posten Muhammad cartoons back in 2005, or the Rushdie affair back in 1988, when a fatwa issued by Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini of Iran for the murder of Salman Rushdie over his work of fiction, The Satanic Verses.
Many say that we’re finally no longer getting bullied by Islamo-fascists and religious maniacs into blaming innocent people for daring to even hint at exercising their “right and freedom of speech and self-expression”. They call it a breath of fresh air to see that the “civilized world” finally seems to have realized that such freedoms and rights are moot if they aren’t always honored, protected and respected, even if that includes criticizing and offending the religious. And one may be able to make the case that it’s beautiful to see that we no longer put up with murder in the name of [insert preferred god here].
People speak of moral universalism, or western values, or other such talking points you hear from centrists and liberals to mask-on far-right extremists of our own. But nobody speaks of islamophobia, or at least not in the sense that a big chunk of Muslim brothers and sisters among us are more politically progressive than us and we’re too scared of them to notice. Even in many of the Middle Eastern countries, this too can be found. We don’t speak of what causes this religious right-wing conservative extremism, or it’s not taken seriously. It doesn’t fit the narrative of the status quo. We can’t fathom being in the shoes of someone living in these countries, whose entire family dies from another Western drone strike, with no option but to join these right-wing extremists which hold so much power because that’s their only chance at protection form further violence from the skies. We westerners are too damn anti-communist to support any left wing resistance, unless we’re talking about Rojava.
The mourning should be even for all the lives lost on all sides, maybe we should end the cycle of violence that keeps fueling more of this right-wing extremism. Maybe we should see the right wing religious extremism on our side that keeps fearmongering for forever wars, and dismantle their power and de-platform them forever. Clean our own rooms before we begin judging or wondering how the violence we perpetuate in the Middle East for dirty resources that are killing our environment come back to haunt us while we’re awake. Maybe we should truly throw all right-wing extremism into the dustbin of history, beginning with our own. We may see more peaceful times. #jesuischarlie
Much love,
Zen Politics
“Je suis Charlie” – Published January 8, 2015
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