All imperfect but all in respect

Something terrible happened yesterday in France at Charlie Hebdo.

First thing first, I condamn, despise terrorism and the victims of yesterday did not deserve to die because of extreme and violent people only interested in power and generating fear.

However, I am worried about the message this incident will send and its repercussions. Charlie Hebdo has done cool things, they opened their mouth on important topics, they made us laugh, they made us think. And it's good that there are people like that to do it, I respect all the work they put into it. It was also the goal they were pursuing when they released cartoons depecting Mahomet. So far, nothing strange. It's a lot "western", seen a lot, it entertains. But it was badly received. I'm not talking about some extremist/integrist people seeking the first pretext to stimulate violence. I'm talking about all the other Muslims of this world that live their religion in peace and respect and that, if they were not truly chocked by this western initiative, were hurt.

At the time of the scandal, I was young. I didn't understand why a simple harmless cartoon could be interpreted in such a dramatic way. It took years and a comic strip to figure out why. In the biography "La voiture d'Intisar", the main character made me realize it is a cultural difference. The prophet is sacred for Muslims, and not depecting him in any way is also sacred and precious. It goes along with all those people believe in, their philosophy and a set of values they cherish and apply everyday. And as Intisar says " I don't understand why people don't think about what it can represent to destroy what we believe in, what is most precious to us. What cause does it serve? What does it bring? They have the power to do it, but what does it bring if just hurting us?"

We don't get offended for a cartoon in the Western world. But we would be chocked to hear that people ransacked and damaged the Cathedral of Notre-Dame or a huge 1000-years-old statue of Buddha in Thailand, monuments that we all value for their history, culture and spiritual symbol for many people. So when the Muslim community feels like its most sacred symbol was damaged, why continue, why repeat these cartoons?

It makes me sad to now see these cartoons all over the internet as a symbol of triumph and provocation, or reading comments like "Charlie Hebdo resisted to stupid religious issues". I am atheist in a family of catholic origin, religion is not important to me. But it can be important for others, and without affiliating or understanding, I want to at least respect.

Charlie Hebdo's illustrators have made great things, and mistakes as well. Just like everyone, because we're all imperfect, because it's often difficult to see things with someone else's eyes. They did not deserve to die for that, in any way, and I am sure that the Muslim community approves me and shares the pain.

Let's not jump on this type of event to justify limits about which we should maybe reflect more, let's not jump on it to release anger and hate, to go in the clichés, to see only with our own eyes and not think about all that happened. Freedom of expression is wonderful and the the same time very complicated. Having the power to say everything doesn't mean we should say everything. Finding a balance is really hard and those professionals made their best. It is now up to us to find a balance , not to endorse everything at the extreme on the base that "we can say everything" because of the pain and the choc.

Let's just all be in respect