To Be Or Not To Be Charlie Hebdo

Since the Charlie Hebdo attack of January 7, there has been a number of alternating messages declaring either 'Je suis Charlie' or 'Je ne suis pas Charlie.'  Those declaring 'Je suis Charlie' do so partly because of the horror they feel from the attack and the feeling of solidarity with its victims. However, the identity of those chanting 'Je ne suis pas Charlie' is a bit more ambiguous since it has been used by both those who support the attack and those who don't.  

There are issues for all who oppose the attack . One of the major issues of which I can think is how tribalism governs our reaction. One way to measure the effects of tribalism here is to ask ourselves how we feel when journalists from other countries who have different ideologies are killed? The other major issue is, how do we feel about religious satire?

The first question is important to answer if we are to better understand ourselves and why we reacted to the attack the way we did. This blog has defined tribalism as occurring when loyalty to a group trumps commitment to principle and morals. The end effect of such tribalism is that its adherents believe what's right and wrong depends on who does what to whom. Such a belief should raise red flags for Christians who are aware that God is not a respecter of persons (see Romans 2:5-11). 

Despite the red flags tribalism should raise, many of us religiously conservative Christians passionately embrace it in varying degrees especially when the it comes in the form of patriotism. At that time, it is 'root, root, root for the home team.' Such is what we have been trained by society to feel and we embrace it because it feels good. Of course, we don't question why that is the case because if we did, we might not like the answer. For one of the reasons why patriotism makes us feel good is that it is self-exalting. It is our group's supremacy or specialness we are celebrating when we embrace patriotism.

Indeed, some of the 'Je suis Charlie' proclamations were the result of tribalism. A western journal came under attack by a monstrous, alien enemy. And though patriotism isn't the sentiment driving our solidarity with Charlie Hebdo, solidarity for the West, for what is European, for those who are White, and for other factors are why many of us have fallen into the tribalism trap that is so much a part of the current 'Je suis Charlie' sentiment.

A more principled solidarity exists in those Americans who not only feel a unity with the victims who worked at Charlie Hebdo, they felt the same connection with the journalists who were victims of the violence practiced by American troops during our invasion of Iraq (click here and there, note that only some of the journalists killed by American troops, and there). A more principled solidarity also exists in those who support Israel while protesting its targeting of journalists (click here). 

We could go on but the point has been illustrated. Our solidarity shows no integrity when the only victims it expresses sympathy for are those on our side, for those in our gang. Such a solidarity is, in the end, a mere exercise in collective self-exaltation.

The second major issue concerns religious satire. And here we have a rub between two principles. The first principle is that we should all be subject to satirical attacks so that we and others understand our place in the world. But the second principle can appear to oppose the first one as it comes from the life of Martin Luther King Jr.  That principle comes from the first characteristic I learned to appreciate when reading King. That principle was his passion for winning people over. This passion governed how he designed and participated in protests. This passion controlled how he wrote about different positions and people. For King didn't look to humiliate his opponents, he wanted to win them over while relying on the law to control those whom he could not persuade.

But when we look at satire, it seems that humiliation is the rule de jure. So the question becomes, should we always support satire especially when it is used on those who are or could become our opponents? If satire is to be used, then shouldn't a passion for winning over the targets of our satire act as governor of how far it goes. 

Was the satire employed at Charlie Hebdo unrestrained with a desire to humiliate or exploit others or was it held in check by a desire to win others over? Of course restraining the extent of our satire for some noble principle is a killjoy; it does take much of the fun out of things. But then again, one has to look at why we want to use it in the first place.

Finally when comes to the Charlie Hebdo attack, we also need to ask the following question: Was it satire alone that drew the attack? With much of the Muslim world, including Hamas (click here), condemning the attack along with the history of Western invovlement in the Middle East, it wouldn't seem so. Rather, the attack on Charlie Hebdo just might be because of both the satire and the context in which it was written. The context includes a greater than 100 year history of French and Western imperialism in the Middle East designed to exploit and control the region in order to control its resources. And if that context played a role in the Charlie Hebdo attack, then we must arrive at a similar decision as we had to with regard to Charlie Hebdo's use of satire and journalistic freedom. That decision is just as we would condemn the attack because we believe in satire and journalistic freedom, should we do the same because we also support French and Western imperialism. If that is the case, then not only have we embraced tribalism, we have become its prisoner.

ONIM For January 19, 2015

Christian News

• Churches Urged To Support British Dairy Farmers -- Christian Today (UK)
• David Robertson: Je Ne Suis Pas Charlie, Je Suis Charlene -- Christian Today (UK)
• Pope Francis Slams Philippines Corruption And 'Scandelous Social Inequalities -- Christian Today (UK)
• Sunday Morning Segregation: Most Worshippers Feel Their Church Has Enough Diversity -- Christianity Today
• Why We Need Rich Christians -- Christianity Today
• So What Does It Mean To Love Your Neighbor? -- Christianity Today
• Has God Stopped Commanding People To Repent -- The Christian Post
• Press Freedom: What Is The Point Of Offending Religions? -- The Christian Post
• Religion Was Not The Reason For The Paris Attacks -- Religion Dispatches
• In China, A Church-State Showdown Of Biblical Proportions -- Christian Science Monitor
• Duke Muslim Scholar Shuts Down Franklin Graham's Call To Prayer Claims -- Huffington Post
• Alex Malarkey, 'The Boy Who Came Back From Heaven,' Admits He Made It All Up -- Huffington Post
• Pope Francis Defends Church Teaching On Contraception -- Huffington Post
• Niger Protesters Burn Churches In Second Day Of Charlie Riots -- Reuters

World News

• US Workplaces Are Hostile To Families -- Truthout
• 5 Years After Haiti's Earthquake, Where Did The $13.5 Billion Go? -- NPR
• Billionaire Abandoned US Ties Over Taxes; Outraged That He Can't Come Back -- Ring Of Fire
• 21 Including Voices' Brian Terrell, Arrested For Protest At US Capital -- Voices For Creative NonViolence
• Fears Grow For Ukrainian Pilot On Hunger Strike In Russian Jail -- The Guardian
• Blowing The Whistle On Government Recklessness Is A Public Service, Not A Crime -- Roots Action
• Why A Danish Newspaper Won't Publish Charlie Hebdo Cartoons -- Columbia Journalism Review
• Solitary Not Over At Riker's, But Advocates Keep Fighting -- Waging NonViolence
• Women Garment Workers Organize Against Inhumane Conditions In India -- Waging NonViolence
• First Nations Challenge B.C. Government In Court Over Northern Gateway Pipeline -- The Vancouver Sun
• Did Gitmo "Suicides" Coverup Murder? U.S. Sgt. Speaks Out On Deaths & Prison's Secret CIA Site -- Democracy Now
• Mississippi Natural Gas Pipeline Explosion Picked Up On Radar -- Weather.com
• As Nigerian Massacre Evidence Grows, Questions Swirl Over Collusion Between Boko Haram & Military -- Democracy Now
• Supreme Court Will Decide Whether Gay Marriage Is Constitutional -- Southern California Public Radio
• Palestinians and #BlackLivesMatter Activists Unite For Bay Area Direct Action -- Electronic Intifada
• In Just 60 Years, Neoliberal Capitalism Has Nearly Broken Planet Earth -- Bill Moyers
• Palestinian Cartoonist Mohammad Saba'aneh Sentenced To 5 Months In Prison -- Mondoweiss
• Trade Deals And Democrat Delusions -- Counterpunch
• America Is Open For Business In Iraq -- ZNet
• Je Suis Hungry -- ZCommentary
• Stormtrooper Outfit Saves Man From Snakebite -- GrindTV
• French President Hollande: Anti-Muslimism Is As Bad As Anti-Semitism: Muslims Must Be Protected -- Truthdig
• Israel Lobbies To Cut ICC Funding Ahead Of Gaza Inquiry -- Christian Today (UK)

Pick(s) Of The Litter

• Sesame Street Presents 'Echos Of Incarceration' -- Echos Of Incarceration (Video)
• 21st Century Censorship -- Columbia Journalism Review
• We Are All -- Fill In The Blank -- ZNet
• What's Not To Understand? Children Were Raped -- Huffington Post
• War Crimes Court Opens Probe Into Palestinian Territories -- Yahoo News
• Mass Incarceration And The Struggle For Civil Rights -- Economic Policy Institute
  
  
  

ONIM For January 12, 2015

Christian News

• Oscar Romero Was A True Martyr, Says Vatican -- Christian Today (UK)
• Remembering Andre Crouch, Dead At 72 -- Christianity Today
• The Top 50 Countries Where It Is Most Difficult To Be A Christian -- Christianity Today
• Why Russia's Evangelicals Thank God For Putin -- Christianity Today
• Christian Philosopher: Why The 2014 Protests Missed Their Mark -- The Christian Post
• True Or False?: Evangelicals Like Mike Huckabee The Most -- The Christian Post
• 'God And His Rule Is America's Only Hope,' Says Pastor Tony Evans As He Calls Christians To Repentance -- The Christian Post
• The No-Selfie Doctrine: A Theological New Year's Resolution -- Religion Dispatches
• The Cowardice Of Atheistic Secularists Using Charlie Hebdo To Attack Christianity -- The WeeFlea
• Race, Inclusion, And Unity In Christ -- Political Jesus
• An Open Letter To Communities of Faith, Religious Leaders And Justice Seekers -- Theology Of Ferguson
• Newsweek On The Bible--So Misrepresented It's A Sin -- Albert Mohler
• The Absolutely Real Reason Why People Are Leaving The Church -- Unsettled Christianity

World News

• NYPD Cops Again Turn Backs On Mayor At Second Slain Officer's Funeral -- ABC News
• Israel Withholds Funds, Weighs Lawsuits Against Palestinians -- Reuters
• Israel Withholds Tax Revenue From Palestinian Authority As Dispute Escalates -- The Washington Post
• Native Americans Put GOP On Notice: Keystone Pipeline Is 'An Act Of War Against Our People -- Addicting Info
• 21st Century Censorship: Governments Around The World Are Using Stealthy Strategies To Manipulate The Media -- Columbia Journalism Review
• Study Finds GMO Soy Toxic To Kidneys, Liver, And Reproduction -- Natural Society
• British Chinese People Say Racism Against Them Is 'Ignored' -- BBC
• Wind Supplied 98% Of Scotland's 2014 Household Power And Other Amazing Green Energy Stories -- Truthdig
• The Stock Market And Oil Prices -- Wall Street Journal
• NYPD Work Slowdown Will Be Dealt With 'Very Forcefully,' Bratton Says -- Yahoo News
• France Warns Palestinians Over Escalating Crisis With U.N. Bid -- Reuters
• Sell-Side Sours On U.S. Energy Stocks More Than Any Other Sector -- Reuters
• The Greatest Trick Obama Ever Pulled Was Convincing The World America Isn't Still At War -- The Guardian
• Vladimir Putin Predicted To Resign Amid Economic Crisis -- International Business Times
• Obama Poised To Veto Keystone Pipeline Legislation -- Truthdig
• The Obama Administration Is Not Saying That It Will Veto The Keyston XL -- Daily Kos
• Group Seeks New Grand Jury In Ferguson Police Shooting Case -- Yahoo News
• Israel's Top Court Gives Temporary Reprieve To Palestinian UNESCO Site -- 972 Mag
• 97% Of Fracking Now Operating At A Loss At Current Oil Prices -- Daily Kos
• Gun Attack On French Magazine Kills 12 -- BBC
• UN Chief Says Palestine Will Join Int'l Court On April 1 -- Yahoo News
• In Solidarity Against Hate, Germans Turn Out The Lights On Islamaphobic, Far-Right Rallies -- Common Dreams
• Muslims Around The World Condemn Charlie Hebdo Attack -- Huffington Post
• Senator Introduces Bill That Would Cut Aid To Palestinians -- Yahoo News
• Palestinians Not Eligible To Join ICC: US --- Yahoo News
• Israel Prepares To Cut Electricity To Palestinians: Cites Inability To Pay After Withholding Palestinian Tax Money -- AntiWar.Com
• French Police Kill Gunmen In Twin Attacks, Free 16 Hostages -- Yahoo News
• Nigeria: Hundreds Killed In Boko Haram Attack -- Christian Today (UK)

Pick(s) Of The Litter

• Gun Deaths For U.S. Officers Rose By 56 Percent In 2014 -- Reuters
• The Torture Debate In The USA -- ZNet
• Israel And Palestine Need A One-State Solution -- Aljazeera
• Ten Things You Should Know About Selma Before You See The Film -- CommonDreams
• CNBC's Cramer Boasts Of Manipulating Markets -- USA Today
• Sharpening Contradictions: Why Al-Qaeda Attacked Satirists In Paris -- Informed Comment
• It's Critics Of 'Selma' Who Are Distorting Civil Rights History -- Fairness & Accuracy In Reporting