Matt Wuerker for April 28, 2015

You can’t shout “fire” in a crowded theater. Saying what you want does not mean you don’t have consequences, for which you can be held accountable.Having said that, it’s appalling that anyone should get killed for saying anything. The proper response to free speech is more free speech.

Of course you can say anything, if you are brave enough to suffer the consequences of someone’s faith-based response. Faith is the sine qua non of all religious belief. It is necessary to bridge the gap between cognitive dissonance and emotional confusion. The faithful always seem to have to act out their doubt. This is not confined to religion, of course. As a species, we have adapted to the foreknowledge of our mortality with stories and anxiety. In our heart of hearts, even the most faithful have doubt about their religious impulses and the faith required to bridge the gap between the known and unknown. When the faith is especially strong, it dispels doubt and compels action, often delusional action. This is a natural outcome of a surfeit of faith. There is also a type of faith in the notion of “free speech.” We tend to want to create a clear-cut moral right to say anything we want. The big difference is that faith in free speech opens up the human experience to all sorts of beneficial things. Religious faith stands in direct opposition to faith in free speech, though, as it can spiral into negative faith-based actions by the faithful. If free speech is disturbing to you, then pay no attention. The Islamic idiots must have a very deep well of insecurity about their faith to feel the need to “defend” it so violently.

The Hebdo cartoons were crude, but they weren’t bigoted. They were understood by readers to be digs at the attitude portrayed in them. Surprise! The French are able to produce material at the level of MAD Magazine!

@twclixExcellent analysis. Of course, the true problem is people confusing being offended with being somehow “injured”, and then wishing to injure other people. People who react violently to any kind of “iffy” discussion of their religion (even by what seems to outsiders to be their co-religionists) are proving just how weak their faiths (and their minds) are.

So it’s OK to point out the obvious fact that Charlie Hebdo is a racist, hypocritical rag which openly practices double standards, just like the racist and hypocritical nation that spawned it?

Just LOVE the dancing around of the problem. In Muslim nations there is only one way, if you don’t like it get out, if you speak against it, your punished or dead. Muslim immigrants move into western society which is very accommodating then try to change said society to the Muslim way. This is the real problem, The failure to assimilate into their adopted country’s society. This causes young people to become radicalized and their desire to overthrow western society.

Exactly the “us versus them” that gives rise to bigotry and supports terrorists.

Love the use of the belligerent ignorant strawman being lectured by the calm and comparatively sane bystander.

I give it a C+. Solid effort but you’ll have to be more original if you want to graduate from political cartoon school.

The truth is, Charlie Hebdo would be the first to defend your right to call them that. They understand freedom of speech as no rightwinger ever will.

Of course I know that; don’t condescend, please.