Pencils up

The attack in France has inspired millions of people to take a stand for free speech and for the right to offend – which was Charlie Hebdo’s mission as a satirical magazine.

But chanting for free speech doesn’t make it so.

On the BBC, a cartoonist for the London Daily Mirror, Martin Rowson, talked about the cartoon he would liked to have run – but couldn’t.

“It’s actually a very supportive cartoon: a picture of the prophet Mohammed wearing a t-shirt saying ‘Not in my name.’ But I’d never get it published in this country,” says Rowson.

So much for defiance.

On that same BBC broadcast, Professor Bill Durodie who teaches international relations, blamed political correctness for teaching a generation of young people that no one has the right to offend them.

“We teach children that their emotions are the most important thing in the world, and that being offended could lead to sanctions against those who cause the offense. Our culture has created the obsession with offense, says Durodie. “Unfortunately, I think we have seen an extreme expression of that.”

As for whether this attack will end up encouraging or intimidating journalists… I think most editors will continue to think long and hard about printing cartoons that ridicule Islam. Which far from helping Islam’s image. It only reinforces the idea that while lampooning other religions might get you fired or unfriended, ridiculing Islam can get you killed.

One thing I am pretty sure of, it’s going to be harder to argue that spy agencies shouldn’t be allowed to use every tool they have to stop an enemy that is this ruthless and so easily offended.