Analysis

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The gods are angry and so are we!

2 min reading time

Published on 07/01/15 - Updated on 17/03/22

Regardless of our nationality, religion, beliefs, or job, today we are all connected to the victims of the savage and intolerable attack on the editorial staff of Charlie Hebdo. My deepest condolences go out to the families hurt by this drama, and to them I express my heartfelt sympathy as I share in their emotions.

My revulsion also leads me to join the courage of this editorial staff that represents the freedom of the press and expression by assuming a certain risk. The freedom to express ideas is the foundation of a democracy, of a free society in which a single mindset, the oppression of opinions, the rejection of discussion must be condemned. The journalists at Charlie Hebdo are the most recent victims of fanatic intolerance that is driving us straight into the wall.

How in this 21st century is it still possible to die because of ideas after more than 6,000 years of "progress" in all our different civilizations? Is there no hope for human nature which has only taken a tiny step forward to move away from such prehistoric barbarism? This planet is not big enough for different communities to fight tirelessly, inventing new pretexts, new excuses, new hatreds. As if it were not difficult enough to cohabit with nature and its own excesses, humanity has entered a process of self-destruction.

Combatting violence at what price? Continue to live in blind insouciance? Enter dialogue with those who refuse to listen? It is difficult to find answers and the next Nobel Peace Prize will be well deserved by the person who will find the beginning of a way out. In the meantime we must continue to live with pity, anger, doubts and fears. A new threshold has been crossed, regardless of what we think, and the consequences will be felt in everyday life, in business, in the image France portrays to the rest of the world. A kind of Sacred Union, built out of intelligent solidarity may rise forth from this savage aggression. This would be the best response to those who are trying to uproot the foundations of our civilized society.

Georges Panayotis

Editor in Chief

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