I want to be Charlie

Charlie Hebdo frontpage

I happened to be in London when the atrocities in Paris occurred and was so privileged to be in attendance at the first Trafalgar Square vigil to honour the memories of those who lost their lives. I tweeted, like many others, the #jesuischarlie hashtag, posted a Chalie Hebdo front page to my social media timeline, watched the news, listened to the debates, read the relevant newspaper articles and then realised. It’s not enough. Not nearly enough.

I say “I am Charlie” but I’m not. I have never faced the risks they knowingly faced. I’ve never deliberately offended in a public space. I’ve never even published a word. So I find myself here, having a stab at putting pen to paper as well as figuratively holding it aloft. I’ll never be Charlie Hebdo, never represent  what they do, even if I so wished. But I shall try, beginning here, in a small way, to stand alongside those paid with their lives for the drawing and publishing of cartoons.

Perhaps it was a fortunate accident that the first amendment to the constitution of the United States was so enumerated, however to me it is one of the shining brilliancies of that document. All other rights come from and after the rights contained within, for your refreshment, here’s the text:

“Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.”

We, in these United Kingdoms, may not (yet?) have such a law, but we hold dear the principles contained within. The core of that statement is the basis of any free society. If we lose this then we are ruined.

I stand against the religious fascists who would impose by means of the gun elements of Islamic blasphemy law in free Europe as well as the liberal consensus who do their bidding by labelling satire and criticism of that ideology as ‘Islamophobic’. The criticism of ideas, those who hold power or claim authority must be the only elements of our liberty to speak freely considered ‘sacrosanct’.

As a starter in this minor campaign against terrorism and appeasement I suggest the following:

1. That the UK government affirms in written law our rights to freedom of expression, state religious neutrality and of peaceful assembly

2. That the UK government makes adequate protection for any members of the press who endangers themselves to a credible threat of violence through their reporting or editorial stance.

3. That we audit our laws to ensure they meet the test of #1 and the self-evident right of sexual equality. To my view, as a starter this would include:

i. The removal of the exemption for religious organisations to practice sexual discrimination in employment practices

ii. Reform of Section 5 of the Public Order Act to remove the prohibition on ‘insulting’ religion

iii. Phased removal of public funding of faith schools

If we want to be Charlie, we must make moves to be consistent with these secular freedoms and rights. I’m not Charlie, our society is not Charlie – perhaps we never will be, perhaps we don’t really want to be. But if we are to get close to the people and society we must become we should look at ourselves; renewing our commitments to freedom of expression and bringing about the religious neutrality of the state. Perhaps we won’t ever represent Charlie but we can come to embody Thomas.

For too long liberal victories of non-offence-making kind have held sway. Well, to mis-quote Plutarch…many more victories like this and we shall be ruined.