Maybe current affairs in the Francophone world struggle to find its way into our Trinbagonian news cycles. This is a shortcoming on our part. How can we begin to move toward global competitiveness when we are yet to invest meaningfully in working beyond the English-speaking world? #Necessary #Digression . For we, it have plenty lessons to learn as a maturing society.
Lately, I’ve been reading grand endorsements for universal principles that the United Nations and the everyday person expresses, “I have the right to Freedom of Speech”. And yes, we have the right to feel offended by someone’s statements. And no, we do not have the right to kill people.
Or, do some? War Mongers!
At the same time, we must discuss these matters in context in order to make sense of what is happening around us.
The brutal murder of journalists, artists and innocent people is a tragedy. Extended conflicts between the ‘West’ and the ‘Middle East’ make me feel that we have been living in World War 2.5. This continues to be disastrous to the global affairs of humanity. Discussing the Charlie Hebdo case as if it was less tragic in light of “murders committed by the West” is dangerous and morally difficult to hold. In the Caribbean because we live in religious and multi-ethnic societies, we must avoid at all costs, conflicts along these lines in our small societies.
And for sure, South Park creators who have produced cartoon satirical pieces of Jesus Christ gone without acts of terrorism. So, we can safely assume not all of the world goes bloodthirsty over cartoons that are perceived as offensive. Also, we do know that different media articulations in very different contexts may have very different intents and rather unique and extremely harmful consequences. Understanding this, for example, prevents us from sharing Vines and Memes that poke fun and degrade people with disabilities. The reality is that we live in an ableist society. Making fun of people with disabilities is no laughing matter when we begin to consider how much by institution and infrastructure we discriminate against thousands.
France, for many, is put up as a benchmark of civilisation. The Republic postures as a testament to modernity and European civilisation. But, what is inscribed in this system is that people have a right to benefit from these Republican values – these freedoms and rights.
Think about Haiti and history and see how much France treated this as an omission to these French values.
History tells us how much these values are not just double standard; it tells us how much these values can have foundations built upon discrimination against ‘Others’. Islamophobia is real. Muslim women, men and children feel that they have less rights and freedoms to express themselves and culture in France.
What is the point of Freedom of Speech if we have the freedom to exploit it to oppress others? The part where we come in as a people is to check and test perspectives and opinions in order to ripen the frame of the discussion and the political decisions we make moving forward. Informed debate is necessary and healthy. There is grave danger in treating a principle as an absolute; we may ignore context and harm to others.
Which media house explored how Muslims feel in France? How their citizens feel like foreigners in their own country? Or, are we playing the game that hegemony and dominance are the order of the day? The problem is deeply structural in French society….like ours…Mon Dieu! On one hand, we need to intensify anti-terrorism security for the people of the world to provide safety for all; on the other hand, we need to account for social and economic realities of peoples who are oftentimes excluded from developing the political model of our societies for deeper integration.
Voltaire once wrote:
“If there were only one religion in England, there would be danger of tyranny; if there were two, they would cut each other’s throats; but there are thirty, and they live happily together in peace.” (In “The Origins of Religious Tolerance: Voltaire” by Wendy McElroy)
Revisiting this quote I couldn’t help that note that the ole philosopher was challenging hegemony and domination.
Special S/O to my Jehovah’s Witness French teacher in my Anglican-governed school who allowed me to present to the class my Internal Assessment for CAPE A’Levels on “La Discrimination des Musulmans en France.”
There must be justice for the workers of Charlie Hebdo. In the following weeks, as public safety is brought about for the population, there is room for more conversation on belonging in France and the rights and dignity of all in the Republic.
Excellently written. We can denounce the murder of people and the murder of people’s dignity at the same time. While I sympathise with the sufferers, and those who feel threatened, more than freedom of speech was in stake here and much more than that was protested.