This is the cover of todays Charlie Hebdo as drawn buy the editor and artist Charb. It always comes out on Wednesdays, so it was on the stands when the artist and most of the staff, assembled for an editorial meeting were brutally assassinated this morning in their Parisian office.
Charb knew he was living under the threat of death for many years. Several calls to murder were launched after the publication of the Mohammed cartoons in the pages of the satirical weekly.
"I have no kids, no wife, no car, no credit. That may be a bit pompous what I say, but I'd rather die standing than live on your knees," he said in 2012 .
To threats, he always responded with humor. Charlie Hebdo is a long running political and social satire newspaper that prides itself being equally brutal to the right and the left. This is heroic satire and these brave people died doing what they loved.
This is all so insane that words fail me. Medieval thinking with 21st century weaponry is completely irrational and, obviously mortal. Blessings to all of the people of France as they attempt to understand the idiocy of this event.
ReplyDeleteWe are all French today.
ReplyDeletethe Ol'Buzzard