On Wednesday, the western world experienced yet again the Islamic terror's attempts to shut down all forms of freedom of speech. Three Islamist gunmen stormed the offices of satirical newspaper Charlie Hebdo in Paris and opened fire, killing at least 12 people. France, as well as the rest of the world, swore to do whatever it takes to find the people behind the attack and stand up against terror, and for a day, we were all Charlie Hebdo. Hashtags were trending, journalists were outraged and everyone vowed to defend freedom of speech and to never let the darkness of terror turn off the light of democracy.
Only two days later, it was reported that a French terror cell linked to al Qaeda reportedly shot dead two people in a kosher supermarket and seized at least seven hostages in two locations around Paris. Same city, same terror, but for some reason – different reactions. The hashtag #JeSuisJuif (I am Jewish) was spread (similar to #JeSuisCharlie) was spread out, but was mostly picked up by Jews. Some of them are French Jews, who now flee the country due to the dangerous combination of “>Islamic terror. Few of people who did tweet this hashtag, used it to say that while they support #JeSuisCharlie, they don’t stand behind #JeSuisJuif.
True, Wednesday’s attack was aimed to limit freedom of speech (cartoons mocking Islam,) and Friday’s attack was aimed at a religious minority, but shouldn’t the war on terror be against the agenda and purpose of terror organizations, and not certain types of terror attacks? Islamic terror organizations want to see a world with no diversity, no liberalism, no democracy, and no freedom of speech. The Islamic Jihad, on all its extensions, vowed to fight against “the West” and its values, and spread religious Islam throughout the world. On its way of achieving this goal, the global Jihad will stop at nothing.
As the sane majority of the world, we must unite against terror, and not only when it’s convenient or involves us directly. We are all targets of the global Jihad, even if it doesn’t seem like it now. In the age of social media, standing up to or for something or someone is a few mouse-clicks away. It takes little effort, but can make a big change. In the age of globalization, the war on terror is not between religions or minority groups, but a clash of two civilizations.
I will conclude with the words of Hillel Neuer, Executive Director of UN Watch:
“First they came for the Infidel Muslims, and I did not speak out – because I was not a Muslim.
Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out – because I was not a Jew.
Then they came for the satirical novelists, and I did not speak out – because I was not a novelist.
Then they came for the Dutch filmmakers, and I did not speak out – because I was not a filmmaker.
Then they came for the Danish cartoonist, and I did not speak out – because I was not a cartoonist.
Then they came for the Iraqi Christians, and I did not speak out – because I was not an Iraqi Christian.
Then they came for the Yazidis, and I did not speak out – because I was not a Yazidi.
Then they came for me – and there was no one left to speak for me.”
