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    madmolfMax Read
    1/07/15 8:37am

    I live in France and have been a reader of Charlie Hebdo for many years.

    The goal of satirical press in France (as in most free countries) is the show the absurdity of extremists, integrists of all sides and faiths.

    Right now, by targeting Charlie Hebdo a left leaning paper, the goal for Islamists is to stir enough shit and hot headness to get people to attack Muslims out of spite. They are trying to oppose two communities, believers and non-believers and get every one to hate Muslims.

    It is going to be quite difficult to stay out the vengeful feelings, and make the difference between moderate Muslims and Islamics.

    A large portion of the French are feeling disgusted by an attack against freedom of speech, and the country is bluesy this wednesday afternoon.

    The authors killed have all been companions to my humoristic education, but still a bit hard to laugh right now.

    Cabu specially, was a pacifist and the nicest guy on earth.

    GIF

    Rest in peace

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      Alex87fmadmolf
      1/07/15 8:46am

      I think you've over-estimating these guys' intelligence. Right now all they want to do is show that they will not tolerate people making fun of Islam. I don't think they are so forward-thinking.

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      Hajnalmadmolf
      1/07/15 8:50am

      Damn. I always looked forward to the Cabu appearances in the wednesday afternoon Dorothée show Récré A2, back in the 1970s. And I've been a Charlie reader since 1994. Cabu has always been part of my life. RIP Jean Cabut.

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    The Yellow BoxMax Read
    1/07/15 8:07am

    Thoughts are with the families of the wounded and the dead, and I hope that when the cops find the gunmen, they bring the pain to these bastards. Free speech and satire shouldn't be paid for with the authors' blood.

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      StigsCalifornianCousinMax Read
      1/07/15 8:07am

      Inb4 the "Free Speech" people get here: the First Amendment prevents the Government to act on its own people for what they say.

      That doesn't prevent any Yahoo—motivated by religious or political views—to disagree with you using a bullet.

      Ask Larry Flynt.

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        BreakerBakerStigsCalifornianCousin
        1/07/15 8:12am

        Err...the First Amendment also only applies to the United States.

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        DrBreRuthlessVillainStigsCalifornianCousin
        1/07/15 8:13am

        It's the ban on murder that should have that covered, though.

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      Save Bandit!Max Read
      1/07/15 8:53am

      Since the truly brave martyrs here — the staff of "Charlie Hebdo" — can no longer show Muhammad's taint, I thought we should do it for them.

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        Gruff McGruffSave Bandit!
        1/07/15 9:25am

        Religion is stupid but damn man.....they made a carton of the prophet's butt hole? talk about poking the hornets nest.

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        Save Bandit!Gruff McGruff
        1/07/15 9:26am

        In fairness, the hole has a star over it.

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      snowMax Read
      1/07/15 8:09am

      "Humanity has unquestionably one really effective weapon — laughter. Power, money, persuasion, supplication, persecution — these can lift at a colossal humbug — push it a little — weaken it a little, century by century; but only laughter can blow it to rags and atoms at a blast. Against the assault of laughter nothing can stand."

      Charlie Hebdo has always taken its satire seriously, and has been fearless in defying those who would like to silence them. Much respect and my condolences. Ten murdered journalists are a dark start to this year, just hoping that there won't be any more names added to the IFJ list, though realistically that's not going to happen. (135 journalists and media staff were killed in 2014 according to them.)

      Oh. And this:

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        mind if I Slytherin?snow
        1/07/15 10:17am

        While I agree with what you're trying to say, there's nothing brave or ground-breaking by purposefully offending a minority group by doing something that's considered taboo just because they asked you not to. That's just called being an obnoxious dick. And the fact that they're French (historically have massive problems with Muslims) doesn't help.

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        snowmind if I Slytherin?
        1/07/15 6:38pm

        There's nothing brave about holding onto the values of a western democracy in the face of death threats, arson and now murder? Fuck you, you lily-livered piece of shit. When 12 people are murdered for speech, the people who sail in to defend the murderous thugs who think that their right to not be offended trumps not only someone else's right to express themselves but also their right to live are the real obnoxious dicks without whom the world would be a better place. You and your appeasing shithead friends are a far worse scourge on humanity than any cartoon ever will be, you disgusting waste of oxygen.

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      Bond...Adrian BondMax Read
      1/07/15 8:17am

      Makes me wonder what the newspaper did to piss them off this time. Tragic, but ultimately sounds preventable.

      Maybe not make fun of someone else's religion in the freakin' newspaper next time?

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        Darrien D'AstarBond...Adrian Bond
        1/07/15 8:44am

        Charlie Hebdo makes fun of everyone's religion - and the Catholic Church in France gets far worse treatment at its hands than the Muslims.

        If you want to live in France, then abide by French rules - and that includes not shooting people who make fun of you.

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        Bond...Adrian BondDarrien D'Astar
        1/07/15 8:47am

        How about abiding by human rules. You know the ones your mama taught you about not making fun of other people, especially their sensitive belief areas?

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      AdamJohnsonNYCMax Read
      1/07/15 8:30am

      Just one point of clarification about a claim, not made by you Max, but by lots of people on Twitter and this thread. The attacks was not in response to Charlie Hebdo's last tweet of al-Baghdadi since it was tweeted out only 11 minutes before first reports of the attack (5:28am EST vs 5:39am EST) and since this appears, by all accounts, to be a coordinated military-style attack it would be impossible to organize such a thing, carry it out, and have the first tweet in this time frame.

      And no, I'm not suggesting this wasn't done by radical Islamists, only that this misinformation ought to be nipped in the bud.

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        germankiwigalAdamJohnsonNYC
        1/07/15 8:56am

        German news is saying it might be because they are featuring Houellebecq's new novel, which depicts the satirical "what if" of France becoming a Muslim state, in their latest edition.

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        AdamJohnsonNYCgermankiwigal
        1/07/15 8:57am

        At this point it's all speculation. The majority of shit that comes out right after a tragedy ends up being false.

        What scares me the most? Unlike previous "terror" attacks where it was just some lone idiot this one appears to actually be planned and coordinated and may actually, meet the definition of a "terror attack". This much we know.

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      Medieval KnievelMax Read
      1/07/15 8:05am

      I simply cannot fathom the horror of this. The French trying to be satirical?

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        vivaespanaMedieval Knievel
        1/07/15 8:31am

        appropriate, funny, AND original! good job. you should be proud.

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        The Homework OgreMedieval Knievel
        1/07/15 8:42am

        Well, they did invent and perfect it.

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      fxcolMax Read
      1/07/15 8:20am

      I'm trying to remain calm and reasonable about Islam (and religion as a whole)... but it's getting harder and harder.

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        Indiana van der Rohefxcol
        1/07/15 10:19am

        I've never heard this quote - . Like most good quotes, it's so simple yet profound.

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      moose_malloyMax Read
      1/07/15 8:22am

      Je Pleure.

      Charlie Hebdo is one of the most gloriously offensive, derogatory magazines in the world and it should be defended at all costs. If the Enlightenment gave us anything, it's the right to speak truth to power without fear of reprisal.

      No ifs.

      No buts.

      No 'they're offensive!'.

      They have the right to say as they please within the confines of the law. They never called for murder or threatened anyone. They pointed at you and laughed and God bless them for that.

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