I can understand the ongoing debate on whether to use the #JeSuisCharlie hashtag or not but I can’t figure why why some Lebanese decided to come up with a #JeSuisBeyrouth hashtag and continue that “Beirut is more damaged than Charlie”. Beirut is indeed more damaged than Charlie because we always mix things up and never set our priorities right. There’s nothing wrong with Lebanese being outraged about what happened in France and expressing their solidarity with the Charlie Hebdo staff, because this is about freedom of expression and not Charlie Hebdo as a magazine itself, it’s about someone being murdered for his drawings not about the right to mock religions or not.
The #CharlieHebdo massacre is a reminder for all Lebanese to stand united when it comes to freedom of expression because without it, our country will cease to exist. it is a wake up call to realize the importance of preserving our liberties and standing against those who wish to compromise it for the sake of security or religions. Few of us realized that when Gebran Tueni and Samir Kassir were killed and we’ve been paying the price for that ever since but it’s never too late. Let’s learn from the French instead of giving them lessons in counter-terrorism and liberties. France is standing as one against the murder of four controversial journalists while we can’t bring together few thousands to mourn prominent journalists, stop violence against women or even better stop illegal parliament extension.
To sum things up, any attack on free journalists anywhere in the world should be condemned by all Lebanese and stand as a reminder about the importance of preserving our freedom of expression in Lebanon at all cost.
If only we showed this much solidarity, nationalism, and were as patriotic to the country we actually are from, when troubles were in our own backyard.
The Charlie situation reminds us of people we lost and missed. But then again we never give that much importance when the situation is our own.
Its gonna be a shorter journey if we support freedom of speech from our own capital; A definitely shorter one than from Paris to Beirut.
Ah and not to forget that even freedom of speech should come with regulations. I must not walk around cursing، blaspheming, & slurring. At some point things get offending and there must be something done (akid akid akid), other than what happened.
Nothing covers up to what those terrorists have done, but the caricaturist take responsibility in offending more than billion Muslims around the world. Akid hate is going to happen and thats the backlash.
The country that works hard on its citizens freedom of speech must work harder on its citizens security.
freedom of speech with regulations =/= freedom of speech
Okay wonderful…if it doesn’t come with regulations. Lets consider both parties expressing themselves 😉
It’s called freedom of expression not execution. You are totally wrong here.
I do not consider this a right…but freedom of expression should have its regulations. As anyone who gets offended should express themselves better and with regulations. Its called a society because regulations apply on everything.
Killing or causing harm to anyone is so wrong, and is not accepted at any level.
As a francophile I feel terribly outraged and sorry for what happened in France and for the loss of the employees at Charlie Hebdo.
The message here was not to criticize #jesuischarlie but rather some Lebanese who feel more patriotic to other countries rather than to theirs, specially those who do not know what the magazine is all about..
#jesuisbeyrouth was to highlight to those same Lebanese people who supported Charlie that Lebanon, particularly Beirut, needs as much support and solidarity.
If only we could support the Lebanese army as much, if only we could be as patriotic and united as French citizens. If only we could go on the streets and fight for our rights, fight to elect a new president, fight to bring back Lebanon to the golden age.
Simply the message was a wake up call to the Lebanese and nothing to do with Charlie. Yes I am Gebran Tueini, yes I am Samir Kassir, and yes I am Charlie and I support the freedom of speech…
E! If this were the message then “And I am more damaged than Charlie” doesn’t add up. I don’t think that was the aim.
Marz,
It’s ur opinion and u may have a point or not but to say both were expressing themselves is implying whomever shot that guy was right. Freedom of speech comes with responsibility and there are regulations and legal procedures. It’s not the jungle out there in France.
This whole Charlie hustle is divided to:
1 – The newspaper offending someones beliefs.
2 – The Terrorists backlash.
3 – The world pretending that Charlie is a hero.
All of the above are wrong, no one has the right to mock peoples beliefs; The terrorists are wrong at all levels and no need to discuss that. “I’m Charlie” this whole campaign is bullshit, he doesn’t represent freedom of speech and he does not compare to me, i do not live on mocking peoples beliefs.
no am not saying its fine to go ahead terrify and kill people if its going to make you feel good.
I meant that regulations should apply on everyone, and everything so it does nt turn to a jungle.
” I am charlie ” is message for freedom of expression that will not be silenced by any religion or terrorist group. Regardless of the message, people will not allow any religion to intimidate or threaten any citizen or media outlet of their right to say how they feel and criticize freely. This not The middle east where freedoms are silenced. Many of us who escaped from the Middle East fled to gain the freedoms that we have in the west, not to be taken back by the same people who took it away from us in the middle east in the first place.
Try Hard
Najib that is what you think, I didnt mean it this way tho 🙂
By mentioning I am more damaged than Charlie means that Beirut needs more attention and support from its citizens.
Well Fadi we are all involved in the freedom issue especially in the middle east as you mentioned. But don’t you think that no one has the right to mock peoples beliefs ? Too much freedom can harm as much as having no freedom at all.
“For to be free is not merely to cast off one’s chains, but to live in a way that respects and enhances the freedom of others.”
-Nelson Mandela
100% right!!! You have the freedom to not look at the caricatures.
@marz
So I can’t offend or mock anyone believes. So we can’t criticize ISIS crazy acts? Cause that would offend their believes? Tab u know that just by eating cow meat u r offending one billion Indians?
Tab I m sure someone believes that wearing cloth is offensive, so now I can’t wear cloth!
Or is there a list of official believes that must be respected while the rest r not! Illuminat us …
Freedom of speech and expression should not be stopped by taking offense. U can change the channel, ignore the offensive msg, or answer it in a discussion or in kind.
Else wise, no one can utter a word or draw a caricature or argue a point bcz I m sure it would offend someone s believes
Lol you ignorant Indians eat meat Hindus don’t. And i wont stop eating cow meat, but i would never mock their believes about praying for a cow. We should criticize & evaluate in order to develop, but this does not really come by mocking you so up-close and personal.
And definitely we judge what is and what is not offensive by the common norms. Another silly example you forgot is why don’t we walk around holding our crotch ? its our freedom. But we don’t do that because of the common norms & savoire vivre.
My dear author,
It has nothing to do with anything you talked about.
It’s about taking care of your own shit before running to help a foreign country. Cz that’s what lebanese tend to do. Get smart and successful and instead of the good smart and successful people, it’s the bad and thieves successful that come back to LEBANON.
“Well Fadi we are all involved in the freedom issue especially in the middle east as you mentioned. But don’t you think that no one has the right to mock peoples beliefs ? Too much freedom can harm as much as having no freedom at all.
So do tell. Who’s the one who draws the line? Daesh, assad, Nassrallah, any of the supreme ayatollahs or imams? pope?
If you really feel you need to feel home; stay with ISIS…or inside Vatican…or inside your bottle. Just stay out of our way!
I’am free to stand wherever fits me, you are free to hope for whatever you want. Non of the cliches you mentioned should rule or imply the rules. Its called moderation and you decide on that. Its just not right to go ahead mock peoples religious beliefs, or at least I would never mock yours…Feel free to mock mine with your freedom of speech 😉
Marz,
Everyone has an opinion. However; everyone has its own definition of any word. If you are not a thin skinned paranoid or uber sensitive then you should have no problems when people mock your religion or character for that matter. Stay true to your faith or convictions without screaming bloody murder when your religious douche bag zealots are mocked!
What’s up with this BS and religious sensitivity? It’s about time that the Muslim world detach the mosque from the state!
Well thats your opinion and it doesn’t have to do with the reality..
Sincerely
Yours seem like a Virtual reality for people on Kashmir kush though. 😛
I prefer the clear headed one after the haze is dissipated.
Lakhayem
As a frenchie I must say that I was deeply moved by what happened in France, and this “#jesuisbeirut and I am more damaged than Charlie” thing made me very uncomfortable.
Instead of standing up for a fundamental right, the Lebanese decided to victimise themselves. They decided to steal a spotlight that does not concern them in any way, instead of, for once, uniting for something that is actually worth it…
I agree that freedom of expression is the most sacred right of citizenship.
Freedom of expression also means having the right to believe in any religion you want.
Therefore by #jesuisbeyrouth or #jesuisanyfuckingmiddleeasterncountry means that before the story of charlie hebdo there are more than 200 000 arab christians that were either killed or exiled from their homes which were burned down and destroyed.Before charlie hebdo there were more innocent people who were slaughtered and still are being slaughtered by extremists because of their religion which is also a sacred right and freedom of expression. Where were we when that happened? What was our reaction?So before making these useless propagandas of “chou khass jesuisbeyrouth” and “chou elna ma3a la mia khalifa” which are invading the web let us start taking action in what concerns us more,our own freedom.the problem with us lebanese is that we talk more than we act,in fact we dont even act…let us remember that it is the french government that gave access to these extremists to france, in which today, you find more arabs than french. The western countries created ISIS by sending their fucked up extremists to our countries to get rid of them, and eventually these extremists will go back to where they came from, so let these countries clean up the mess they created and let us clean ours and stop hanging useless banners claiming that we are wise men while in fact the only manhood we have are the memories of past generations of our grand fathers who died for us to have freedom.We are nothing but fading words written on web pages instead of being pioneers of freedom which was before, the essence of our country..
The iranian and syrian regimes assasinated all of our #Lebanese press leaders #gebrantueini #CharlieHebdo #FreedomOfThePress #dosomething #jesuisbeyrouth