Breaking News - Allegedly 10 people killed at office of satirical magazine in Paris

I agree Agus

These evil men are looking for trouble and targets. This time it was journalists, a few weeks ago it was school children, before that it was a lone soldier returning to his barracks, and before that commuters on a train...to name but a few.

Stop implying that those killed for cartoons brought it on themselves by poking angry lions, these people are out to kill and terrorise.

Two people are now dead in the supermarket where terrified children who are being held hostage witnessed people being killed.

Possible scenario:-

They murder for that cartoon - so all journalists lower the bar, and only publish milder cartoons.

After a while those milder cartoons too become the worst slight that the extremists see, so they murder for those too. The bar is lowered further, and only the most gentle, sweet comments are made. Love is all.

After a while the extremists become accustomed to seeing only approval. They thrive and become the majority.

Then someone mildly criticises some aspect of their beliefs. He is arrested by those responsible for "defending the truth against attack" and put to death.

In the past, one sect of Christians has had the monopoly of doctrine, and put to death for heresy those who put forward other versions. The heretics were expected to go straight to Hell as well. History is full of examples.

Death is no longer the punishment for heresy, but "Well into the 20th century, Catholics defined Protestants as heretics. Thus, Hilaire Belloc, in his time one of the most conspicuous speakers for Catholicism in Britain, was outspoken about the "Protestant heresy"." http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heresy_in_Christianity

Please don't tell us to stop having our opinions, Anya. I thought this thread was largely about freedom of speech.

And we do well to deal with the situation with thoughtfulness, statespersonship and wisdom, not taunts in the media.

Good point Merlot

Oh yes, of course. Kosher is Jewish. Getting totally now.

It's like the shootings in the Brussels Jewish Museum. Do they hate everyone?

Yes.

An unarmed policewoman directing traffic was killed in Paris in November, probably by those who are now killing a holding hostages in the supermarket. Did she publish hatred?

God forbid anything like this should happen in Britain. Would we have the manpower to deal with such situations?

Once they start to kill as part of their religion, it is very hard for them to stop. Every shadow becomes a legitimate target to them.

And each time they kill, they sow hatred and revenge in the hearts of the family and friends and co-religionists of their victim. It is a snowball being rolled down a hill, gathering substance with every yard.

Reasoned argument yet again Elegran thank you for your good sense, well expressed.

merlotgran I read today that one of the terrorists was mentored by someone from the Finsbury Park Mosque.

I do think that the majority of Muslims are horrified by what has happened and is happening, but I would ask why the leader of the Muslim community in Britain does not do more to stop such hatred being preached? If C of E vicars were standing in churches here and spouting such vitriol against Muslims then I am sure that the Archbishop of Canterbury would do something about it as a matter of urgency

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What terrifies me now is that others with the same beliefs as these terrorists join forces with them and this situation escalates to an extent that those who don't agree with them are sitting ducks.

What do you mean by old rag-head-riff-raff extremist nutter exactly?
Sounds a questionable description?

I think many Muslim leaders are speaking out, Does it get mediated?

Can anyone explain to me what exactly these people want to achieve? I'm not condoning the IRA in any way by saying this, but at least I understood where the grievances started from and what they wanted to achieve by their despicable actions, but I'm baffled by all this.

They hope to get points for defending Allah and Mohammed against the infidels, and believe that if they are killed in the attempt, they will go straight to heaven.

www.islamagainstextremism.com/articles/qivwrvs-the-extremist-takfiris-and-jihadis-who-influenced-michael-adebolajo-in-the-woolwich-killing.cfm

Maybe their Imam needs to broadcast that murderers and terrorists will not reach eternal bliss as the fanatics seem to believe. This has nothing at all to do with satire, it is hatred of a non-Islamic way of life, and it is missing the point to discuss the minutiae of whatever the cartoons contained. I am offended by many things including most religious beliefs but I do not plan on murdering people who find solace and comfort in their beliefs. This is a serious attack on our way of life, which with all its faults, is the way I want to live, with freedom to publish comments as we all do, and to bicker and discuss at liberty without fear of severe punishment.

And ask yourselves, what did the aid workers do to offend Islamic sensibilities, the ones who were beheaded? Jewish shoppers? This has nothing to do with perceived blasphemy.

I don't think there is one single leader of Islam in Britain. For a start, the Sunni and Shia are like Protestants and Catholics in that respect. Try telling Scottish Presbyterians that they can be represented by a Catholic Cardinal. Then there are Arabs, Iranians, Turks, Kurds, Kashmiris, Bengalis, Somalis, Pakistanis and Indian Muslims. Sorry if I've missed a few. Some groups are more firmly settled here and others are relative newcomers. Many will also have their own mosques.

I do think that the content of these cartoons is relevant as this magazine office has clearly been targeted because of its provocative articles and cartoons - that has to be relevant.

To say that the publication of these was provocative in no way excuses the actions of the terrorists. Just because there are many other instances of people being targeted by terrorists where the provocation was non-existent does not alter the fact that these journalists knew they were playing with fire; and innocent people's lives have been put at risk as a result.

I defend their RIGHT to publish these cartoons - what I am questioning is the WISDOM of this. They are two different things. This is not limiting free speech, but expecting people to behave with wisdom, responsibility and discretion.

If they had been witty cartoons that lampooned terrorism and terrorists or poked moderates in the ribs to get them to act then that would be entirely different. But they are just offensive and puerile.

I am deeply saddened by the deaths of these journalists and their work colleagues, but just because they have died does not mean that they might not have acted unwisely in life.

As I have said before I would like to see the media using their right to free speech to publicise loud and clear messages from the moderate muslim community and from their leaders spreading the message that this is NOT acceptable.

I am not sure what the legal situation is in France, but I cannot help but think that some of these items might have qualified as inciting racial hatred over here.

There is no easy answer to the problem of terrorism that threatens us all and our dear children and grandchildren but I am very sure that deliberate provocation has no place.

We watched Question Time last night and DH wondered if there might have been a last minute attempt to get Ian Hislop on the panel?

I wouldn't blame him if he's keeping his head down.

Explosions and gunshots at the printworks and now there are men on the roof.