#jesuischarlie

In the aftermath of yesterday's terrorist attack in Paris, the world has responded.  Most of the world showing solidarity with those murdered at Charlie Hebdo.  Twitter exploded with the hash tag #jesuischarlie (I Am Charlie) and cartoonists from around the globe posted their responses on the Internet.  A Couple of my favorites are below:

This was the announcement posted at the Newseum:

You may check out more of these excellent art works by clicking here.  Americablog.com has more coverage including photos of the massive demonstrations across Paris last night, tweets and cartoons showing solidarity with the journalists and policemen at Charlie Hebdo.  Best tweet (including photos) that illustrates the French People's response came from Stephane Celerier:

“They wanted to bring France to its knees. They brought it to its feet.”

By far the worst response to this tragedy was not by an Islamic group, no for one this ridiculous you have to look to the right wing nut commentators over at Fox News.  I cannot even describe the comment made by Fox News 'personality' Erick Erickson in which he declared that "the terrorists won in Atlanta" after right-wing media falsely claimed that Atlanta's anti-gay fire chief was terminated for his religious beliefs.  An excerpt from his statement is below, read it if you have the stomach for it:  

A publisher published something that offended. It mocked, it offended, and it showed the fallacy of a religion. It angered.

So the terrorists decided they needed to publicly destroy and ruin the publisher in a way that would not only make that destruction a public spectacle, but do it so spectacularly that others would think twice before publishing or saying anything similar.

The terrorist wants to sow fear. The destruction of an individual is not just meant to be a tool of vengeance, but a tool of instruction. It shows others what will happen to them if they dare do the same. It is generates self-regulating peer pressure. Others, fearing the fall out, will being to self-police and self-regulate. They will silence others on behalf of the terrorists. Out of fear, they will drive the ideas from the public square and society will make them off limits.
[...]
So they demanded the Mayor of Atlanta fire the Chief of the Fire Department for daring to write that his first duty was to "glory God" and that any sex outside of heterosexual marriage was a sin.

And the terrorists won in Atlanta.

Words fail me, I cannot believe someone this deluded would have a national platform to spout such drivel, deceit and denigration while calling it 'fair and balanced' reporting.  Islam is not the only religion to have radical nut jobs brainwashed by perverted dogma, we have plenty of examples right here in America.   Right off the top of my head comes Bryan Fischer, Tony Perkins, Porno Pete LaBarbera, Marco Rubio, Todd Starnes and Ted Cruze, all of whom use incendiary language and blatant prevarication to incite their followers to further discrimination and often times violence.  This to me is the antithesis of the pure message of most religions which are proponents of peace, love, compassion for your fellow man and communion with a higher power than ourselves.  While everyone has the rights to their own beliefs, those rights do not include the 'spreading of the faith' by coercion, intimidation , or violence.  As a writer I am sure many of my comments have caused consternation among the opponents of Equality, antiquated and deluded as they are, however I have yet to incite violence against them.  Violence is not the answer.  Actions done in Anger never accomplish their goal.  People United for Justice and Equality, that is an idea whose time has come, for aren't all of us 'charlie' in some way?

#jesuischarlie

Your Musical Moment for Thursday is a reprise of the 1960 recording of Piano Concert Number 2 in B Flat Major, Opus 83 by Johannes Brahms.  Rudolf Serkin is the Piano Soloist, Elsa Hilger is the Cello Soloist and they are accompanied in their performance by Teh Philadelphia Orchestra under the baton of Eugene Ormandy.  Yo may also hear Anne-Sophie Mutter performing Brahms Violin Concerto in D Major, Opus 77 accompanied by Herbert von Karajan and the Berlin Philharmonic over on my tumblr.

To close out today's post I have this year's second collection of terrific torsos all decked out in denim with which to delight you.  This edition of Men in Jeans includes a couple of my favorite hotties Orlando Bloom and Marlon Teixeira along with lots of other lean and lithe young men so you may get your sizzle on.  Then there is the Hottie of the Day! over on my tumblr who would like to take you on a Picnic in the Park.  Thanks for the visit, see you again on the morrow.  Until next time as always, Enjoy!