Why were the Charlie Hebdo cartoonists killed? Was it because of their cartoons that were abusive of Islam? Was the killing an act of retaliation on behalf of the followers of the Prophet Mohamed (peace be upon him)? One of the perpetrators shouted out words to that effect. However, a realistic look at the facts leads us to conclude that the act was directed against Muslims. We cannot talk about this crisis without taking a quick look at the track record of this leftist magazine. We can see that it usually combines the ideas of the Radical Left with an abusive, often obscene style of writing. Can we consider that Charlie Hebdo is exercising its freedom of expression when it is being critical, or should we regard the criticism as being a deadly provocation that uses as its tool the abuse of religion and men of religion, politicians and intellectuals, in particular? This type of superficial secularism may be regarded by many French people as a brave commitment to principles. On the other hand, some others may regard this behavior as dangerous and irresponsible. Could Charlie Hebdo's excessive ethical trespasses justify this terrorist attack? That is the more important question. The answer is, and will always be, a definite "No". However, we can ask a different question: Why are these people so violent and bloodthirsty? The intense discussions inside France, that followed the incident, revealed that Charlie Hebdo which has insulted Islam and its Prophet (pbuh),has also published images of French policemen carrying the bleeding head of an immigrant and nuns performing sexual acts; and it has gone as far as to publish images of the Vatican Pope wearing a condom. That is not all. This same magazine has attacked Christianity, depicting the Virgin Mary delivering her son Jesus on its cover page, in a way that anyone with an ounce of faith would denounce. Judaism and its Rabbis have not escaped the vitriol of the magazine's cartoons. Christianity, Judaism and Buddhism have all fallen prey to the sarcasm. The question is, why is it only the Muslims who resort to armed retaliation? This question is on the minds not only of the French but also of all the Europeans. It may be the subject of intense discussions well into the future. The painful incident occurred on the day that the rightist French author Michel Welbeck's new novel "Surrender" was published. Was this a coincidence, or should we consider the matter in another light? The novel imagines what France will be like in 2022. It foresees an imaginary Islamic party winning the elections and its leader, Mohamed Bin Abbas, becomes president of France, changing the country from a secular to an Islamic state. Women will not be allowed to work and the Sorbonne will become the Islamic University. In other words, France will become the victim of religious extremism in a decade. What impact does this novel have on the French reader in the light of the Charlie Hebdo incident? Michel Welbeck's novel is not the only cause for concern. The demonstrations staged in Germany and Sweden by Nazi and fascist groups such as Pegida, are also worrying. Matters have reached even more dangerous levels. The speech is further extended to deeper and more serious levels. Have you heard of French media man Erick Zamora's interview published in an Italian newspaper? His words carry the clear message that Muslims should be expelled from France. Zamora's attitude is not new to the Intelligentsia in Europe. The right wing, which is growing apace, has noted that an Islamic nation is growing inside Europe. This means that a civil clash will be inevitable. The Muslims have a constitution: the Quran, which means that they have a constitution and laws that are parallel to the constitutions and laws of Europe; and that is how the rightists justify their predictions. Was the Charlie Hebdo incident meant to deepen the latent suspicion that is unsettling the Europeans, namely, that there are serious incompatibilities between Islam and the modern state? We are beginning to see the consequences of the Charlie Hebdo incident and we must not, under any circumstance, forget that these almost certainly will mean that Muslims will be considered guilty until proven innocent. This same incident will also strengthen the extreme right wing and help them implement their political projects that are known to be hostile to Arab immigrants. The incident may also make the French leaders rush into an international alliance to put an end to what Defense Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian described as "The Terrorist Hub". He was referring to southern Libya, which has become a new Iraq, attracting the so-called ISIS and Al Qaeda terrorists. Is France in a crisis? Definitely yes, France is undergoing a deep crisis and is living in fear. The only way out, is to exercise responsible freedom, which respects human dignity and religion, the kind of freedom that lights the way for those living in darkness, threatened by death.
