What Charlie could be

Place de la République, Paris, Jan. 7th 2015.

What Charlie could be

In the streets after September 11th, Americans were chanting « USA ! ». Last Sunday in Paris, the French were shouting “Liberté !”. The dust hasn’t even settled yet, but I can sense, behind Charlie, a real vision for the future. This movement confirms that we don’t give in to fundamentalism, we refuse chaos (a Europe in the throes of chaos would be a boon to some) and we bear our values to the highest: liberty, freedom of thought and expression, secularism, wit, art, humor. And now, what if we were to stay this course? By explaining, educating, leading by example, each and every one of us. By being more civic centered, less egocentric. By besting ourselves in that which we take pride in. And in so doing, dissipating the temptations of obscurantism among our youth, by the radiance of our lumières.