JE SUIS
Jan. 16, 2015
features
CHARLIE Important events behind the conflict Charlie Hebdo republishes potentially offensive cartoons of the Prophet Muhammad from a Danish newspaper along with original cartoons for the first time
2006
Muslim extremists firebomb Charlie Hebdo’s offices. The magazine’s cover following the firebombing depicted a Charlie Hebdo staff member kssing a Muslim man with office rubble in the background Muslim extremists attack Charlie Hebdo offices, killing 12 and wounding 11
2011
2015
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Judging by appearance Kamila Aouragh recounts discrimination while visiting France during and after the attack on “Charlie Hebdo” by Joseph Blakely Senior Kamila Aouragh was an hour outside of Paris visiting family when the Charlie Hebdo attacks occurred. “We were going to drive down the day the attack happened, and then we heard about the attack and decided not to,” Aouragh said. Being from an Arab and Muslim family, the attacks held a personal significance as the attackers were Muslim terrorists. “My entire family argued about it after the fact, because we are all Arabic and they are all Muslim so they took great offense that somebody would do that in the name of Muhammad,” Aouragh said. “I don’t agree with the fact that they murdered 12 people and then murdered four more in the hostage situation, but I can understand why they were doing it because you don’t make fun of someone’s religion.” Aouragh believes that the political cartoons that mocked Islam and Muhammad were “inappropriate” but would have gone about expressing her distaste differently. “Generally, making fun of religion is not a good idea, because it causes war. It causes attacks like that,” Aouragh said. “I would have written a letter or have talked to the editor, I wouldn’t have murdered 12 people.” Aouragh experienced discrimination during the rest of her time in France, as people were quick to generalize the actions of the
attackers to all Arabs. “Everyone is predominantly white over there,” Aouragh said. “The second most dominant race there is Arabs, and French people don’t like Arabs. They are really racist. Picture America in the 1920’s against black people. It’s kind of like that.” Aouragh experienced such discrimination when she went out with her grandmother. “When I went to the market with my grandmother who is very Muslim; she dresses in the hijab and she is very conservative, she got into a confrontation because of the Charlie Hebdo attacks,” Aouragh said. “At that point, I was afraid of being attacked. It was scary, like this is what happens when religion forces its way to the forefront.” Being in yearbook, Aouragh has additional insight into the freedom of the press, but believes the newspaper Charlie Hebdo went too far. “I agree with the protester’s protesting for their freedom of the press and free speech rights, but sometime you need to think, ‘What are the consequences if we post this?’” Aouragh said. Aouragh believes that in order for cultures to coexist, religion must not be such an important dividing factor. “I don’t think you should force your religion on other people, and I don’t think you should make fun of other religions, because it will cause fractions like this,” Aouragh said.