I offer my quickly rendered tribute to the satirists of Charlie Hebdo.
Rather than a cleverly glib commentary, here I offer a serious
statement. I proudly stand in plain view and loudly utter the phrase,
"je suis Charlie (I am Charlie)!" This is what editorial cartoonists do;
stand and show ourselves. On every one of our rendered opines we
proudly inscribe our names for all to see. Yes, I drew this. Yes, I
wrote this. I said this. Me, an individual with a voice. And, I publis
hed it, sent it to my syndicate, posted it on the Internet for all the world to see.
The cartoonists killed in the Paris attack today were not hiding
unseen in the bushes. Unlike their murderers, the people killed were not
nameless clandestine cowards who hide their identity under balaclavas
and secret themselves away into hiding after perpetrating extreme
violence on unarmed targets. They didn't use guns or bombs. No weapons
were among their tools, nor were threats of violence issued. They openly
drew pictures that lampooned, that provoked thought, that made a
statement through satirical renderings. For that they were gunned down.I
appeal to those who cherish freedom to stand united against these
cowards, against those who aid them and against those who applaud them.
Silence allows them to flourish, so speak out. Let your voices be heard,
your pencils unsheathed, your keyboards tapped. #JeSuisCharlie #CharlieHebdo
- Steve Artley
