Pen vs. Sword
This extreme response was all as a result to the famously controversial magazine’s publication of offensive depictions of the prophet Muhammad, a recurring issue, as an editor received death threats for it in the past. However, the French government stayed true to France’s Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen which promises “the freedom to do what injures no one else”, “every citizen may, accordingly, speak, write, and print with freedom” and “no one shall be disquieted on account of his opinions, including his religious views, provided their manifestation does not disturb the public order established by law” and did not take action against Charlie Hebdo.
When something like this instance of terrorism, the world is sent into a certain state of fear– who’s next? Why did this happen? What can be done to prevent it from happening again? However, for the world of journalists, the questions are those and then some– could I be attacked for expressing my thoughts? Could my publication be in danger? Should I avoid writing what I truly fear if it’s controversial?
The world of journalism is one that is built upon the actual building blocks of certain news-loving countries: freedom of speech, press, and expression endowed to citizens in their bill of rights. Despite all of that, naturally, some choose to respond to that in order to avenge their own opinions and illegitamize other’s; sometimes in the form of a peaceful letter to the editor, or murder (granted, the latter is on the extreme end of the response spectrum). Recently, responses such as the Charlie Hebdo shooting, the series of English journalists beheaded by the terrorist group ISIS, and North Korea’s threat to bomb movie theaters that showed the Sony movie The Interview (which they deemed to be insulting and inaccurate) have presented a scary new reality for journalists. With such extremist governments and terrorist groups that exist today, when one’s own country protects your rights, what does it matter if antagonists don’t respect that? As a journalist myself, our goal is to inform and entertain our readers, and as a high school journalist I am privileged enough to work for a paper that is not threatened by anything more than a disagreeing peer.
Following the Charlie Hebdo massacre, a massive worldwide campaign was launched featuring various writing utensils. Initiating in France with a countrywide day of mourning on Jan. 8, people preached the message: fight those who murdered writers with hard weapons with the only thing mightier than them – the pen. The old saying, coined by Edward Bulwer-Lytton, “The pen is mightier than the sword” proved true. If millions of ordinary people around the world with a passion for writing, creativity and free speech speak out against two terrorists, what power do the cowards really have? A few words can truly start a remarkable movement and spark a fire within people the same way they do journalists. After all, why do you think the two terrorists were so offended? Words invoke feelings and deeper meanings, which is more than can be said about an AK-47.
Obviously, this is not an ideal situation. As journalists, our world has been flipped into one of fear that our articles could cost us our lives. However, the journalistic community, along with artists and lovers of all things creative around the world, are not fighting the defensive battle in this war on impeding free speech. The pen is, and always will be, mightier than the sword, so uncap your ballpoints and start fighting.
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