Sunday, May 17, 2015

The New Charlie Is Not Charlie

She thought they were on her side
This will break your heart:
Charlie Hebdo accused of hypocrisy as it suspends journalist after death threats over her articles attacking Islam
  • Charlie Hebdo columnist Zineb El Rhazoui, 33, has been suspended
  • She has received death threats for her articles attacking Islamic extremism
  • Thousands have accused magazine of 'hypocrisy' for not supporting writer
  • Mrs El Rhazoui 'shocked' by decision which comes months after attack
By Jenny Awford, Daily Mail, May 16, 2015.
 
Satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo has been accused of hypocrisy after it suspended a journalist who has received death threats for her articles attacking Islamic extremism. 
Zineb El Rhazoui, 33, was called to a preliminary dismissal hearing to remind her of her 'obligations' towards the French weekly following 'numerous incidents'. 
The French-Moroccan columnist accused her employers of trying to 'punish her' for speaking out about the direction of the magazine four months after the jihadist attack which left 12 dead. 
'I am shocked and appalled that a management that has received so much support after the January attacks could show so little support for one of its employees, who is under pressure like everyone in the team and has faced threats,' she told Le Monde. 
My husband lost his job and had to leave Morocco because the jihadists revealed his workplace. I am under threat and having to live with friends or in a hotel and the management is thinking of firing me. Bravo Charlie.' 
The move has prompted outrage on social media with thousands calling the decision 'absurd' and bewildering'. 
Mrs El Rhazoui and her husband, Moroccan writer Jaouad Benaïssi, received death threats on Twitter from people claiming to be from Islamic State in February. 
Photoshopped images of the couple dressed as ISIS prisoners about to be executed emerged on social media along with a map showing the places the journalist often visited. 
Speaking at the time she said: 'Pictures of my husband, his workplace and geolocation information have been published, as well as various suggestions on how to bump us off.' 
The human rights campaigner was one of 15 Charlie Hebdo writers, editors and cartoonists who wrote an open letter criticizing the magazine's owners and management in late March. 
They raised fears that the left-wing and anti-religious magazine might succumb to the 'poison of the millions' of euros that had flooded in since with terrorist attack in Paris in January. 
The group called for the magazine to become a 'co-operative' and asked for its new found riches to be placed in a trust to guarantee the magazines' survival for '30 years'. 
Killers Saïd and Chérif Kouachi targeted Charlie Hebdo after the controversial paper published cartoon images of the Prophet Mohammed. 
Armed with assault rifles the masked gunmen stormed the office and butchered 12 people including editor Stéphane Charbonnier, known as Charb. 
It was labelled the 'bloodiest attack on French soil in half a century' and millions of people around the world were inspired to declare 'Je Suis Charlie' to show their solidarity. 
But now thousands, including the magazine's own writers, have accused the weekly of 'hypocrisy' after failing to support its own staff. 
Writer Patrick Pelloux said: 'We are all still trying to cope with life after the attack,' he said. 'It is nasty and unfair to call a disciplinary meeting for a member of staff who is still suffering incredibly.' 
'It is paradoxical that the magazine receives prizes for freedom of expression while disciplining a journalist whose life is under threat'. 
Oliver Farry ‏tweeted: 'The lack of self-consciousness among Charlie Hebdo management is bewildering.' 
Romain Burrel said: 'Even Charlie Hebdo is no longer Charlie. Zineb El Rhazoui is laid off.' 
A spokesman for Charlie Hebdo said there were no plans to fire Ms El Rhazoui. 
He said the journalist was suspended and called to an 'interview' to remind her of her 'responsibilities'.
And what are those responsibilities exactly?

Licking Abdul's boots?

3 comments:

  1. And so the stomach turns . . . again.

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  2. Once free speech is lost, other liberties will fall like dominoes. It's 1938 all over again - and in France no less. I guess they have forgotten the lessons of Vichy France.

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  3. Oakes - this is Andrew H. your friend from Shady Hill days.

    This blog is interesting. I wanted to email you but can't find an address. I agree with your assessment of the Mohammedan religion. I have a WordPress poetry blog. Hope you can visit and I would love to chat someday if you feel like it.

    ReplyDelete