Tunis - After the tragedies of Charlie Hebdo and Hyper Kosher, social networks have still grown the “Mass Effect” by creating a large flow of communication and by defining and setting the agenda.
Social media has decided how audiences should think and behave. However, this time, it is offering users a range of identification choices from which to choose: “I am [Charlie], [Ahmed], [Flic], [Frank], [Muslim], [Mohammed], [Chourabi], [Nadir], [Jew], [Gaza], [Palestinian].” These identities that refer to geographical, cultural or religious territories have become, in fact, terms to be used as a socio-political phenomenon.
“We are not supposed to be objective,” said cartoonist, Jean Plantureux, alias Plantu. “The cartoonist (reflecting the guideline of Cartooning For Peace Association) twists the truth to tell the truth. By cartooning, we play like teenage boys, we go beyond the limits. At the same time, we are accountable to reality,” said Plantu, although the truth is a controversial topic.
The choice of an image brand (I am Charlie, Ahmed, etc.) is also personal and totally subjective, but some people, including those who perhaps have never read Charlie Hebdo, have been content to follow the herd by adopting the image of those who share information on Facebook, “liking” a post without really knowing what it is.
The brand corresponds generally to the way it is perceived by news consumers. However, the events that occurred last January confirmed that it is not always the case. “All at once, everybody was saying I am Charlie.
Even for ourselves, becoming a symbol is difficult because it fought against symbols,” said cartoonist Luz in video to the online magazine Vice. “
All of a sudden, Saudi Arabia says ‘I am Charlie’ but it is not.” “They are not Charlie when they put a blogger in jail and whip him,” laments the cartoonist who escaped the tragedy of January 7.
Different Communication Channels
Social networks, the streets and the press were the channels for these image brands’ marketing. Social networks have been drowned in the wave of "I am Charlie,” which subsequently led to a separate wave of "I am not Charlie.”
This dilemma, to be or not to be “Charlie”created a third category of "Yes... but." And, a fourth category was created to counter the propaganda conducted within the campaign amalgam. The hashtag #RespectforMuslims is an example of this counter-campaign .
As for the press, the events were responsible for creating a rift between journalists who are “professionally neutral” and others who have been labeled, by their colleagues and some analysts, as "anti-Muslim and anti-Jewish."
The cartoonist at Charlie Hebdo Luz thinks that most Muslims don’t care about Charlie Hebdo because the newspaper stories don’t offend them. “I hugged a Muslim at Charb’s funeral and he said that he was sorry. Then, I told him he shouldn’t be,” said Luz, “because Muslims are not responsible for these acts that were made in the name of religion.”
Neither the Koran nor the Hadith have prompted religious hatred or division. Some protesters praised the Kouachi brothers, others burned the French flag and some have even asked to make caricatures of victims in the name of freedom of expression.
Conversely, some who could be called "Islamophobic," insulted Muslims. Two complaints were made in this context, and were addressed to French Prime Minister, Manuel Valls. The first, has to deal with the "Laic Riposte" organization, which called for an anti-Muslim rally on January 18, 2015, in Paris.
The second, relates to Philippe Tesson (87 years old), a columnist for Figaro Magazine and Le point, for saying violently, “Is it not the Muslims who bring the shit into France today? We have to say that." The columnist has been investigated for "inciting racial hatred.”
Paolo Gilardi wrote an article for the website Gauche-anticapitaliste.ch, in which he addresses Muslims, saying, “Why do you recognize the value of life (of the four victims) as thousands of men and women were killed in Gaza?”
He added, “It was a first one, now it is the second and a third run soon? They are disgusting crocodile tears shed on the second death of Charlie Hebdo!”
But all lives are equal as said the Prophet (PBUH) in a reply to a Muslim, saying that death does not distinguish between people. Journalists and opinion leaders should educate people not incite them to hate.
A third category of people talked about the children of Gaza’s killing. To show its disagreement with Charlie Hebdo's new caricatures, Tunisian newspaper’s L’Audace published a parody of the publication, entitled "I am Gaza,” which was characterized as anti-Semitic by Christian De Labaltinière, who writes for the website Europe Israël.
This discussion made this group, who ask about the killing, escape the real question: are they for these murders? For this reason and "to avoid the sensibilities of everyone, we are accepting no more posts about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and any accompanying comments," said the administrator in the charter of “Juif du Maroc,” a group on FaceBook that has 8,783 members and calls for coexistence.
The fourth category of people called Charlie "a trap," basing their analysis on conspiracy theories. Jacob Cohen spoke on this topic in his blog "De-Manipulations." In the article entitled: CHARLIE-WEEKLY or "treason of the clerks,” he discusses the topic in detail. But, whatever the cause, we are now dealing with the consequences.
Norman Finkelstein, an American historian and political scientist, also Jewish, reacted to the Charlie Hebdo identifier, saying "I am ... Gaza." “Could we say ‘I'm Der Sturmer’ (a publication that was known for its obscene anti-Semitic cartoons)?” he exclaimed. Some have even speculated that that “Charlie” means “Israel,” comparing the Hebrew letters.
Elio Di Rupo, President of the Belgian Socialist Party, said, "I am a Jew, I am Palestinian," in a reaction to the tragedy of Charlie Hebdo, a claim that has fueled the anger of the Secular Jewish Community Center in Belgium (CCBC) and many in the media, which characterized it as anti-Semitic. Some journalists asked, “Why add ‘Palestinian’, was there any victim from Palestine in Paris?”
“Hate speeches have multiplied. To counter this campaign, we, as journalists, should carry out acts of peace and sensitize people on social networks and through the articles. At the same time, the only positive thing that occurred is that Jews, Christians, Muslims are now united against this horror; Jihadists can kill everywhere, everyone, but we will win. All united,” said Jean Corcos, producer at the Judaic FM station and actor of interreligious dialogue at the Representative Council of Jewish Institutions in France (CRIF). Corcos also created a blog, “Rencontre,” to establish more links with Muslims and promote tolerance.
On the street, rallies and demonstrations were held in several countries to show solidarity with the victims of the terrorism in France, but to different degrees. In the Arab world, Charlie Hebdo got more chance than Hyper Kosher. A republican march was held in Paris, bringing together all the diplomatic representatives of the Arab countries, except Morocco.
In Turkey, Senegal, Pakistan, Niger, Afghanistan and Palestine, demonstrations were held against Charlie. In Pakistan, demonstrators burned the Italian flag, thinking it was the French one. In Israel, pro-Charlie demonstrations were organized and a great mobilization followed the Hyper Kosher tragedy. Four victims, Jews of Tunisian origins, were all buried in Jerusalem and hundreds of people attended the ceremony.
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