On Charlie Hebdo

(via @magnusshaw and http://www.buzzfeed.com/ryanhatesthis/heartbreaking-cartoons-from-artists-in-response-to-the-ch#.esM7A4V5z)

I spent a big chunk of 2014 studying comics and cartoon illustration and owe much to French graphic culture and it's appreciation of satire. This attack certainly feels like an attack on a community of artists and writers who are, for all practical purposes, family. But, this debate is already heading the wrong way. 
This is not about Islam or any other fanaticism. Talking about, for instance, the injunction against representing the Prophet graphically, examining Sha'riah, reporting the one-God salute made by one of the gunmen-- these things will give us no insight into how civilians are slaughtered by men with paramilitary training. 
Instead, we must focus on the use of militants (and other extra-judicial methods) to achieve intelligence and strategic economic goals. Just to remind ourselves, it is America, UK and France's greatest hypocrisy to stand for freedom of expression and religion publicly but preferring to do business with religious extremists, supply them with weapons, training, logistics and intelligence-- directly or indirectly, supporting the execution of those that stand-up for rights like Malala in Pakistan but also in Afghanistan, in Syria, in Libya, and God knows where else.