People died today. In the vibrant city of Paris, 12 people died and 20 were injured when armed, angry people stormed the offices of the satirical publication Charlie Hebdo. They were illustrators and writers, satirists, police officers. They went to work or visited an office, and they were killed.
Editor-in-chief Stephane Charbonnier. (photo credit: AP)
My next post here was to be something BC wine related because that’s what I write about. Instead I’m writing about hate, the actions people take to support their beliefs, and what if anything we could or should be doing.
Wars are waged on many fronts and in a number of ways. From active combat to passive resistance, we choose to fight, engage, support, rally. We turn away from conflict and tune in to the latest entertainment channel. We pick up a sword, a knife, a gun – or a pen.
Those of us living in a privileged world of democracy have the right to speak out against whatever injustice we see in whatever way we choose, within the framework of the law. Sometimes we push limits. Artists regularly do. Why? It’s their/our job.
As a writer, I don’t often consider myself an artist. I’m a curator of stories: I collect and recount information that can reflect elements of the human condition and shed light on who we are as a society – if I do it well, it will be for readers present and future. Today after learning that 12 people were murdered for their role in speaking out, I realize that although I push the occasional (local) limit, as one of those artists/writers/curators I haven’t stuck my neck out nearly as far as I could – or should.
We’re fucked up. We have been for centuries and things aren’t really changing. Despite our ineptitude, people like those working at Charlie Hebdo – and every artist, writer, creative – think we can do better. They push us to face the ugly in ourselves so we can make a change, and for that they are killed. This can’t be 2015.
I’m a small fish. I write about food, wine, people – as risky as I feel some of it can be, it’s “lifestyle” stuff. In my wee world being controversial means writing critically about judging criteria for local wine competitions or how we regulate provincial meat inspection. I receive minor backlash on occasion – I’ve been put in the penalty box, plagiarized, and ignored, but that’s about the extent of it. I’d rather speak honestly about my subject matter, as seemingly softball and inconsequential as the subject is.
On behalf of those who can no longer speak, I will speak louder and more frequently of the stories I’m curating about who we are as a society. I’m a writer. It’s my job – whether or not I’m paid to do it.
The phrase Je suis Charlie is circulating in solidarity with those who have been taken and I want to join in the chant for that reason. I am not Charlie. But I will try harder to be louder voice because we need to face ourselves, and I can help hold the mirror – it’s damn heavy.
This is what I can do. What can you do?
~ Jeannette
