Je Suis Charlie- And I Don’t Have Anything to Sell You

Russ forwarded me an e-mail he got today from a local store with a headline that read, “Come into (Our store) and enjoy discounts on all of our French Wine and Beer selections.” This was followed up with “To show support for our French colleagues, we are featuring all French wine at 20% off through Monday.”

Somehow I am not sure how my buying French wine at a discount is showing support for France, rather it seems like an excuse for a sale and a way to drive people into their store. No mention was made that the shop was using the profits to do any direct support of France.

As a somewhat outspoken person who has worked at a magazine for the last five years I am all about freedom of the press. I fully support the French people and especially the people who work at Charlie Hebdo. I think that satire and the ability to laugh at politics and leaders of all kinds is important.   Those who take everything much too seriously sometime lose sight of the bigger picture.

I feel like the radicals of the world could benefit greatly from a big shot of humor. If Isis had a comedian in their ranks they might not be so mad all the time.

“Je Suis Charlie” I say. But let’s not use the tragedy in Paris as a vehicle for commerce here. It just seems in bad taste. Better to support France by actually going to France and spending your Euros there. Yes, if we buy some French wine here right now it may eventually lead to restocking and purchase of more French wine down the road, but that seems like a lot of “ifs” and I’m not sure the French people are going to really know you are supporting them.

Buying one of the hard to get copies of the most recent issue of Charlie Hebdo might send a faster and bigger message not just to the French people, but also to the terrorists that we do not lay down to their actions, but stand up and support even more loudly people’s right to free speech.

Check yourself if cartoons are making you so mad that you feel the need to kill someone. A little humor makes life better.