Daily Times

Sir: I am Charlie. Whether print, electronic or social media, all are buzzing with this slogan. Everyone is united in seeing the attackers punished for killing so many people in Paris the other day. We share grief with the French; sooner or later these murderers will face the court of law. That is the key point: court of law. If someone has abused freedom of speech to incite hatred, the solution is not to load a gun but load a pen. The pen changes the mind by putting up a counter argument whether in a court of law or in the form of a book, article, video or lecture.

We all respect freedom of speech unless it becomes ‘free-dumb’ of speech. Do we permit pornographic material to be published in the public domain? No, because it is considered offensive by many. We have to draw a line somewhere otherwise it will be a free for all. Millions of Muslims across Europe and North America have been watching with horror the unfolding events in Paris since Wednesday and are fearing a backlash. This vicious cycle has been ongoing for years. Is this not the time to sit back and ponder about what is going on in the name of freedom of speech and in the name of honour of religion? It is time to refuse extremists who want Islamophobia to take another evil shape to deepen the divide between the west and Muslims. Any backlash in the aftermath of the Paris tragedy will mean we are furthering the cause of religious extremists to draw more jihadists into their fold. Let politicians and hatemongers take a backseat and let scholars from both sides come forward and bring the feuding faiths together through love, respect and harmony.

MASOOD KHAN

Jubail,

Saudi Arabia