January 07, 2015
Cartoonists around the world are reacting to Paris’ Charlie Hebdo shooting Wednesday morning, some sketching terroristic imagery contrasted with art utensils. Others preferred to speak out.
Masked gunmen stormed the French satirical magazine's offices and killed 12, including editor-in-chief Steephane Charbonnier and cartoonists Cabu, Tignous and Wolinski. Charlie Hebdo is no stranger to threats — and was even set ablaze by a Molotov cocktail — in response to satirical Muslim cartoons.
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Cartoonists worldwide are speaking up in solidarity for freedom of speech and use of satire for political, social and religious commentary. Various American cartoonists are among the pack, hailing Carlie Hebdo cartoonists as heroes, according to the Washington Post.
Pulitzer Prize winner Mike Peters is one of them.
“I read a quote this morning from the editor of Charlie Hebdo,” Peters told The Post’s Comic Riffs, referring to Charbonnier. “Some months ago, [a French leader] asked him not to satirize Muhammad, and he said: ‘I prefer to die standing up than live on my knees.’ ”
“Free speech is being tested,” said Peters, of the Dayton Daily News. “My father-in-law [Dean Paul Connole of Washington University] used to say, ‘If people would just be who they say they are, this world would be so much better.’ We’re satirists. Stand up and be satirists.”
In Philadelphia, Pulitzer Prize-winning Daily News cartoonist Signe Wilkinson said political cartoons should never be taken too seriously.
“Cartoons don’t kill people. Humorless fanatics kill people,” she told Comic Riffs. “Clearly, there’s nothing funny about a strict Islamist State.”
Wilkinson even produced a cartoon illustrating her point.
New York author and political cartoonist Ted Rall wrote freedom of expression via political cartooning matters “almost enough to die for.” France, he said, is a place where political cartoonists are valued more than almost anywhere else.
Here’s how much France values graphic satire:
More full-time staff political cartoonists were killed Wednesday in Paris than are employed at newspapers in the states of California, Texas and New York combined.
More full-time staff cartoonists were killed Wednesday in Paris than work at all American magazines and websites combined.
The Charlie Hebdo artists knew they were working at a place that not only allows them to push the envelope, but encourages it. Hell, they didn’t even tone things down after their office got bombed.
The Association of American Editorial Cartoonists released a statement regarding the attack:
“The gruesome attack on the Charlie Hebdo magazine in Paris, France, today reminds us that freedom of expression in cartooning is not a given in many parts of the world. Charlie Hebdo was also attacked in 2011, and continued to publish. The Association of American Editorial Cartoonists condemns this revolting act of violence, and stands with the international cartooning community in mourning the loss of twelve people, including several police officers who were executed.
“President Hollande has called this an act of terrorism, and whether it was the work of those merely inspired by ISIS or those given direct orders doesn’t matter. Cartoonists and journalists around the world should be permitted to express themselves freely without fear of reprisal. These types of attacks only serve to illustrate how important the free spirit of cartoon commentary is, and how cartoonists make a difference in helping to expose hypocrisy.
“Furthermore, newspapers should not avoid publishing material from the magazine that allegedly incited the incident. More freedom of expression and not less demonstrates courage in the face of attacks. Shrinking from a newspaper’s watchdog role only encourages more terror.
“The AAEC board and membership expresses its sincere condolences to the innocent victims at this tragic moment, and calls for international solidarity with the cause of cartooning and freedom of artistic expression.”
