The Price of Ridiculing the Prophet: The Charlie Hebdo Affair

Abstract

This paper analyses the terror attack on the Charlie Hebdo offices through several prisms: freedom of expression; the principle of profound offence; the fallacy of universal liberalism; globalisation, and the era in which we live of violence and terror. It is argued that after the violent episodes of “The Satanic Verses”, The Danish Cartoons and the Hebdo Cartoons we understand that freedom of speech has a price. Responsible people should weigh the consequences of their conduct – action and speech. We should learn from these affairs, take offence seriously, acknowledge the fallacy of universalism and the reality of globalisation where speech in a liberal part of the world may provoke negative and violent reaction worldwide. We should fight for our principles while being cognisant of the price tag which might be high and bloody.

Keywords: Charlie Hebdo, freedom of expression; offence; social responsibility; terror

JEL Classification: Z00