Sure, this may be a terrible pill to swallow, but Charlie Hebdo is satire. Eish. Satire can indeed be the most offensive form of literature, but it is there to ridicule, shame and highlight the actions of people – whether individuals or groups – doing questionable things with the hopes of improvement.

Perhaps using the image of the death of a little boy is extreme to some – but the image is now heavily linked to the most iconic of the Syrian refugee movement and therefore holds so much more meaning and sway than any other.

Charlie Hebdo printed two cartoons based on the image with the aim to highlight European consumerism as well as critiquing the hypocritical European Christian idea. Although there was major backlash on Twitter belittling the magazine for its use of the death of a child, Maajid Nawaz, founder of the think-tank Quilliam defended the magazine’s cartoon:

Taste is always in the eye of the beholder. But these cartoons are a damning indictment on our anti-refugee sentiment. The McDonald’s image is a searing critique of heartless European consumerism in the face of one of the worst human tragedies of our times.

The image about Christians walking on water while Muslims drown is (so obviously) critiquing hypocritical European Christian “love”.

Fellow Muslims, not everything and everyone are against us, every time. But if we keep assuming they are by reacting like this, they will surely become so.

The first image, entitled “So Close to His Goal”, features Aylan – the three year old Syrian boy who was found on the beach after drowning – lying face down on the sand near a publicity board of a 2-for-1 McDonald Happy Meal saying

Two menus of children for the price of one.

The second cartoon is entitled “The Proof that Europe is Christian ” and shows the little child drowning in the waters. On the left side, a man, supposedly Jesus, stands on the water saying

Christians walk on waters… Muslims kids sink.

Charlie Hebdo is deeply criticising Western (corporate and religious) attitudes and beliefs – a comment against their own culture and no one else’s. The images were drawn by artist Laurent “Riss” Sourisseau who, after being hit in the shoulder in the shootings eight months ago, has had to be chaperoned at all times by armed, plain-clothed police since. I guess they will have to increase their security after this.

And, although painful, it’s great to see the magazine hasn’t backed down. We need this kind of commentary in our society and it needs to be viewed as a vital tool that opens up discussion rather than criticism in a time that is overtly racial and xenophobic.

[source: businessinsider]