It's been quite a day. We had, what, six or seven journalists who died last year month in the line of duty? Here it is, the second week of January, and that record is already broken.
I've been crying on and off all day, ever since I heard the news. Although some people don't think what we do here is journalism, it is --and it's mentally exhausting. We don't get much support (financial or otherwise) for speaking truth to power; the only thing that really keeps us going is our collective conscience. That's why I have so much admiration for the fearless way in which the Charlie Hebdo staff pursued their mission, and so much disgust for people whose ideology is so weak, they need guns to impose it on the rest of the world.
Many of the people who turned out across Europe to show their support for Charlie Hebdo are holding pens in the air, and carrying signs that say "Pens against guns." Yeah, that's what it comes down to: The power of words vs. the use of force.
I have to believe that someday, the words win:
Hugo Jaliere, 31 (left). "I've been in shock since this morning... It's pens against guns." pic.twitter.com/1hcxDXmKiw
— Tim Chester (@timchester) January 7, 2015
Berlin for Charlie Hebdo.
Via @jonworth pic.twitter.com/GLveMHsqw5
— Negar Mortazavi (@NegarMortazavi) January 7, 2015
Right now people around the world are pouring into the streets to support Charlie Hebdo http://t.co/rVa0vNdyXx pic.twitter.com/Yvze0mploI
— Mother Jones (@MotherJones) January 7, 2015
"Can't sleep tonight," tweets @davpope. http://t.co/qwbOzTTrTH #CharlieHebdo #JeSuisCharlie pic.twitter.com/Fgl4qHA7Tt
— Boing Boing (@BoingBoing) January 7, 2015
#JeSuisCharlie: Victims of #CharlieHebdo attack mourned across Europe http://t.co/KXKSd7s1DN pic.twitter.com/cFJsQl4e7Y
— Al Jazeera America (@ajam) January 7, 2015
Political cartoonists are mourning the #ParisShooting by retaliating the only way they know how. On pen and paper. pic.twitter.com/1SN3hWp0We
— Bipartisan Report (@Bipartisanism) January 7, 2015
you know things are bad when #KillAllMuslims is trending.I'm #Muslim.I hate #ISIS + Islamic extremism.Still want to kill me? #JeSuisCharlie
— Zahra Hankir (@ZahraHankir) January 7, 2015
People hold signs reading "I am Charlie" at the Place de la Republique in Paris. #Photo by Joel Saget #CharlieHebdo pic.twitter.com/qw3G8UBRMh
— Agence France-Presse (@AFP) January 7, 2015
http://t.co/H0XsXt0rS4
Je Suis Charlie#CharlieHebdo #JeSuisCharlie #Jedi pic.twitter.com/CBpcFS6yKH
— Godfrey Wagmore (@GodfreyWagmore) January 7, 2015
This one cuts deep... #CharlieHebdo pic.twitter.com/iFecNvl1VA
— ChristianChristensen (@ChrChristensen) January 7, 2015
People gather in front of the city hall of Rennes, western France, following the attack in Paris. (GettyImages) pic.twitter.com/vy5jMShJbK
— Breaking News Feed (@PzFeed) January 7, 2015
