Thought for the day Paris - Ukraine

Rostislav Ishchenko, political analyst
10.01.2015

Folks argue if the killing of the French cartoonists for their inadequate humour was justified. Let us try to analyze the accident dispassionately.

First of all, words and cartoons are able to kill as well. Meaning, from this point of view the “jokers” and their murderers were equal.

Secondly, the killers could have “joked” as well (assuming they have an extraordinary sense of humour). They were not asked about their reasons for killing the “jokers”. They were simply shot to death by French policemen. If a regular court hearing took place, I do not exclude the chance that the defenders would have claimed that the murder was a murder only formally, and in fact it was an installation, an object of high art.

Thirdly, if the French government pretends to believe the claims of Ukrainian authorities that anti-fascist activists had burnt themselves in Odessa (with provocative purposes, directed by Russian secret services), or that the militiamen are shelling themselves from heavy artillery (with provocative purposes), etc., I think it will easily believe that the editorial stuff of “Charlie” had deliberately provoked its own killing with the aim of rising the circulation of their magazine.

In general, if we look at the accident from the point of view of Russian culture, then it is a crime, which cannot be justified. However, from the point of view of Russian culture, the “jokers” had also been committing a crime, when constantly blaspheming.

If we look at the accident from the point of view of Western culture, then nothing at all had happened. One group of people had used their right to freely express their opinion, having systematically dispersed blasphemous provocative cartoons. Another group of people had also used its right of free expression by having shot the first group. For the recovery of balance police shot the shooters.

Finally, from the point of view of radical Islam, which the shooters confessed, they simply had to kill the “jokers”.

And, ultimately, from the Christian point of view (either Orthodox or Catholic), which had been regularly, along with Islam, mocked by the “jokers”, they should have been forgiven. And it was not Christians who killed them. 

Christians had forgiven them. It was Muslims who murdered them. And from the point of view of Christian morals the murderers should also be forgiven, and the issue of guilt and punishment left to the Lord, who directly demands: “Vengeance is mine, I will repay”.

What I mean is that we cannot tackle the accident from the point of view of any moral norms, as the “jokers” had deliberately put themselves beyond the sphere of application of morals. They considered themselves to be secure. They were wrong.

When I wrote texts dealing with politics in Kiev, even before the coup I was aware of the possibility of being murdered. Attacks at anti-fascists, including violent ones, occurred as early as a couple of years ago. When I write political essays in Moscow, I realize that theoretically the junta’s adherents have a technical possibility of reaching me even here. It is not difficult; it is just not advantageous to them. Nevertheless the world is full of mad people, hence, when one is publicizing his opinion, he is taking a risk, at least, a slight one.

One can realize or not realize the fact, but it is ridiculous to have grievances with people, who have decided to exterminate you, if by your actions you strive to exterminate their ideology, and this is worse than physical extermination for them, as they have been sacrificing their lives en masse in order to protect their convictions and will keep on doing that.

Thus, one should either be silent and avoid playing political games, or do not whimper, when he finds a shooting mark on his back. Mortality rate among mountaineers is much higher than among ordinary people, but they have made their own choice, and they consider it justified. They do not have any grievances.

A political journalist is waging a war. A good journalist makes better effect than a tank squad. However, more tankists than journalists perish in the war. So, they should not feel hurt.

Source: Truth about Situation in Ukraine 11-01-2015