We are all bigots

19 January 2015

Let there be no doubt about it: the recent murder of staff at the Parisian satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo was appalling. No publication, however obscene or offensive, justifies killing in response.

Unfortunately, this crime (and, for all the talk of terror, that is what it is) has led to the usual broader Manichean media narrative of 'us' (the civilised world that believes in free speech) against 'them' (the murdererous, terrorist hordes who do not).

According to large sections of the electronic and print media, 'we' are all Charlie now. While it is absolutely right that we stand with the victims and their families in grief and outrage at these terrible acts, predictably we have been told that we should, as a corollary, also defend people’s rights to say what they like, no matter how hurtful it may be.

I have previously made the point that this will not wash – a more sophisticated analysis of the values which free speech is designed to protect is required, as well as an analysis of any double standards at play. France itself protects its citizens’ right to insult Islam (and Christianity) but denies the right to wear the hijab in public. Within days of the Charlie Hebdo killings, France arrested a man for making a Facebook post satirising the response and British and American prosecutors' routine use of 'terrorism' as an excuse for outlawing views – as opposed to direct incitements to violence – which they find offensive.

There is a difference between speech which enlightens and that which obscures. 'Speaking truth to power' and allowing fearless investigation of facts which others would rather keep hidden is a major purpose of free speech and the essence of good journalism. Where, however, the dominant purpose of the speech is to offend or incite – and especially where the targeted group is already in a minority with limited means of objecting or putting a case in response, it seems in a different category.

One need only go to the Jewish Museums in Sydney or Melbourne to see examples of how terrifyingly effective speech or images can be in demonising the 'other' and persuading people to view them as sub-human, with results which do not need repeating. I grew up in apartheid South Africa where such propaganda was a staple. Were the 'Total Onslaught' propaganda tracts of the PW Botha era or Jud Süss, Hitler’s notorious anti-Semitic film, really as worthy

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We are all bigots

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