The barbaric nature of murder of twelve people, ten of them journalists and subsequent fallout should bring home the threat of terrorism that poses Europe, particularly to France, Britain and Germany with high percentage of Muslims among their ethnic minorities.
France has always been soft touch, falling to Hitler’s army within two weeks, defeated in her colonies of Algeria and French Indochina, being rescued by America and especially Britain in two world wars, yet unwilling to learn from past mistakes.
Now France is failing to provide security to its citizens, particularly to Jewish population who are under attack daily and are emigrating enemas to US, Canada, Australia and surprisingly to Israel where they feel safer than in France, although Middle East is in turmoil.
While it is in French culture to poke fun at every religion, culture, using satirical publications most of us would find it difficult to envisage, we must not forget Europe has given us shelter while fleeing from our countries in search of peace, freedom, harmony and prosperity, the characteristic that attracted us to these shores.
Democracy is tool we can use in our favour to change and challenge the evil in Western culture which by no means is perfect, not by murder, terror and intimidation. Although most Muslims, especially from their own minorities are decent, law abiding, peace loving citizens, it is difficult to find anyone who would defend Islam in private, although utterance for public consumption is different matter.
Bhupendra M. Gandhi
By email
