#JeSuis

I am not French, nor am I Jewish or Muslim. I am an artist, and I am a Catholic. As an artist, I sympathize for the members of the French press. As a Catholic, I grieve with them because it was a senseless loss of precious lives. Producing and publishing that work of art was within their rights. Freedom of the press, as we call it, and freedom of expression go together like two peas in a pod; and the publication of that cartoon was merely an example of these rights. However like all rights, even these have limitations. Thus begs the question, was this expression too far? 

In the Philippines, the limits of the exercise of these rights were tested when an incident in August 2010 shook the country. A local police officer held as hostages a bus full of tourists for a whole day as a form of revenge against the force. While on the bus, the suspect and the tourists all tuned in to the local news channels and heard about the movements of the task force. The incident ended in the loss of the lives of all but one tourist. Even the suspect died. This to me seems a good parallel of how freedom of expression through freedom of the press can go too far.

But were the incidents in Paris anything like this?

In my sole opinion, it may have partly been. Yes it may have been because of the explicit display of critique on the varying religious beliefs. As a Catholic My religious affections would have been scraped if it were my God criticized in a way I think is unbecoming. But, as a Catholic as well, I would exercise control over my feelings and be more understanding of others, and not condone violence. This is not the way to deal with it. I cannot speak for those who reacted so violently in the face of so little a threat, but I can speak the thoughts of their religious leaders based on their own words. And I can say that we have the same opinions on the matter.

Partly may have been because despite the knowledge of growing religious tensions in their area, they still chose to publish the cartoon embodying thoughts that they knew would spark religious controversies. As an artist, the knowledge of having to limit my expression to conform with society's emotions and thoughts puts a hamper on my creative process and the results of my work. But because we do live in societies, thinking about others cannot be prevented. Not even when this means producing artwork that would not contain the full extent of the thoughts and emotions I intend to impart. It may have been careless disregard on the part of the victims, or fierce loyalty and violent reactions on the part of the suspects. I do not know which one had more weight in causing the incidents, but one thing I am certain is that too much of anything is never good.

In drawing a parallel on the Paris and Manila incidences, I do not mean to state that the press should stop publishing critiques because that is precisely one of their purposes. I also do not mean to state that the religious should not take offense against wrongful interpretations of their beliefs. We are entitled to both these rights, but that does not mean we always are.

In the context of the law there is such a thing as abuse of rights. This happens when a person exercises a right granted to him by law, or one that is inherent in him, in a way that it impedes upon the rights of others. This incident I think is a good example of what could happen when two factions abuse their rights against one another. 

To everything we are granted, and to everything we are given, there is always a limit. I hope that this disturbing incident leaves a mark in our hearts and in our minds to remind us always of our actions.

My condolences to the victims and their families.

Czarina 

January 10, 2015- 11:00pm

Nothing good comes out of blind empty acts