I Stand with Charlie Hebdo

"Free expression is the base of human rights, the root of human nature and the mother of truth. To kill free speech is to insult human rights, to stifle human nature and to suppress truth."

Liu Xiaobo

Liu Xiaobo is a Chinese literary critic, writer, professor, and human rights activist who called for political reforms and the end of communist single-party rule. He is currently incarcerated as a political prisoner in Jinzhou, Liaoning

"What is freedom of expression? Without the freedom to offend, it ceases to exist."

Salman Rushdie

Sir Ahmed Salman Rushdie is a British Indian novelist and essayist.

“If liberty means anything at all, it means the right to tell people what they do not want to hear.” 

George Orwell

“If freedom of speech is taken away, then dumb and silent we may be led, like sheep to the slaughter.”  

George Washington

“My own opinion is enough for me, and I claim the right to have it defended against any consensus, any majority, anywhere, any place, any time. And anyone who disagrees with this can pick a number, get in line, and kiss my ass.”

 Christopher Hitchens 

  Christopher Eric Hitchens (April 13, 1949 – December 15, 2011) was an English-born American author, journalist and literary critic.

  
 One of the reasons I drifted away from religion and became an agnostic was that I couldn't wrap my head around the idea that God, the supreme entity of all creation, would give a damn about arcane human ceremonies. I believe the same holds true for any and all possible insults that send some into a blind rage. If an entity can set forth the underlining principles of all the subatomic particles as well as the laws of physics that govern the development of galaxies, stars, and planets he or she would be incredibly petty to be worried over anything I can verbalized or write. 

  
 If God does exist. it is my opinion that he or she would be far more concerned that we, tiny insignificant beings living on a small planet lost among all the galaxies would treat one another with respect and understanding. I intend no disrespect to anyone's beliefs but the problem with living in a free society where ideas and opinions can be expressed openly is that eventually someone will insult something you hold dear. Here in South Carolina I regularly have to deal with people who express opinions I consider outrageously stupid or destructive. And to be honest, even though it can irritate the living shit out of me I wouldn't have it any other way.