In the wake of the tragic attack on their Paris office that left 12 dead and 11 wounded, French satire magazine Charlie Hebdo got back to business this week with yet another depiction of the prophet Muhammad on their cover.
In the cartoon Muhammad is holding a sign with the global phenomenon #JeSuisCharlie hashtag on it. And, if you translate the line above him, it says “All Is Forgiven.”
It’s an image that can be read as both uplifting and defiant in the wake of such a terrible tragedy. In one sense, it's remarkably ballsy—and a symbol of France's devotion to the freedom of speech—that Charlie Hebdo has released another controversial cover so soon after losing so many members of their team. But on the other hand, the cover is yet another troubling, offensive depiction of Muhammad. It is not only a slap in the face of their attackers—which may have been the magazine's goal—but of all Muslims as well.
Ed. Note: An earlier version of this post reflected full support of Charlie Hebdo's cover and declared it "perfect." The truth is, it is just as problematic and offensive to Muslims as many of the publication's previous cartoons, and is far from perfect.
[via Twitter]
