So I have been talking to some friends & family about the events in France and I’m rather surprised by some of the responses.  But before I get to that I’d like to say hopefully with the terrorists dead, the families of those who were slain can grieve.  I think as a society we need to ask ourselves, what do we really believe and are we willing to curtail some freedoms for security?  Just like with the hack and threats that were made surrounding the movie The Interview, I firmly believe that the answer to that is no because if we give in now, the terrorist of tomorrow will ask for more.

Freedom of expression is a sacred right, while I may not agree with what is being said I wouldn’t stifle someone else’s right to free speech (as long as it’s not directly threatening to someone).  Sometimes it’s distasteful, other times it can be down right hate filled but in order to live in a free society, that’s what we sometimes have to endure.  Really, if Muslims want the right to protest things like the video Innocents of Muslims, then in turn it should allow others to do what they want.  Blasphemy is a sin in all religions and the punishment is always suppose to be severe but no one actually practices that anymore.

Myself I probably pick on Christians more so than any other group (it’s the largest religion here in Canada & in the Western world), there’s nothing that’s off limits and they’re not killing people for insulting Jesus.  If one wants to focus on Islam, so be it really is the religion or the “prophet” so easily insulted that it requires human intervention?  Wouldn’t being damned for eternity be enough?

In the next little while the governments around the world will use the French attacks to justify curtailing even more rights from its citizens and it’s important that you stand up and say “no I will not trade security for freedoms and I do not want to live in a police state”.

I’m sorry to any Muslim friends who were hurt by my rant below, offence was not my intention.  You should know I do not have hate in my heart, that I am a man of reason (I try to be anyway) and that I dislike all forms of organized religion.  Let’s not focus on who said what and instead focus on how we can make the world a better place tomorrow.