We should never shoot our ability to think

By vinodnarayan on January 9, 2015 • ( 0 )

Dyab Abou Jahjah is a Columnist @Destandaard and he tweeted “I am not Charlie, I am Ahmed the dead cop. Charlie ridiculed my faith and culture and I died defending his right to do so. ”

This tweet is very important and should be shared because as individuals we should never shoot our ability to think… yes we are all slaves to our emotions at times, not just emotions, but also our ego and prejudices… But what is important is we should see every issue in the light of all its impact to the world we live in.

After the incident, I wrote a blog, had several discussions with people from the Islam faith and otherwise. Every single person condemned the act. Today when I read this tweet from Dyab I was forced to think beyond the act. because the world as we know should not shatter with an act. Because we should never shoot our ability to think.

Though what is in the blog is exactly what I felt then and at this time of the day I have a confession to make…….

When I read the news of Charlie Hebdo shootings that morning the only phrases that registered in me were “masked men” , “Charlie Hebdo” “shot cartoonists” , “caricatures” , “prophet Mohamed” and “shouted Allahu Akbar”. But at that moment this should not mean that the culprits were muslims. In fact the phrase “masked men” was pushed way into the back of my mind and did not have a relevance….

I do not think what I blogged would change if I had waited because my thoughts about religion is the same before the incident and after it, what surprises me was the ‘lack of thinking’.. may be even for a short time I was prejudiced I should say. How can I know that masked men who shouted “allahu akbar” are indeed muslims. I did a math that could have gone very wrong. And I have to admit it.

I know that I could have avoided posting this here, no one will know, but I won’t be truthful to myself. I hold a responsibility to myself and my readers (how ever small that may be). We should never shoot our ability to think, and thanks Dyab for making me think this way…