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After the Charlie Hebdo Attack, We Must Resist the Clash-of-Civilizations Narrative

Terrorism feeds on society’s fears – and the relentless questioning of Muslims’ loyalty plays into its hands

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A memorial in Brussels in honor of those killed at Charlie Hebdo during the January 7, 2015 attack. (Photo: Valentina Cala/cc/flickr)

It’s hard to admit to a reaction other than sadness to the murder of 12 people, especially when it takes place in a city that feels so close by. The images of sprawling bodies and masked assailants on familiar-looking streets gives the tragedy an extra edge of horror.

Yet in the moments after the news broke about the Charlie Hebdo massacre, I found it impossible to ignore a sinking feeling: the recognition that we were being pulled further into a cycle of distrust and division.

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It grew as I read through the responses online. The straightforward reaction from far-right extremists was the hashtag #killallmuslims, which would have been easy to ignore as empty words if it hadn’t reminded me of the firebombing of mosques after the Lee Rigby murder.

Read the full article at The Guardian.

Homa Khaleeli

Homa Khaleeli is a staff feature writer for the Guardian.

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