{Originally posted to author’s site, Emes Ve-Emunah}
It was a large rally – perhaps the largest rally ever in France. According to the BBC, up to 1.6 million people attended the one in Paris. And there were many more in France and around the world. Including the United States. Most of the signs read ‘Je Suis Charlie’ – I am Charlie in reference to the satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo that was attacked last week. It is a sign of solidarity – not necessarily with the message of that magazine – but with their right to express it. Which that attack was meant to wipe out along with the 12 people that were massacred for working there.
But there were other signs there. Among them those which read ‘Je Suis Juif’ – I am a Jew. This was a reference to the kosher supermarket that was attacked on Friday. 4 Jewish hostages were killed there. One of whom acted heroically by grabbing a gun from one of the Jihadists. But the gun did not fire, and the Jewish hero was killed along with 3 other hostages. Meanwhile a practicing Muslim that worked in that store ended up saving 15 other Jews by hiding them in a freezer.
‘Je Suis Juif’ is a sign of solidarity with the Jewish citizens of France – one of unity among French citizens regardless of religious differences. A message that attacking a French Jew is the same as attacking a French Catholic. Or a French Muslim.
Even though it has come at a cost too high, it’s nice to see the world united in this way.
Many world leaders attended this rally and walked hand in hand with French President Francois Hollande.
Strangely the United States snubbed that rally. Not only did the President or Vice President not attend – not one member of his cabinet attended. Not even Attorney General Eric Holder who was actually in France at the time! Only the US ambassador to France attended.
I understand the reasons given by the administration for the President not attending the rally. They said the security detail required for his attendance would have been way too disruptive and therefore disrespectful. Perhaps. But – not a single high level member of his administration??? I cannot fathom why the Obama administration would snub a rally like that. It is inexplicable. They now regret it.
This rally is not about protesting the mass murders. That does not need a rally. There is not a civilized person in the world that thinks what those mass murdering Jihadists did was in any way justified. It was certainly not done to impress upon them that the world does not agree with them. They don’t care what the civilized world thinks. They only care about their beliefs.
The way they see things – until the world comes around to their beliefs, we are all infidels that will burn in hell. The sooner they get us there, the better. Unless we convert and join them in their crusade.
1.6 million people? No. What they see is 1.6 million infidels. This rally may actually be seen as a victory for them. They made an impression. A big one. And they will no doubt use it as a recruiting tool.
As a Jew concerned about the increase of Antisemitism in the world, this rally tells me something. It tells me that the Antisemitism experienced recently in France was not representative of mainstream France. It was instead probably inspired by propaganda from the very type of extremists that murdered those people last week.