‘Je Suis Charlie’

The tragic events that unfolded last week in Paris have gripped headlines around the world.

On Jan. 7, two gunmen entered the offices of French satire magazine Charlie Hebdo and opened fire, killing 10 people. The gunmen were reportedly motivated by the magazine’s publication of comics depicting the Prophet Mohammad, a practice that is forbidden by Islam. The gunmen swore vengeance.

The Eagle editorial board decided to republish the cartoon of Mohammad, which appeared on the cover of the Jan. 15 issue of Charlie Hebdo, on our front page.

We feel the need to stand in solidarity with the journalists and cartoonists of Charlie Hebdo, who are persevering in the face of terrorism. Their work is not in vain. This move is not an attempt to shamelessly incite violence or controversy, nor is it a callous attempt to offend.

Rather, our aim is to demonstrate and underscore the freedoms granted by the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution. No act of terrorism has the power to strip away the freedom of the press; not on our watch.

In short, Je Suis Charlie: We are Charlie.