Posted on October 20, 2020

March of the Vacuous

Chris Roberts, American Renaissance, October 20, 2020

Last Friday in France, a Muslim terrorist stabbed a middle school history teacher several times and then beheaded him. On a public street in broad daylight. An 18-year-old Chechen, whose family had been admitted to France as refugees, killed Samuel Paty because he showed his class cartoons of Mohammad. It was a class on freedom of expression. Many Muslims think anyone who depicts the prophet deserves to die. Two days ago, thousands marched in Paris and Lyon in sympathy for Mr. Paty and to support freedom of speech.

Credit Image: © Bardos Florent / Abaca via ZUMA Press

Credit Image: © Maxppp via ZUMA Press

Credit Image: © Elisa Sarret / Le Pictorium Agency via ZUMA Press

Credit Image: © Boussuge Mathis / Abaca via ZUMA Press

Many prominent politicians were there:

October 18, 2020, Paris, France: LFI leader Jean-Luc Melenchon and French Member of Parliament of the leftist La France Insoumise (LFI) party Adrien Quatennens at tribute to Samuel Paty, the professor beheaded in a terrorist attack. (Credit Image: © Prezat Denis / Abaca via ZUMA Press)

October 18, 2020, Lyon, France: The prefect of the Rhône Pascal Mailhos and Mayor of Lyon Gregory Doucet. (Credit Image: © Boussuge Mathis / Abaca via ZUMA Press)

October 18, 2020, Paris, France: LREM member of parliament Laetitia Avia and LREM party’s general delegate Stanislas Guerini during homage on Place de la Republique to history teacher Samuel Paty two days after he was beheaded by an attacker. (Credit Image: © Pierrot Patrice / Abaca via ZUMA Press)

October 18, 2020, Paris, France: President of French Ile-de-France region Valerie Pecresse and French Prime Minister Jean Castex during homage on Place de la Republique to history teacher Samuel Paty two days after he was beheaded by an attacker. (Credit Image: © Pierrot Patrice / Abaca via ZUMA Press)

The slogans at the march did not mention Islam, Sharia Law, or immigration.

“The school cries but do not be afraid:”

Credit Image: © Samuel Boivin / NurPhoto via ZUMA Press

“Nobody deserves that:”

Credit Image: © Samuel Boivin / NurPhoto via ZUMA Press

“I am Samuel:”

Credit Image: © Elisa Sarret / Le Pictorium Agency via ZUMA Press

“Education is the only solution:”

Credit Image: © Olivier Donnars / Le Pictorium Agency via ZUMA Press

“Teach nuance:”

Credit Image: © Olivier Donnars / Le Pictorium Agency via ZUMA Press

“France has become its own caricature:”

Credit Image: © Olivier Donnars / Le Pictorium Agency via ZUMA Press

“For a secular and equal democracy:” (Women’s Alliance for Democracy)

Credit Image: © Olivier Donnars / Le Pictorium Agency via ZUMA Press

“Freedom of thought:”

Credit Image: © Panoramic via ZUMA Press

“Stop the barbarism:”

Credit Image: © Maxppp via ZUMA Press

“If freedom of expression is limited to ideas that suit us, it is not freedom of expression:”

Credit Image: © Maxppp via ZUMA Press

“Solidarity against the fascisms. Homage to Samuel Paty:”

Credit Image: © Maxppp via ZUMA Press

“Obligatory history lessons for everyone:”

Credit Image: © Lionel Guericolas / Starface via ZUMA Press

“No to barbarism:”

Credit Image: © Lionel Guericolas / Starface via ZUMA Press

Credit Image: © Bruno Levesque / IP3 via ZUMA Press

“For respect and the freedom of expression:”

Credit Image: © Bruno Levesque / IP3 via ZUMA Press

Slogans about “freedom” and “education” will not sway France’s radical Muslims. Jihadists want to “educate” the populace in the ways of Islam. They the want the “freedom” to punish those who disobey them. If an armed thug broke into your home, would you lecture him about the importance of respecting private property?

When France was still French, school teachers and concert-goers were never butchered. Frenchmen who want to keep their schools, stadiums, and town squares safe should limit immigration, lock up criminals, and repatriate Muslims. Ending “barbarism” or respecting “rights” require people with shared values, and multicultural countries don’t have shared values. Marching in defense of “freedom of speech” without pointing out who wants to eliminate it through violence, and without calling for an end to the laws against “hate speech” enforced almost exclusively against whites is not even a joke — it’s an insult to the dead.