#JeSuisCharlie

#JeSuisCharlie

Who/What: "Je suis Charlie" is French for "I am Charlie," and began trending on social media outlets after a terrorist attack in Paris, involving 12 fatalities. The attack was against a satirical paper, Charlie Hebdo, in regards to a comic that made fun of the Prophet Mohammed (Sieczkowski). The object in question (the hashtag) was used to promote a united front against those who would dare to threaten freedom of speech and freedom of press (Fantz).

An image that circulated with the slogan "Je Suis Charlie" after the attacks.

Milliard, Coline. I Am Charlie. Digital image. ArtNet News. N.p., 8 Jan. 2015. Web. 7 Feb. 2016.

Where: The attack took place in Paris, but the hashtag was used around the world. Those in western countries, such as the UK and America who are used to having unequivocal freedoms, used the hashtag more frequently, but there was also a response from India and Malaysia. Of course, the hashtag hit the closest to France, where it was used to show support for the Charlie Hebdo cartoonists (Fantz).

When: The attack took place on January 7, 2015 (Sieczkowski). The hashtag trended for a couple of days after the attack.

Why: With the progression of technology, social media has suddenly become incredibly important in the realm of protest. If this attack had happened two or three decades before, there would have been no such thing as a hashtag. The slogan "Je suis Charlie" would not have reached as many people so quickly. Social media really allows for a much more unified response.

Identities: This hashtag was meant to draw everyone together. It represents everyone who believes in the unequivocal need for freedom of speech and freedom of press. By saying "I am Charlie," everyone is articulating that what happened to the Charlie Hebdo artists could happen to anyone if we allow our freedoms to get taken away from us. It is especially poignant for the French citizens who felt personally attacked when their countrymen were killed.

Works Cited:
Sieczkowski, C. (2015, January 7). #JeSuisCharlie Hashtag is a Message of Solidarity After Charlie Hebdo Shooting . Retrieved February 7, 2016.

Fantz, A., & Whiteman, H. (2015, January 9). #JeSuisCharlie--Solidarity on Social Media for Press Freedom, Terror Victims. Retrieved February 7, 2016.