My first blog post of the year, now that life has settled back down into everyday normal and Christmas has been put away, wasn’t going to be Political in nature but the events in Paris this week demand good people speak out against the suppression of free Speech.

                                                    © AFP Bertrand Guay

Over 50 world leaders, of all political persuasions, all religious belief, and all colors united in Paris to march in defiance of the suppression of Free Speech by the combatants of radical Islam. Israel and Palestine stood together against radical Islam. What nation refused to stand up in defiance? Embarrassingly and unforgivably, The United States of America cowered in the White House and refused to call the Parisian attacks what they were, a salvo in the war on the west by radical Islam.

Wednesday the decades old war on Western values and principles once again struck and killed innocents. This deadly assault on free speech once again has betrayed Islam from within and has left the world defiant at the moment but will these events finally be the spark the West, and the World, needs to stand up and excise radical Muslims from Islam?

This isn’t a problem that can or will be solved by political leaders or mass demonstrations of outrage and unity, it can only be solved by non-radical Muslim leaders and believers. It isn’t a political problem with a political solution. It is a religious problem that can only be solved people of Faith that have the courage to stand up in their Mosque, in public, in schools, in their workplace, and in their homes and reclaim their faith from those have hijacked the faith and now present that face of Islam to the world. There is no excuse, there is no justification for non-radical Muslims to cower in their homes anymore. If you truly believe your life is in danger by speaking out against the hijackers of your faith, then perhaps it is time to question your strength of belief and your commitment.

I, as an American and Roman Catholic, can only be a voice in the chorus speaking out against the violence and tragedy that is the state of Islam in the world. Religion and faith evolve and change to suit the faithful. It is time to wake-up and realize that it is no longer the Seventh Century and the world has changed. Women are no longer chattel to be bought, sold, and discarded like broken armor. Conversion by the sword as a religious doctrine is no longer viable. The fundamentals of Islam are not violence, conversion by the sword, or the brutalization of women but when moderates fail to represent their religion, the fundamentals of Islam are represented and driven by the radicals of their faith. It is time to stand up and say no to the continued hijacking of your faith.

As for president Obama cowering in the White House refusing to call the attacks in Paris this week acts of terrorism by radical Muslims is humiliating and solidifies America’s position as xenophobic and pathetic. We used to be a country that believed in free speech and supporting our allies in the world. Now it seems, we believe in letting loose individuals with known terrorists ties on the world and for cowering. We are no longer a world leader, let alone a superpower and it is time we acknowledge what the world learned this afternoon in Paris. President Obama has marginalized this country, leaving her defenseless and vulnerable.

To be honest, the world leaders that marched in Paris today are not perfect. Many, including President Hollande of France, have a history of suppressing speech unfavorable to their political views and we all actively self-censor every time we engage in “politically correct” speech for free of offending someone. It is time to stop PC speech, it is time to stand up to bullies who deny a person’s right to their viewpoint, it is time to say “NO” to limits on speech that might offend someone, somewhere. It doesn’t matter that those 50 plus leaders that marched in solidarity this afternoon in Paris do not have spotless records on free speech or freedom of religion, what matters is what happens now today, tomorrow, and all the tomorrows hereafter. It matters that the civilized world stands up and says no to the further hijacking of our cultures and religions by Islamic radicals. It is time we speak our minds without censoring ourselves. All sense of normal discourse between individuals has vanished and we hide behind self-censored words to protect ourselves, our jobs, our loved ones. The end result of this hiding and censored speech is a global society that has allowed the rise of radical Islam is dominate the world. It is time for that to end, it is time for the average citizen to speak freely and it is time that political leaders stop suppressing speech.

Nous Sommes Tous Charlie … We are all Charlie. It is more than a convenient slogan or hashtag. It is time we speak freely. It is time to take back Islam from the radicals. It is time we support moderate Muslims as they speak out.