FAN THE FLAMES for
Freedom of Speech, or ...
BURN, BABY, BURN
I agree with what Bill Warner has been saying over the past year: We need to aim for the heart, the emotions. The facts aren't enough.
Every story teller knows that. Every child knows. that.
But often counter-jihadis have not paid a lot of attention. Facts and more facts, especially about Islam.
I see us - counter-jihadis - as instrumental in doing way more than getting the facts out - in fanning the flames that the traditional politicians and mainstream media are trying to extinguish.
That's the insight I've been getting while following - and being deeply touched by - the massacre of the people at Charlie Hebdo, and the hundreds of thousands massing in rallies throughout France to show solidarity.
Today over a million are expected in Paris alone. JE SUIS CHARLIE. I AM CHARLIE. Each person who goes FANS THE FLAMES - their own flames as well as those of the people around the world.
And I say: where there are flames for freedom of speech, for liberty, an important thing is to fan them.
And where there might be flames, but the fire hasn't quite caught, our role is to encourage the fire to catch. If you've even worked at getting a fire going with damp wood and half soaked newspaper, you'll know what I'm talking about.
Something to keep an eye out for: expected fires - like PEGIDA (anti-Islamization rallies) in Germany. The mainstream media and mainstream politicians are of course trying to denigrate those who go to the marches, and trying to get their own supporters out - the multiculturalists who don't care about human rights (like the right to safety from rape for women, and the right to equality for women in the face of an anti-woman culture), and who don't even care about the indigenous (in this case German) culture.
As I've just said, we can rail against the mainstream. Or we can be flame-fanners: helping spread the enthusiasm.
When a fire catches hold, it's a powerful force.
I felt the force of such a fire with the slogan, I AM CHARLIE, JE SUIS CHARLIE. I felt the power of community in the rallies that, already the first day, drew over 100,000 people in cities and towns throughout France.
I am one of the people touched by this fire. And through writing to others, I'm doing what I can to increase it.
Our role, by the way, isn't to try to force fires where the wood is damp and moldy, but to go for the hot spots. That will perhaps give the wet wood a chance to dry out, and soon, more fire. In other words, this is likely a more effective technique than trying to get any specific fire to burn.
But when there is a fire, BURN, BABY, BURN.
Elsa
January 11, 2015
P.S. Final estimate: 3,500,000 attended the rallies throughout France. And more in cities throughout the West. Quite some fire.
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Fan the Flames for Freedom of Speech.
Je suis Charlie, Charlie Hebdo.
Huge fire.
3,500,000 at the rallies in France.
Natural fire. Spontaneous.
Now, fan the fire.
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