Newsradio 1020 KDKA Editorial: Nous Sommes

When you think about dangerous jobs –

Maybe you think of loggers –

Deep-sea fishermen –

Or miners.

You don't think of cartoonists.

Charlie Hebdo  is a weekly French publication –

That features cartoons and jokes – among other things.

It is irreverent –

Controversial –

And it has attacked just about every political institution and religion –

Including radical Islam.

It was the magazine's cartoons depicting the prophet Muhammed -

That apparently prompted Wednesday's carnage.

Three men opened fire at the magazine's office.

A dozen people died.

Four were well-known cartoonists – including the magazine's editor.

Almost immediately – social media exploded with the phrase –

Je suis Charlie  -

I am Charlie.

It is both a statement of support for those killed –

And a message –

For those who think murder is an appropriate response to any slight.

It is all of us – standing together –

Refusing to be intimidated into silence.

Je suis Charlie.

No -

Nous sommes Charlie.

We are Charlie.

We must be.

Or the thugs and terrorists win.