DJ @DeeJayNDN Says Charlie Hebdo Is Racist, and So Are You If You Disagree #JeSuisCharlie

Say what you want about Charlie Hebdo Magazine. Crass, tasteless, unfunny etc. You're entitled to your view, and I suppose it's all subjective. But one thing they are not, is racist. In fact, they mocked and ridiculed the racist far-right. You may be forgiven for misconstruing their cartoons on first glance as racist, not all of us have a grasp of the French language and their frenetic political scene. However once someone has enlightened you on these points, it would be best to stop shouting 'racist!' lest you embarrass yourself, or denigrate dead cartoonist any further. I'd like to share an exchange I had with a Twitter user named @Deejayndn. I've no idea who they are, except they have over 10,000 Twitter followers, called me racist and are 'in a band' apparently. Ok, so I was copied in to this exchange at some point on Charlie Hebdo:   https://twitter.com/GSpellchecker/status/594156986331181056 This is the image they are referring to:

In the wake of the Charlie Hebdo attacks, and the slew of apologists for Islamic terror that followed, the website 'Understanding Charlie Hebdo' was set up to explain the nuance and context that was lost on the non-french and ideologues. As pointed out on the site, here's some vital context for the above image:

Translation

“RACIST BLUE UNION”

Symbols

• The font chosen (serif) is reminiscent of traditional right-wing political posters. Left-wing and communist posters in France usually use a sans-serif font. This is the first hint that the cartoon is mocking a right-wing element.

• The blue and red flame logo on the bottom-left is the logo of the Front National, a far-right political party in France.

• The person depicted is Justice Minister Christiane Taubira, drawn as a monkey. This is referencing various occasions of far-right activists depicting Taubira as a monkey (online sharing of photoshops, sound imitations, calling out, etc.).

• The title is a play on words of Marine Le Pen's slogan “Rassemblement Bleu Marine” (Navy blue Union).

Satire

The cartoon was published after a National Front politician Facebook-shared a photoshop of Justice Taubira, drawn as a monkey, and then said on French television the she should be “in a tree swinging from the branches rather than in government” [Le Monde] (she was later sentenced to 9 months of prison). The cartoon is styled as a political poster, calling on all far-right “Marine” racists to unify, under this racist imagery they have chosen. Ultimately, the cartoon is criticising the far-right's appeal to racism to gain supporters. The cartoon was drawn by Charb. He participated in anti-racism activities, and notably illustrated the poster (below) for MRAP (Movement Against Racism and for Friendship between Peoples), an anti-racist NGO.

Click the supplied link to view the poster the same artist drew in support of MRAP. It should be clear to any thinking person that the intention of the above poster was to mock, ridicule and expose racists.  By co-opting their absurd rhetoric and tactics to shine a light on their bigotry, you disempower them. This is what satire does best. What are the chances explaining this to someone will: A. Get them to change their mind B. Make them Double-down C. Make them call me a racist. Place your bets... https://twitter.com/GSpellchecker/status/594157920159342594 So, Dee Jay's opening concern is that a specific demographic, (black people in this instance) are being dehumanized by Charlie Hebdo magazine. I point out 'dehumanization' is not what they were doing. https://twitter.com/GSpellchecker/status/594158106633965568 I then provide the above link explaining the context of the image https://twitter.com/GSpellchecker/status/594158739567030272 This didn't seem to help: https://twitter.com/GSpellchecker/status/594160155337596930 I try to spell it out: https://twitter.com/GSpellchecker/status/594160457197494272 https://twitter.com/GSpellchecker/status/594159016852459520 https://twitter.com/GSpellchecker/status/594159470873341955 I keep trying to explain... https://twitter.com/GSpellchecker/status/594161158791274496 It starts getting a little odd from here on: https://twitter.com/GSpellchecker/status/594159905482870784 https://twitter.com/GSpellchecker/status/594160155337596930 I keep trying https://twitter.com/GSpellchecker/status/594160457197494272 There then seems to be an implication only racists can be depicted when mocking racism. I'm not sure what this means. https://twitter.com/GSpellchecker/status/594160740812075009 I keep trying.. https://twitter.com/GSpellchecker/status/594161158791274496 https://twitter.com/GSpellchecker/status/594161327167377408 Even though I've kindly provided them with a link detailing not only who's depicted in the picture, but why - they keep making this bizarre demand https://twitter.com/GSpellchecker/status/594161580130066432 This continues for a while. I think I try to pre-empt their train of 'thought'. https://twitter.com/GSpellchecker/status/594161792307359744 https://twitter.com/GSpellchecker/status/594161993180930048 https://twitter.com/GSpellchecker/status/594162440310497280 https://twitter.com/GSpellchecker/status/594162757014003712 It seems the record is scratched at this point https://twitter.com/GSpellchecker/status/594162859745083392 It may be worth mentioning at this point; the very person depicted in this picture paid homage to Charlie Hebdo after the attacks, endorsing the 'Je Suis Charlie' campaign. Clearly because they are bright enough to understand satire. They provide a link of racist imagery, as if I have no idea some people make intentionally racist images. Ever the optimist, I try again... https://twitter.com/GSpellchecker/status/594163382347046912 We then seem to encounter an unhelpful inability to distinguish between the words 'subject' & 'target'. https://twitter.com/GSpellchecker/status/594163744424468480 The brilliant part about this, is that they use a screenshot of my actual words, to claim I said something different from my actual words, which I clearly didn't... because the actual words are clearly visible thanks to the screenshot they helpfully provided - in order to try and prove I said something...I didn't. https://twitter.com/deejayndn/status/594161671838441472 https://twitter.com/GSpellchecker/status/594165975869726721 We move back to the subject vs target debacle https://twitter.com/GSpellchecker/status/594166131658772481 CAPtain Shouty https://twitter.com/GSpellchecker/status/594166399528017921 https://twitter.com/GSpellchecker/status/594167163121971200 It took longer than expected, but the tactic of trying to win an argument by accusing your opponent of some such flavour of bigot or other begins https://twitter.com/GSpellchecker/status/594167440797474816 The campaign to paint me as a racist steps up a gear https://twitter.com/GSpellchecker/status/594168730940211200 Then they just spell it out: https://twitter.com/GSpellchecker/status/594169045055856640 There's a few other tweets chastising me for not denying that I'm a racist, so I point out the disingenuous way of arguing this way: https://twitter.com/GSpellchecker/status/594172534158979074 https://twitter.com/GSpellchecker/status/594170944148602880 And back to square one. https://twitter.com/GSpellchecker/status/594171144263049217 Prompted by the high follower count of this individual and references to a band, a quick Google search seemed appropriate - which revealed this thing of beauty. https://twitter.com/GSpellchecker/status/594185853561348097 I rest my case.

UPDATE 04 May 2015

Seems a black, French Immigrant tried to explain to Dee Jay the nuances and importance of Charlie Hebdo for people of his background. The response from this courageous defender of the persecuted? Blocked! https://twitter.com/fredmevsyou/status/594973563473547264 You can listen to The Godless Spellchecker Podcast here, and support it by becoming a patron here.