I AM A JEW; BUT AM I CHARLIE?

First, three not so random reference points.  On the night of the murders, Jon Stewart opened his show with his head in his hands in seeming distress.  He then went on a rant about free speech and satire and tried not so successfully to explain what had happened in Paris.  Second, a close relative sent me a terrific article on a web site called "Common Dreams" by a guy named Jack Healey.  Oh so thoughtful and anguished.  Finally, the recent cover of the New Yorker with a drawing of the Eiffel Tower.  The tower is covered in blood at its base and instead of its famous spire, it has a sharpened pencil with blood on it as the top of the tower.  You have to see it.

Having said all that, I really struggled with what my words could add and ended up here.  The satire magazine Charlie satirized all religions equally--Catholics, Jews, and Muslims.  They had anti semitic cartoons/articles; they had anti gay cartoons/ articles; they had anti feminist cartoons/articles.  Nothing was sacred but nothing surely should have led to the deaths of the staff members.  And yet, after this event and especially after reading the Common Dreams article, I found myself wondering if there is a line that was crossed.  The line between pure hatred and satire. I cannot quite define it but I know it when I see it (I stole that from the Supreme Court when they were trying to define pornography).  I do not want anyone to make fun of the holocaust; but am I supposed tolerate the same people making fun of Mohamed?  How can I be consistent and, quite sadly, can I still be a black and white believer in free speech.  Is it ok for the Klan to use the "N" word and call it free speech?

And then there is this--it is intolerable that shoppers in a kosher market were murdered because they were Jewish.  I am sick of that shit and even though I do not wish to diminish the murders of the journalists, I feel personally assaulted by the murders of folks who share my religion. I am not sure where to go with this, how to transition to another topic--but for better or worse I am stuck with a heavy heart and some serious soul searching.

Onward:
--Stewart also blasted Obama for not going to Paris and really hated on Eric Holder who was in Paris for god's sake and chose not to attend the memorial.
--Speaking of free speech, we have another one of those bright Texas Congressmen (and there does seem to be an endless supply of them) calling Obama Hitler.  Really.
--Obama meanwhile made it clear he will veto the pipeline and today implemented major changes in our travel policies regarding Cuba. (Which of course set off Marc Rubio--the best thing that could happen to him is that even if he wins re-election, he loses Dade County and the votes of the young Cuban Americans who live there) I am ready to return to Cuba and bring back some of that fine aged rum.
--Our fine mayor is now suing the state over the siting of the casino.  This will likely push that project way beyond my expiration date.
--Kevin Cullen (a Globe columnist) who was obsessed with Whitey Bulger now has a new boy toy to play
with--the Marathon bomber.  And since this trial is likely to last 6 months or so, Cullen can kind of lay back and write 3 columns a week on that.
Go figure cause I cannot--the market goes down even as gas continues to plunge.  I am told its about anxiety.  Things cannot be this good so lets worry and sell.
--Love this Patty Griffin song title:  "Don't Let me Die in Florida".  I double down on that.
--Cannot believe my beloved granddaughter is 11--happy birthday belatedly to you.


SPORTS TALK
--Chad Finn, who I have referenced before, kicked Felger and Mazz to the curb in a column last week.  A good day for America--kind of like Nick Saban losing.
--The bruins are getting hot and Pastrnak is staying with the big club.  There might have been a revolt if he had been sent down.
--The Pats escaped with 14 yards in rushing.  Brady was epic but Vollmer and Solder (criticized for much of the year) were terrific in the second half.
--Then there is this:  Curt Schilling thinks he did not get into the Hall of Fame because he is a Republican.  I almost wish that were true.  Go away.

Sayonara.