"The Blasphemy We Need".

[Donald Ian Rankin]

I think this article by Ross Douhat from the NYT is probably the best thing I've read on the Charlie Hebdo shootings so far.

http://douthat.blogs.nytimes.com/2015/01/07/the-blasphemy-we-need/?_r=0

The tl;dr version is that Charlie Hebdo were right to be so rude about Islam precisely because they could not do so safely.

[GoneOffShore]

1. The only Douhat piece I've ever read where he halfway gets it right.

Just goes to show.

[muriel_volestrangler]

2. It's like the principle that satire should be aimed at the powerful

Those who make threats of violence are trying to make themselves powerful, and thus can, and should, be criticised and ridiculed for it.