Paris: They asked for it, right?

[RobertEarl]

I have read more than a few posts here just about stating, outright, that the cartoonists were kicking the hornet's nest, so they should have been expecting what happened.

That's like saying a woman asked to be raped. Same thing, only in this case it was murder.

It was murder. It was murder committed by crazy people with guns. That's as much as we'll ever know, and are ever liable to know, since the perps are dead and can't talk.

The cartoonists did not ask to be shot, or even assaulted. The only reason they are not still alive is because a couple of crazy people - with guns - shot them.

That is all.

[NYC_SKP]

1. No, they certainly didn't ask for it, or have it coming. It was murder, plain and simple.

There were no winners in this, nothing but losers all around.

And I fear it's not the end of it.

[RobertEarl]

2. It never ends

Crazy people, like our last president, will always be with us. The best we can do is make sure they don't get their hands on weapons.

[NYC_SKP]

4. I think we could also investigate the roots of the extreme violence and fear.

And, possibly, find ways to ease it, prevent it, or at least more effectively defend against it.

[Lobo27]

5. Part of me thinks that is next to impossible.

Sometimes people can not be reasoned with. I don't know exactly how any kind of dialogue would be started with some that would want you dead. You also can not try to get anyone to submit because the end result would horrific.

[uppityperson]

3. no, they did not. I hope they catch the woman soon and that this madness is

over, that other people do not use it as an excuse to hurt more people.

[CJCRANE]

6. I think you're conflating two things.

Some people think the cartoons were distasteful. That doesn't mean the cartoonists deserved to be shot. They have the right to say whatever they want.

BTW another issue that needs to be looked at is the financing. One of the terrorists said he was financed to travel to and train in Yemen. That should be looked at. If you take out the hitmen but leave the financier in place then the same thing will keep happening (and does keep happening).

[Electric Monk]

10. Follow the money to really solve the problem. Good point. Same as 9/11. Follow the money. nt

[BlueCaliDem]

7. It was murder by delusional extremists. There's no trying to understand that.

There's no trying to rationalize that. It was a simple case of, they had guns. They didn't like what Charlie Hebdo was doing. They went in and murdered innocent artists because they could.

[RobertEarl]

8. Because they could

And they were crazy.

That school in Conn? Crazy fool with guns.

Denver theater? Crazy with guns.

The guns are the common denominator.

The crazy fool bush had a whole military with guns.

Same thing, different day.

[WhaTHellsgoingonhere]

9. Who woulda thunk that Seth Rogan and a cartoon...

...would start WWIII?