In an op-ed published by CNN, Chomsky discussed the terrorist attacks on the French capital and the millions who protested in the days that followed, carrying Je Suis Charlie (I am Charlie) as their motto.
But he also noted those who used the attacks to promote islamophobia. He writes, the attacks prompted an inquiry "into the roots of these shocking assaults in Islamic culture and exploring ways to counter the murderous wave of Islamic terrorism without sacrificing our values," whereas acts of terrorism committed by non-Muslims have not seen a push to contextualize them in Christianity, for instance.
“There are many other events that call for no inquiry into western culture and history — for example, the worst single terrorist atrocity in Europe in recent years, in July 2011, when Anders Breivik, a Christian ultra-Zionist extremist and Islamophobe, slaughtered 77 people, mostly teenagers.” Chomsky pointed out.
Labeling it “the most extreme terrorist campaign of modern times,” Chomsky also lambasted President Barack Obama's drone program, calling it a “global assassination campaign targeting people suspected of perhaps intending to harm us some day, and any unfortunates who happen to be nearby. Other unfortunates are also not lacking, such as the 50 civilians reportedly killed in a U.S.-led bombing raid in Syria in December, which was barely reported.”
Chomsky argued against civil rights attorney Floyd Abrams, who told the New York Times the Charlie Hebdo attack was, “the most threatening assault on journalism in living memory.” Chomsky explained that the phrase “in living memory” allows people to choose to overlook crimes that have been committed on their side and focus instead on crimes against them.
It allows people to categorize their actions as “not crimes but noble defense of the highest values, sometimes inadvertently flawed," Chomsky wrote.
“Contrary to the eloquent pronouncements,” he lamented, “it is not the case that ‘Terrorism is terrorism. There's no two ways about it.’ There definitely are two ways about it: theirs versus ours. And not just terrorism.”
