Most Reverend Jerome E. Listecki
Archbishop of Milwaukee
 

“I am NOT Charlie Hebdo.” Charlie Hebdo is the French publication that sparked a terroristic attack on January 7, for publishing images of the prophet Muhammad in a degrading manner. It was a direct insult to the religion of Islam. However, that was not justification for the killing of men and women who worked at the publication’s office. I am in “solidarity” with those who lost their lives.

Many will use an incident like the insult produced in the magazine to incite a political response, using it to justify the furthering of a political agenda. Look, I like satire just as many others enjoy the genre. Jonathan Swift wrote some biting satirical pieces that are considered literary classics, and collectively, the early “Saturday Night Live” sketches were American political satire at its best, as each one served to further dialogue on an issue. As literature and television, both were effective. However, when the object is to denigrate, then I question whether or not the speech is responsible.

There are those that will say I am no supporter of free speech. I am, but with freedom there comes another word which is often forgotten and that is “responsibility.” Words and depictions do mean something. Wasn’t it the great Supreme Court jurist, Oliver Wendell Holmes, who said that falsely shouting “fire” in a crowded theater was not protected speech?

The Catholic Church has been, and continues to be, a target of attack by the secularists. Even in our so-called “free society,” the Catholic Church is an object of religious discrimination and intolerance. As a student in the seminary, I became fascinated with the prejudice surrounding the Catholic Church throughout American history, from its very founding. Perhaps, it was because of my love for the law and our country that I couldn’t reconcile certain actions by the government and the promotion of misunderstanding about our Catholic faith. It was almost a given in some circles of our society, that one couldn’t be a good Catholic and a true American (tell that to John Carroll).

Today, there are no Roman Catholic terrorists looking to avenge insults like attacks on the Trinity, the images of Christ and Mary or Pope Francis, but we are still offended. Some may say that it’s only a matter of bad taste, but speech and visual media can cross a line that boils the blood of individuals. The pope is right: if you insult my mother, in my mind you cross a line not only of civility, but also of common sense. The image of Mary made in elephant dung or a crucifix in a jar of urine produced as art leaves me wondering about the end purpose. There are those that will say, it’s just “art for art’s sake.” Sure it is!

A Christian is called, by teaching, to turn the other cheek. Perhaps, that’s why the rest of the civilized world stands idly by while communities in Africa are attacked for simply professing their faith. As Christians, we are called to defend the innocent and the faith, hopefully, in a manner that is responsible to life and the faith.   

Thursday, I will “March for Life” with hundreds of thousands of Catholic students and adults from across our country. We will be ignored by most and mocked by others; however, we are marching together in defense of life. We will be exercising our freedom of speech “responsibly.” It will be a statement of our resolve to keep “respect for life” prominent as an issue in a society that legalizes abortion. Perhaps that message will resonate with those who ignore the killings – not only in abortion clinics – but also in the urban areas of our cities where violence breeds. If a true respect for life can be achieved, then abortions, urban killings and even terrorists will not find any justification for their actions.

I am NOT Charlie Hebdo, but I AM a Christian. As Christians, we’ll march, we’ll pray and we’ll shout our support for life. To those who don’t like it, I respond, “Don’t worry, it’s only words.” To those who march, I say, “Your words have meaning and reflect the command to LOVE ONE ANOTHER.”

Note: This blog originally appeared as the January 20, 2015 "Love One Another" email sent to Catholics throughout the Archdiocese of Milwaukee by Archbishop Jerome E. Listecki. If you are interested in signing up for these email messages, please click here.