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Le Métro et moi: Je suis Charlie, je suis juif, je suis flic et je suis musulman.

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When our teachers get their ‘propre’ (own) facebook page, I always ask them to be ‘politiquement correct’ (PC), not to publish ‘des photos compromettantes’ (embarrassing pictures) of themselves doing a ‘défi du seau d’eau glacée’ (ice-bucket challenge) in (tight shorts) ‘caleçon moulant’ … ‘et ainsi de suite’ (and so on). But the week’s events here in Paris ‘ont touché (have affected) everyone in France and it would seem ‘inconcevable’ (unthinkable) not to mention them in my blog.

I’ve quoted Antoine de Caune’s variation of #JesuisCharlie because I feel that it ‘représente au mieux’ (best represents) the 17 victims of the attacks. I would have liked to ‘présenter mes hommages’ (pay my respects) to the victims and their families on Sunday, but ‘je dois avouer’ (I must confess) that I did not join the 3.7 million who marched together ‘dans toute la France’ (across France). Not ‘par peur’ (out of fear) – although I would have been frightened. Not ‘par indifférence’ (out of apathy) – as I would have felt honoured to ‘jouer un rôle dans’ (play a part in) such a positive national outpouring of solidarity. I stayed at home due to an ‘engagement antérieur importante’ (important prior engagement). ‘D’autant plus’ (all the more) reason for me to talk about it.

And everyone is talking. Everyone ‘prend position’ (is taking a stand) not just against the attacks, but for ‘ce que ça veut dire’ (what it means) to have ‘la liberté d’expression’ (freedom of speech). They are talking about what a terrorist is and isn’t. What saying ‘Je suis Charlie’ means. Why you should and shouldn’t ‘afficher’ (post) on your Facebook page. Whether ‘les médias’ (the media) is reporting on ‘les événements’ (the events) fairly. Debates, ‘hommages’ tributes, accusations ‘se muliplient’ (abound).

And ‘l’essentiel’ (the most important thing) is that ‘on se parle’ (we are talking to each other). As ‘Reporters sans Frontières’ (Reporters without borders) said ‘Ils ont voulu nous réduire au silence. Ils n’auront obtenu qu’une minute’ (They wanted to silence us. They only got one minute.)