By Konstantine Goudas (A Class)

 It’s been at least a week since the jihadists attacked the French caricature office “Charlie Hebdo” and this event is still the first one in the media. And that’s justified. The murder of a comedian, just because one of his “victims” is the murderer, is not just a killing. It’s an evil attack against the freedom of expression, against democracy.

On January 7 2015, two armed men broke into the office. After that, “there was a gunfight between the two murderers and the police” according to the investigation of the crime. Twelve people, comedians and policemen, were killed and eleven were injured. One of the victims was Charb, the director of “Charlie Hebdo”.

Two days after the attack, the two murderers, called Serif and Said Quasi, were executed by the police, who found a man they had kidnapped. The hostage was alive and his health was fine.

On Sunday, January 11 2015, there was a demonstration in Paris. In this demonstration, there were also people from governments of the whole planet.

The funeral of the victims was also the one of “Charlie”. Hours after the carnage, cartoonists all over the world created satirical cartoons based on this event. For example:

 However, the “war” has just begun. So, all the Europeans, Christians or not, have to support democracy, even if it’s against our own god, in the case of the Muslims of course. Besides, every religion is good, in case it’s harmless. So, let’s not be fanatics in our religion.

Neither must we go to the other side, the racist one. “Charlie” was also satirizing the Catholics, the heretics and the Extreme Rights, who had already murdered an artist who was against them (Fyssas case, 2013). However, it was the jihadists who attacked the cartoonists. This is going to give the chance to persons who support racism against the Muslims to gain power. We must never go to this side.

Nevertheless, in my opinion, everything is going to turn out well. If we hope, everything happens.

VIVE LA DÉMOCRATIE!

SOURCES:

• http://www.news.gr/kosmos/evroph/article/201813/ekdikhthhkame-ton-moameth-skotosame-ton-charlie.html
• http://www.news.gr/kosmos/evroph/article/202130/nekroi-oi-drastes-ths-epitheshs-sto-charlie-hebdo.html
• http://www.news.gr/kosmos/evroph/article/202264/megalo-rantevoy-yper-ths-eleftherias-ths-ekfrashs-s.html

By Maria Kollyrou & Theoni Theodoropoulou

One of the most significant discussions in society is about the reliability of the media. We are inclined to believe that most of the times they present us with prejudiced coverage based on the belief of the journalist or the editor. Nonetheless, there are some special cases in which we can find unbiased reporting.

First and foremost, the majority of the media use a specific vocabulary to make things appear worse, bigger or funnier, so they influence the impression of the people. This type of presenting events is called diction. Another trick of the media is the falsification of the truth as the journalists tell lies, invent new facts or distort them with the intent to increasing the sales of newspapers and the numbers of viewers on TV and on the internet. Furthermore, a lot of journalists express their own opinion on the events and as a result they become prejudiced and not unbiased.

Additionally, they omit certain information and do not give a complete picture about an event. They also present trivial issues, such as gossip, and push aside crucial matters which are connected with our daily life. There is also noticed a lack of verification and frivolity on vital events, so that the people cannot be informed entirely.

Moreover, the journalists are often threatened or paid by companies or authorities to protect their interests. Last but not least, editors put the information they think most important in the first and the last paragraph. This “trick” is called placement and it deceives people.

However, we are supporters of the opinion that if we try, we can find unbiased reporting because there are some serious editors and journalists who are dedicated to their work and do not distort the truth.

Taking all the above into consideration, we firmly believe that we should be more conscious, aware and criticise everything that we read or watch on newspaper, the Internet and TV as we cannot trust the media and we do not know when they tell lies and when they do not.