The attack on satirical newspaper Charlie Hebdo is the latest of several islamic extremist terrorists attacks in the past few years. The list of recent tragedies includes the kidnapping of 300 Nigerian schoolgirls, the killing of 132 children in Pakistan and countless videos of beheadings.
But why does this terrorist attack feel different?
What has separated the attack on Charlie Hebdo from the others is a sense that this time, the terrorist act was a failure. People worldwide are showing out to support those affected by the attack with the phrase “Je Suis Charlie Hebdo”, or “I Am Charlie Hebdo,” and with marches in Paris.
We are used to terrorist attacks that indiscriminately attack civilians like the attack of 9/11. The terrorists in Paris, however, had the intent to kill the Charlie Hebdo editor Stéphane Charbonnier. It was an attack that felt personal.
This attack was also not just the kidnapping of children in Nigeria, but it was massacre right in the heart of Paris, one of the most famous cities in the world.
Finally, this was not an attack to send a message or to harm political leaders, but an attack on the idea of free speech. The rallying cry of supporters of Charlie Hebdo has been that religion is not free from parody.
Cartoonists from around the world, in an act of solidarity and defiance, have shown their support by also drawing the Islamic prophet Muhammad. In Paris, they hold up signs that read “Not afraid.” If the purpose of this attack was to show criticism of Islam is not allowed, then it has been a failure.