While people across the world showed solidarity with the journalists killed during the attack on French satirical magazine, Charlie Hebdo, by embracing the phrase, "Je suis Charlie," a leaked email from Al Jazeera has showed that a top editor termed the mantra "an alienating slogan" and questioned if the attack really targeted "free speech."
Al Jazeera English Editor and Executive Producer Salah-Aldeen Khadr wrote in a mail that defending the freedom to express in the face of oppression is "one thing" and insisting on the right to be "obnoxious and offensive just because you can is infantile." He argued that the phrase, "Je suis Charlie," being used by people worldwide is "alienating" because it implies if you are not with us, you are against us. One can be against Charlie Hebdo's racism and also against murdering people, reported Fox News.
The email apparently sparked a vigorous debate among editorial employees of the Qatar-owned news organization.
When reached for a comment about the leaked email, an Al Jazeera spokesman said that such discussions are part of the reporting process and added that Khadr is one of several executive producers at the organization and his opinion does not necessarily reflect those of the organization.