Taking the piss for a better future

The Hebdo attacks had my mind whirring, partly because I'd never even heard of the cartoons (admitting to ignorance), and partly because I'd become bogged down in British politics and being reminded of the spectre of terrorism again left me reeling.

So my reaction was first tears, then to join a throng of Je Suis Charlie, only to turn tail when someone described the publication as racist.

While I do not wish to live in a racist world I also do not want to live in a world where religion reigns supreme.

Yet the question rising in my mind is why do I not know about this publication and what does that indicate? Is it their failing or mine?

Freedom of speech

At school I often felt different and left out, so I dislike bullying behaviour and people without compassion.

However, having been that odd ball I value my voice and by that I mean my ability to criticise and argue with anything.

By that I do not mean a right to hurt people and if the Muslim world wishes to take the piss back, let it do so, but that is not the same thing as killing someone.

Let's not play holier than thou

In our supposedly feminist championing West a girl who challenges things often finds themselves unpopular and criticised in a way that most men wouldn't accept.

That can mean as much the devoutly religious girl, as well as the devoutly atheist one.

Then again, getting less male attention generally means you get more done.

So thanks for taking the piss guys, I probably wouldn't have got three A grades at A level without it.

Ridicule is a great weapon

My mistake was to stop taking the piss of things I didn't agree with.

But I and everyone else would do well to remember that you can take a joke too far.

My beliefs are as important as anyone else's and yes Atheists do believe in things.

Ignorance is still the biggest bully going.