Is blasphemy the price of freedom of speech?

‘JE NE suis pas Charlie’, but I do stand with the French people as they deal with the recent murders by terrorists. As a Christian living in a country with free speech, I’ve had to suffer nearly every day hearing or reading the misuse of God’s and Jesus’s names. This can be on the street, in pubs and restaurants, on television and the radio, in supermarkets, in jokes, on the sports field or among a crowd. The practice is so endemic that various ways of using God’s name as an oath rather than a prayer can even be found in the dictionaries. I believe I speak for many Christians when I say I find it offensive. I sometimes react and say something, but usually I try and ignore it. To me, free speech is a wonderful gift and something for which millions of people gave their lives in two world wars. I always try not to say things that are unnecessarily offensive to others, and that’s why I find it hard to understand why Charlie Hebdo and others feel it necessary to be offensive to Muslims, knowing the hurt the cartoons can cause. We must use the gift of free speech with integrity or run the risk of losing it.

REV BOB SHORT, Beeston, Notts. ‘Je suis Charlie’ or ‘Je ne suis pas Charlie’? I’m a Frenchman living in London. I’m not a Charlie hebdo reader: I find its cartoons amusing, but I’m not aligned with its political opinions. Despite this, right now I am still Charlie. What I share with those folks is the freedom of speech. France is a democracy and, as such, citizens can exercise freedom of speech. many pretend to fight for freedom of speech, but still think journalists should stop using this freedom when religions are offended. saying ‘Je suis Charlie’ is an expression of solidarity, of defence against extremisms, of no compromise about freedom of speech. Charlie isn’t anti-muslim, it’s anti-religion, all religions. It makes fun of Catholics, Jews and muslims. most of all, Charlie hebdo satirises politicians and the French in general. Charlie’s writers are not racists. they are humanists. Lack of reverence for political and religious figures, the right to blaspheme, is the sign of a healthy democracy. there are no possible compromises with freedom of speech. I stand for Charlie and I defend that right. If we start curtailing freedom of speech, the extremists have won.

TONY LAFOSSE, London SW4.