Muslims around the world cannot sit idle, Freedom of expression comes with acceptable boundaries, Boko Haram’s massacre goes unnoticed, China-Latin America ties could reset global economic powers, Religious diversity disregarded within Irish society

The Jordan Times / Amman, Jordan
Muslims around the world cannot sit idle

“[The] deadly terrorist attack on Charlie Hebdo office could not be defended,” writes Hassan A. Barari of the attack in Paris that killed 12. “Rather than defending Islam, the perpetrators affronted Islam and Muslims.... Islam does not need anyone to defend it. The culprits do not represent Muslims. But this is not to say that Muslims should sit [idly] by, doing nothing. I believe we need to reconsider our educational system and try to propagate the true teachings of Islam. This mission can be accomplished by governments, and should not be left to radicals.” 

Hurriyet Daily News / Istanbul, Turkey
Freedom of expression comes with acceptable boundaries

“Calls have been made to the entire Islamic world, advising it distance itself from the jihadist violence,” writes Mehmet Y. Yilmaz. “We have questioned the atmosphere of violence dominating the Islamic world and said it would be the Muslims themselves who solve it.... [However,] we have a right to voice a ‘but’ concerning the double standards dominating the Western world. As in anywhere else in the world, there are also racists in the democratic West, and the people to whom they can expose their hate the most today are Muslims.... Of course, freedom of thought and freedom of expression are valid for everybody, but there are generally accepted boundaries.... The boundaries are known: Do not be racist and do not glorify violence or encourage it. Let me add another: The words you would not say for blacks or Jews, the caricatures you would not draw for them, do not use them for Muslims either.... If you are subject to violence because you have done so, of course we will be against those who inflicted that violence. But do not let this fool you to think we accept that you are right.” 

Montreal Gazette / Montreal
Boko Haram’s massacre goes unnoticed

“Millions took to the streets of Paris and other cities around the globe..., including Montreal, to show solidarity with France.... But during these symbolically important mass rallies, barely a peep was uttered to condemn another atrocity committed ... also by Islamist terrorists,” states an editorial. “While all eyes were glued to the carnage in France, Boko Haram slaughtered 2,000 people in a village in northern
 Nigeria [during a raid that started Jan. 3].... The Baga massacre has garnered nowhere near the attention and reprobation it deserved, given the sheer scale of the death toll.... Nigerians deserve our support no less than Parisians do.”

China Daily / Beijing
China-Latin America ties could reset global economic powers

“The emerging market economies and developing countries in Asia and Latin America are deconstructing the West-centered ‘center-periphery’ economic and power pattern,” states an editorial about the first ministerial meeting of the Forum of China and the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States. “China has dedicated itself to ... promoting reforms of the world’s economic and trade orders in the world together with its partners. Latin America is one of the most important partners for China in these endeavors.”

The Irish Times / Dublin, Ireland
Religious diversity disregarded within Irish society

“Irish society appears to be divesting itself of its Christian heritage...,” writes Melanie Brown, reflecting on the recent Christmas holiday. “Christmas carols were replaced with banal winter-themed hits. Religious iconography was supplanted by images of robins and reindeers.... Most mystifying about this process of delegitimising Christianity is that in Ireland there exists strident intolerance towards religious (including Christian) minorities.... What we all need in today’s Ireland is greater cultural sensitivity towards each other, so that religion should never be an excuse to compromise a sense of national identity in any Irish person.