Je Suis Jefferson Davis

The title (which is actually the cartoon's punchline) references the slogan that brought the world together following the horrendous slaughter by Muslim fanatics of twelve members of the staff of Charlie Hebdo, a left wing humor magazine based in Paris, France. Among the dead were five cartoonists. 

The magazine routinely published crude and provocative cartoons whose only purpose, it seemed, was to torment Muslims and ridicule France's six remaining practicing Catholics. But it made their readers laugh and the staff famous. Still, most of the world's press declined the opportunity to reprint the offending cartoons. I wonder why?

In the days and weeks following the shooting it looked like every single political cartoonist on the planet jumped on the "Je Suis Charlie" bandwagon. Cartoons featuring the old pen/ brush/pencil as mightier than the sword/cannon/ak47 were rolled out by the hundreds. "Free speech!" "Free expression!"  "I may not agree with what you say but I will defend to my death your right to blah blah blah..."

I grew up in the South Florida. On the rare occasion that I see a Rebel flag it's in the form of a bikini, a patch on a jacket, used as a backdrop for a Tom Petty album or political button.  

Just a little exercise in freedom of speech. An expression of team spirit. Nothing more.

Je suis Jefferson Davis.