Photo courtesy of SplitShire.
“I’d Rather Die Standing Than Live On My Knees”
This is a quote was stated by editor Stéphane Charbonnier of the French satirical magazine, Charlie Hebdo, who was killed on January 7, 2015, along with 11 colleagues by Islamic extremists thought to be acting on behalf of Yemen’s al-Qaida branch who opened gunfire on the publication’s office. These extremists did not agree with the content put out by the magazine and wanted to seek “vengeance for the prophet,” as Charlie Hebdo was known for making fun of everyone from presidents to the Pope to the Prophet Muhammad. Charbonnier was no stranger to death threats, firebombings in 2011 and even being included on the Al Qaeda propaganda magazine Inspire’s list of people “Wanted Dead or Alive for Crimes Against Islam.”
While I can’t speculate on the content of the magazine as I wasn’t a regular reader, I can’t help but feel inspired by Charbonnier’s mentality, his refusal to be scared into silence or to stop living his life the way he believed it should be led. I also think it’s amazing how the murderer’s attempts to silence the press only made Charlie Hebdo and its followers louder. A magazine that was on the verge of going bankrupt and barely selling even half of the copies it printed each week is now receiving support from individuals and groups all over the world, and being viewed as a symbol of strength.
In fact, the magazine’s latest “Survivors’ Issue” cover depicts the Prophet Muhammad crying and holding a sign saying “I am Charlie” and below “All is forgiven” (in French).
Continuing the topic of terrorism, today I saw a CNN interview with Marine Medal of Honor recipient Dakota Meyer that discussed how ISIS may now be targeting the US military at home. The FBI is warning military members and their families to get rid of their social media accounts, out of fear it may give terrorists too much information.
Meyer’s response?
It’s not that he isn’t taking the threat seriously, or that he doesn’t care about himself or his fellow servicemen and women; it’s that he doesn’t believe submitting to fear — especially against “a bunch of cowards” — is the right approach.
“I’m just tired of us as Americans living in fear,” he said. “I want people to know: Stand up to this; stand up to these people. I don’t want to put anybody else in harm. They can come after me,” he told The Military Times.
So, what does this have to do with travel? A lot.
There’s no doubt we live in scary times, and the world can often be a terrifying place. When we’re not worrying about terrorists and religious extremists, we’re fearing plane crashes and Taken-style kidnappings. Reading the news, it can be very frightening to purchase that plane ticket and head off to a destination you have no first-hand impression of.
Lately friends and parents have been worried about my solo travel, even to “safe” destinations like Germany and Italy. It unnerves them that they can’t control the actions of the wackos I may encounter on the road.
So as I see it I have two choices. 1) Barricade myself into my New York City apartment which, in all honesty, isn’t much safer than traveling as I live in a semi-rough neighborhood and a terrorist-targeted city. Or 2) Choose to live my life as I see fit, forgetting fear without forgetting my street smarts.
In the words of Stéphane Charbonnier, “I’d Rather Die Standing Than Live On My Knees.”
Life is short no matter what way you slice it. I truly believe we make it shorter — whether we live to be 30 or 300 — by not taking risks and not following our hearts. Go toward the path that’s calling you, and don’t let anyone else scare you into not following your journey.
While I’m sure there are many who might be afraid to visit Paris right now after all that’s happened, I think it’s the perfect time to go. Show your support. The destination hasn’t changed. It’s still a beautiful place with beautiful people, that was unfortunately victim to a very catastrophic situation.
Growing up in New York, I can somewhat relate. I still remember watching the 9/11 attacks unfolding right before my eyes on the television screen. I remember my friend who’s father was a New York City firefighter, and how he told me there was “no way my dad will die.” He did. I remember all of the feelings of terror and sadness and camaraderie afterward. Right after, there were people who lived near me on Long Island who were afraid to make the journey into NYC. My mom and I made the trip, because we hated the idea of letting these terrible people win.
I also can’t help but think of all of the beauty that is still in the world. Stories about friendly locals, culturally immersive homestays and successful round-the-world flights typically don’t make headlines; however, these positive experiences are much more prevalent than the bad ones. For instance, I remember family and friends terrifying me before my trip to Jordan, as they didn’t feel safe with me going to the Middle East. In reality, I felt completely at ease during my two weeks through the country, with so many instances of being welcoming by locals (I was even invited into a Bedouin tent for fresh goat milk while hiking through the desert). A writer named Shara also wrote about Iran being a misunderstood country, as she had a terrific experience – I also wrote a guide about Iran sharing the same misconceptions.
Don’t let anyone — especially terrorist groups that feed off of your fear — tell you how to live your life. Explore the beauty and positivity that still exists in this world and let it remind you that there is still good and humanity to be found.
What are your thoughts? I would love to hear in the comments below.
Jessica Festa is the editor of the travel sites Jessie on a Journey (http://jessieonajourney.com) and Epicure & Culture (http://epicureandculture.com). Along with blogging at We Blog The World, her byline has appeared in publications like Huffington Post, Gadling, Fodor’s, Travel + Escape, Matador, Viator, The Culture-Ist and many others. After getting her BA/MA in Communication from the State University of New York at Albany, she realized she wasn’t really to stop backpacking and made travel her full time job. Some of her most memorable experiences include studying abroad in Sydney, teaching English in Thailand, doing orphanage work in Ghana, hiking her way through South America and traveling solo through Europe. She has a passion for backpacking, adventure, hiking, wine and getting off the beaten path.
