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White House Dossier

White House Stands By Earlier Criticism of Charlie Hebdo

The White House Monday refused to back away from its pre-Paris-attack criticism of the magazine Charlie Hebdo’s exercise of free speech, claiming it was meant as some kind of defense of our troops.

The criticism came from former White House Press Secretary Jay Carney, who on September 19, 2014, accused Charlie Hebdo of lacking “judgment.”

That puts the White House among the many in the Je suis Charlie Hebdo crowd who failed to stand up for free speech until the magazine’s cartoonists died for it.

White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest Monday piously explained that Carney – who spoke in September 2012 after the attacks on U.S. embassies that were being blamed on an anti-Muslim video – was objecting to speech that could cause harm to American servicemen and women:

It would not be the first time that there has been a discussion in this country about the kinds of responsibilities that go along with exercising the right to freedom of speech. And in the scenario — or in the circumstances in which my predecessor was talking about this issue, there was a genuine concern that the publication of some of those materials could put Americans abroad at risk, including American soldiers at risk.

And that is something that the Commander-in-Chief takes very seriously. And the President and his spokesman was not then and will not now be shy about expressing a view or taking the steps that are necessary to try to advocate for the safety and security of our men and women in uniform.

Well, the problem is, Carney never mentioned American troops. Carney did say the cartoons could provoke “violence against Americans and our diplomatic missions overseas,” but if he were so concerned about the troops, why didn’t he mention them?

The other problem is, if Carney was really referencing the troops, why did he bash the magazine’s “judgment.” How could a French satirical magazine possibly be taking into account the possible effect of its cartoons on U.S. troops?

No, this was an attempt to squelch free speech out of fear people might be insulted, and that they might get riled up. Not an effort to protect the troops.

Even taking Earnest at his word, this is dangerous talk. I have as great a concern as anyone for the safety and well being of our troops and diplomats. But are we now to be careful about what we say because some lunatics might react and try to attack Americans? Would our brave troops even want that?

What if I decided that Islamists smell like pigs who haven’t been hosed down for a month? Am I to blame if that makes them angry. Should I politely suggest a deodorant so as not to upset anyone?

As has been said many times, the very speech that is meant to be protected by the First Amendment is that which provokes and upsets.

But what Carney was talking about, and what Earnest backed up, was an effort to undermine Freedom of the Press. And critics of the Je suis Charlie Hebdo movement are correct to judge the hypocrisy of some of the marchers, who weren’t there for Charlie Hebdo before the attack and will return to political correctness and appeasement once the memory of the killings fades.

Here are Carney’s remarks, complete with derrière-covering tributes to free speech, even as he seeks to limit it. Judge for yourself.

Well, we are aware that a French magazine published cartoons featuring a figure resembling the Prophet Muhammad, and obviously, we have questions about the judgment of publishing something like this. We know that these images will be deeply offensive to many and have the potential to be inflammatory. But we’ve spoken repeatedly about the importance of upholding the freedom of expression that is enshrined in our Constitution.

In other words, we don’t question the right of something like this to be published; we just question the judgment behind the decision to publish it. And I think that that’s our view about the video that was produced in this country and has caused so much offense in the Muslim world.

Now, it has to be said, and I’ll say it again, that no matter how offensive something like this is, it is not in any way justification for violence — not in any way justification for violence. Now, we have been staying in close touch with the French government as well as other governments around the world, and we appreciate the statements of support by French government officials over the past week, denouncing the violence against Americans and our diplomatic missions overseas.

89 thoughts on “White House Stands By Earlier Criticism of Charlie Hebdo”

  1. Lee

    I have said over and over. Why don’t all of these journalist stand up together and walk out the room?
    Are they allowed to walk out of there without anyone checking their notes, phones and computers?
    We have people in politcs that say terrible things, and he is going to run his mouth about cartoons.

    1. Langley Spook

      …I so, so much want to yell/spit at all these sycohants in the “WH press corps”…
      Especially those weak, grovling folks in the front two rows of the “WH press corps” who are the only ones to “ask” questions.

  2. srdem65

    First of all, no one but MrsCarney cares what he says or thinks.
    Second, his opinion holds no more weight than ours.
    My opinion is that we all be free to speak and act in accordance with our constitutional rights. I would extend those rights to non-Americans, too.

    2. ArnoldLayne

      You’re kidding, right? Carney was the spokesman for the president, therefore his ‘opinion’ but more accurately his statements, reflect the president’s thinking and represent this government.

      1. A.J.

        Absolutely correct. The Press Secretary speaks FOR the PRESIDENT. Anything he states as fact comes FROM the President. If he doesn’t know an answer he should just STFU!! ‘course STFU is pretty much my go-to when it come to any of these dipwads (dip-wads??) opening their yaps!!

    1. Mandy Manners

      Again, Carter blames Jews. Recep Tayyip Erdoğan of Turkey, and the mayor of Ankara, are stirring up conspiracy theories, with the latter blaming Mossad. Pro-Putin Russians are blaming the United States.

        1. A.J.

          You’re right indeed. The Jews failure to make nice with the hordes who wish to push them into the sea to drown was the ONLY thing that prevented Jimmy (note to country, NEVER have another president named JIMMY) from being the greatest President EVER!!!!!! (2nd note to country NEVER have another President named BILL)!!

      3. A.J.

        God I miss Atatürk!! He wasn’t a nice guy but HE knew Islam was anchor around the neck of any country trying to move ahead! Now they’ve got Erdogan, dragging them back to the “good old days” of ignorance, subjugation of women and whatever else makes Erdogan’s little heart go pitter-pat!!

      4. lizzytalorburton

        Carter, such a creep, Arabs, Muslims, whoever they are, creatures, kill, shoot people they don’t even know, behead them when they feel like it, and mother fr Carter blames the Jews? He is the scum of the earth to blame the Jews Palestinians could have had a state a long time ago when Clinton was President, they were offered and turned it down because they only want to kill Jews, just like you do with your mouth. God will punish you Mr. Carter one day.

    1. Zephyr Dmm

      Reminds me of having to be at jury service (one of the 13-16 times I have been called to “do my service”)- the attorney’s were asking the chosen few what web sites they visited…I was an alternate, but found that very intrusive.

      1. A.J.

        Let me see I think the appropriate response would be “NONE OF YOUR DAMN BUSINESS (BINEZZ, so young attorneys could understand)!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  6. gracepmc

    The WH refusal to deal with Islamic Terrorists and to fully back free speech as well as the open borders policy, flooding the country with illegal aliens and rule by fiat is receiving an astonishing amount of support among the liberals, progressives and socialists democrat party. These are not good times.

    1. A.J.

      To Left-wing, liberal, progressive, socialist, commie-pinko democrats (I’m gonna have to come up with an abreviation for that so I’m not being redundant over and over again), freedom of speech means saying what they agree with. If you DON”T agree with them, then you’re “offensive”.

  7. Girly1

    What a crock! Obama claims his criticism of Hedbo was in ‘defense of our troops’ who would be endangered?
    Did he ever criticize his BFF and closest advisor, Sharpton, who instigated the ‘What do we want? Dead cops!’ marches?
    I am sooo sick of this two-faced, anti-American Islamist wanabee in the WH!

  8. veritaseequitas

    This is mind boggling. The radical Islamists can attack and viciously murder whomever they consider “un-Islamic.” And yet, when normal people vocally object, or draw a cartoon, or write a book, they are somehow being unreasonable.
    This is a worsening pattern of ignorance and stupidity on the part of the liberal left.
    How will it be stopped?

    1. gracepmc

      I am beginning to doubt if there is sufficient political will in the country to stop Barack Obama’s assault on our free speech and other constitutionally guaranteed freedoms. The media and the democrats are fully complicit.

      The things that come out of this WH are lies and some do not even make sense — circular arguments punching at strawmen — and yet the media publishes and defends them …..It’s pretty gobsmacking what has happened in the last few days. Coupled with the Al Sharpton offensive on LEO alot of things are crumbling.

      1. AFVet

        Ah c’mon Grace.
        We are only getting started.
        The Patriots were faced with overwhelming odds and they won.
        John Paul Jones was in command of a ship that was badly damaged and when asked if he would surrender he said never,…we have just begun to fight.
        He won the battle.

        The liberals will continue to demean the conservative ideology as long as they exist.
        Progressives are determined to eradicate any attempts to take this Country back to the principles that created it.

        They are incessant on undermining any efforts to reverse the trend that the president and the liberal democratic members of congress and with a complicit media, they will succeed if we allow them to.

        The People spoke in the last election.
        We are tired of being bulldosed by the people that are supposed to represent us.
        We are tired of being lied to.

        We were damaged, but we’re still here.
        Time to man the guns and fight back.

        1. Mandy Manners

          “We’ve been looking for the enemy for some time now.
          We’ve finally found him. We’re surrounded. That simplifies our problem of getting to these people and killing them.”

          Chesty Puller

          3. Marcus

            “We are NOT retreating. We are advancing in another direction.” Chesty Puller at Chosin Reservoir. He was the best of the best, no doubt.

          1. gracepmc

            After the massacre at the satirical magazines office, the islamic terrorist said clearly, in the streets, repeating it twice, We have Avenged the Prophet Mohammed.

            I am concerned about the progressive democrats and media’s insistence that there is a but to the freedom of speech. I am concerned that the universities think so as well.

            I am concerned about the building of The Ministry of Truth. I am offended that Nancy Pelosi is advocating a Muslim on the Intelligence committee at this time — and doing so for political purposes only.

          3. Marcus

            It’s the long term trend of the Obama White House, Grace, as we know. Obama has purposely buried his head in the sand, time after time, when it comes to this issue. He will not deal with it. Period.

            There are so many examples of his pro-jihadist behavior that it would fill a book. Here’s one that really sticks in my mind: Russia warned the Obama administration at least twice to watch out for the Tsarnaev brothers were up to no good and to watch them carefully. The Obama administration turned away from the warnings and let the brothers run loose. The result? The Boston Marathon attack.

  9. Dan in WA State

    So I’m sure the President and Josh Ernest will go after the NY Times, Washington Post and other media outlets who publish classified secrets that jeopardize National security operations or programs or military troops..

    Yeah, right!

  10. AFVet

    Why doesn’t Carter just go away ?
    What is it with these liberals that they feel compelled to continually voice their opinion ?
    Shut up Jimmah !
    The Palestinians are still there.
    Israel is still there.
    Your photo-ops during the years you were attempting to take this Country down a few notches is noted.

    Go away now now and leave us alone.
    That also applies to Carney.
    Carney,…you had your day in the sun, now get the hell out.

  11. ArnoldLayne

    Does Carney and president consider Muhammad a Prophet? Does that honorific need to be used? Do they also say the “Savior Jesus Christ” ??

      1. Zephyr Dmm

        EXACTLY. Good point. Neither did Christians bring out the weapons when that stupid NEA “artist” peed in a cup & placed the crucifix in it

        1. lizzytalorburton

          Of course not, normal human beings are not constantly murdering without conscience, without guilt. Only inbred subhumans behave like murdering gorillas, or lions or tigers in the wild. This is not normal human behavior. And yet Obama is letting more of them into the country purposely to hurt us. Obama should be impeached and jailed with Holder and yet they won’t do it, thats how crooked our government is today.

      2. A.J.

        Yeah,The New York Times, Los Angeles Times, Sacramento Bee and other liberal rags publish insult after insult to conservatism. Do I blow them up? No. Do I murder their editors, writers or cartoonists? No. What I do is, I don’t BUY their sleazy, slanted left-wing “newspapers”. I let their advertisers know I won’t buy products shown in those publications. That’s what we do in a free, civilized society. Or what USED to be one.

  12. Eric You

    Obama if you are listening to my voice i hope you die from being shot in the head you support Islam which by the way is not peaceful you support homosexual marriage . you love when people die across the world from disease , natural disasters and wars that you create. you have stupid liberals trying to support your Hitler style agenda. you allow as many as 55 million babies to die in the womb from abortion. i think god is not happy with you at all.

    2. lizzytalorburton

      Oh Eric, I agree with everything that you posted, except for the homosexual part. I think gay marriage or at least partnership can be accepted as that really doesn’t hurt anyone. But I agree about Obama and his promoting of the murdering of millions of babies. And I do hope that he winds up in hell for all the pain he has inflicted on so many millions of people in so many ways, taxes, ruining our medical care in the United States, lying to us all the time, dictating regulations and ruining businesses, hurting the coalminers, putting them out of business without a thought that they may be starving without a job now. The list goes on and on, Obama is a very sick, demented controlling idiot.

  13. Eric You

    i hope Obama realizes that Allah is actually a false demon spirit that is not the god of the founding fathers Jesus Christ is the only way to salvation it is said in john 316 for god so loved the world that he gave his one and only son Jesus Christ not if you think you are the messiah you are wrong. Jesus the only messiah and savior of the world. Muhammad is in hell burning as Satan and demons torture him day and night so is all those who are not found the lamb’s book of life.

  14. Eric You

    it says in the bible not the Koran the holy book of Islam. that you must only worship Yahweh/ Jesus Christ . you must not bow down or worship any other false gods or any idols period. you must not use the father Yahweh, Jesus Christ, or the holy spirit’s name in vain even using to show anger or frustration. you will work for six days then on the Sabbath which is Saturday through Sunday which are the seventh days. be respectful to parents. you shall not kill which Islam and communism always ends up killing or killing innocent unborn babies is wrong.

  16. Eric You

    you shall not commit adultery which is any sexual activity outside of marriage homosexuals, lesbians, transgender people, bisexuals, rapists,and all perverts will die and be sent to hell for all eternity. you shall not steal which mean taking anything that does not belong to you a house,a servant, an idea, a pet, someone’s money. you shall not lie Mr president god is watching you too he is the original guy to invent wiretapping and listening in to any conversations. you must not be jealous of what others have stop trying to take property around the world and getting into wars that we never should be involved in.

  17. Girly1

    OT:
    From Special Report (the only FOX program I watch)
    Eight Cuban migrants arrive at sunset on Florida shores. According to ‘wet foot, dry foot’ they are now free to start the rest of their lives.
    Thanks for nothing, Barry!!!

    1. Lee

      Did you hear just now, that critics are questioning Chris Christie’s traveling and tickets. I doubt those same crictics fuss about o’s traveling expenses.

      1. Girly1

        Not a fan of Christie by any stretch…but the critics say he should be sitting in the bleachers with the fans. Not a good idea in today’s world of wackos, imo.

  19. gracepmc

    Barack Obama and his little suck up sycophant Josh could care less about the military men and women. They are just twisting words and using that as a shield. What they care about is the feelings of Muslims. Period.

  22. Oklahoma lady

    Charlie Hebdo lacked judgement? WTH! How come the murderers never lacked judgement, for wanting to murder their victims? When will Obama lecture them? Fat chance.

  23. A.J.

    Quote of the day:

    I think, that although we don’t have all the facts, it is clear that Charlie Hebdo “acted stupidly”. Now, let’s go have a beer. Barack Obama

    Note: I fired the attorney ’cause he was a pain in the arse!!!!

  24. Pingback: Obama | free speech | First Amendment | Islam | Jihad

  25. soljerblue

    “…it was meant as some kind of defense of our troops.”

    Yeah, right. They continue to spread BS like it was fertilizer and expect us to believe it. It would be funny if so many people didn’t eat it up and ask for seconds. Defense of our troops, my (_I_) — the only one being “defended” is that schlemiel in the White House.

  26. Pingback: White House: Obama to restrict media’s reporting of anti-jihad articles | The Birds-Eye View

  27. Pingback: White House: Obama to restrict media’s reporting of anti-jihad articles | What Did You Say?

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