Tis but a scratch.

To say that I am a journalist is far from the mark, to say that I am training to be a journalist is still far from the mark. I am currently about to start my second term of University where Journalism is my minor, it is not my goal in my life to be a journalist, my goal in life is to be happy. But that is irrelevant.  At the start of my course I was in a big lecture hall with my fellow students and we were told what we need to do, what makes a budding journalist, but also what the short comings of being a journalist might be, such as; people finding you nosey, endless hours of editing, trying to find clever people on a high street, and so on, but at no point through this lecture did I get told that there is possibility I might get killed because of something I produce.

The murders in France are horrible, they are barbaric attacks from a deranged group of men who I will not give the reward of calling Muslim, because they don't represent any religion, they are just men who obviously have inferiority complexes. Your beliefs must be pretty weak if you get so upset by a magazine that up until today majority of the world did not know existed.

Freedom of speech is a weapon that can be used in both ways, it can be used to spread hate and lies, examples being the KKK, and Britain First. But today it has been used to show that a country does not get scared easily, a country does not take the loss of its 12 citizen lightly. In the streets on Paris and cities around the world people are standing together to let these deranged men know that Freedom of speech will never be tarnished, it will never be stopped.

I have been known to offend people with off the cuff comments that I make in conversation, I suppose this comes from the fact that, I don't get offended, If people make jokes about dyslexics I am normally the first to come up with another. Lets not forget folks that Dyslexia is a disability in the eyes of the government. Also I have been called sheep shagger on many occasions, even though I'm half Welsh and wool irritates my skin. This being said I often loose my sense of humor with regards to football, just to make it clear now to every sports pundit or ARSEnal fan. Stoke are no longer a rugby club and do not play 1 directional football, sorry thats been on my chest for ages.

Back to my main point, I often get annoyed when I see stories in newspaper about how fat people get offended because the figures of men and women on toilet doors are to thin, or how Jeremy Clarkson commented on a tampon, and the womens council for womens issues is outraged (how comes there isn't a men's council for that matter).  Just because you are offended does not mean you are right. Just because you see something on telly or the internet, that you don't agree with or that has effected you personally does not mean that it can no longer be there. Just switch it off. Its simple, If you feel that something should not be on telly because you got offended well then, turn it off. I know this is kinda ironic that I'm complaining about people voicing their opinions, but I'm not, let them speak, but don't let their actions silence others. I dislike all the real house wives programmes doesn't mean they can't be on TV. Just like how Top Gear has just as much of a right to be on TV as Loose women.


Yes there is a fine line between hurting people and offending people. Attacking some one for a laugh is wrong, but using humor to get your point across is not, it is called satire. I love satire, I got interested in politics because of shows like "Have I got news for you" I wanted to know what they were laughing at, and my main idol is John Stewart, I feel if the world watched or read more satire it would be a better place.

I could write books upon poorly written books about how the world would be a better place if people just laughed instead of being outraged. But its midnight and I need to get up at 6, so I end with remembering the fallen today by a way in which I feel that the editor of Charlie Hebdo would have wanted. Being British we have long since mocked out snail eating cousins, it should not stop now, so I remind you of this amazing google image.

Je Suis Charlie