The Charlie Hebdo Shooting through Carl Schmitt Carl Schmitt, a 20th century German philosopher has many interesting claims and ideas in his essay The Concept of the Political. In his essay, Schmitt explains the concept of the political and its difference from the other “endeavors of human thought and action” (Schmitt 25) and his views on the ideals of the enlightenment. Schmitt, in his essay The Concept of the Political takes the time to define for us the concept of the political. While discussing the political, Schmitt mentions that it can be reduced down to the distinction between friend and enemy (Schmitt 26). For Schmitt and his concept of the political, there is a contrast between the political and the aforementioned endeavors: economics,
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In early January, two gunmen attacked the Charlie Hebdo headquarters, killing 12 people and injuring several others. The two gunmen were said to be part of al-Qaeda, ruling this attack as a terrorist act. Looking deeper into the history and nature of the two assailants it is clear that there was a definite motive for this attack. Not only was the satirical comic of Islamic prophet Muhammad controversial, it may have been the trigger for the attack. However, in 2013 an English magazine published by al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula had within it a hit list of those who’ve committed crimes against Islam, with Stéphane Charbonnie being one of many named on said …show more content…
Although the origin of the motive for the attack dates back further than the publishing date of said comic, the general public believes that the cause of the attack religion, as the attackers reacting to the aforementioned comics were indeed Islamist insurgents, Jihadists. However, Schmitt directly states that when “a religions community … wages wars against members of other religious communities … (it) is already more than a religious community; it is a political entity” (Schmitt 37). Schmitt goes on to explain that a religious entity is one who simply disagrees whereas a political entity has the “capacity of promoting that decisive step” (Schmitt 37), essentially taking it to political matters, otherwise known as war. Therefore Schmitt would disagree with the general population and deem the actions of the attackers and a political act rather than a religious
In early January, two gunmen attacked the Charlie Hebdo headquarters, killing 12 people and injuring several others. The two gunmen were said to be part of al-Qaeda, ruling this attack as a terrorist act. Looking deeper into the history and nature of the two assailants it is clear that there was a definite motive for this attack. Not only was the satirical comic of Islamic prophet Muhammad controversial, it may have been the trigger for the attack. However, in 2013 an English magazine published by al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula had within it a hit list of those who’ve committed crimes against Islam, with Stéphane Charbonnie being one of many named on said …show more content…
Although the origin of the motive for the attack dates back further than the publishing date of said comic, the general public believes that the cause of the attack religion, as the attackers reacting to the aforementioned comics were indeed Islamist insurgents, Jihadists. However, Schmitt directly states that when “a religions community … wages wars against members of other religious communities … (it) is already more than a religious community; it is a political entity” (Schmitt 37). Schmitt goes on to explain that a religious entity is one who simply disagrees whereas a political entity has the “capacity of promoting that decisive step” (Schmitt 37), essentially taking it to political matters, otherwise known as war. Therefore Schmitt would disagree with the general population and deem the actions of the attackers and a political act rather than a religious