The world gives us horror, and it gives us miracles and wonders.

But what it gives, these things, do not titillate our imaginations. They do not seep into the collective soul of mankind as deep as the things we do to each other.

The horrors humanity does against their fellows in the name of country, god, or self are not insubstantial things. They are the things that keep us awake at night, that stoke our paranoia and divide the world itself. For every horror our earth gives us, every disaster and tragedy, the dark machinations of man and woman are those that bring our own darknesses to bear. Our pet hates and irrational fears, our psychosis and neurosis, the twists and unbidden changes to our minds. To make us hate each other and claw our souls apart.

They are real and they hurt us all, but in pain and loss we must not succumb.

For in these horrors, wonders and miracles are born. That for every act of terror, of harm, of evil, there are those that would come together and do good. Of hope, of soothing, of good.

Let it be known that for every horror, there is a wonder. That such terrors and brutalities are not the face of mankind.

For progress, we will endure, and in the face of disaster we will bind together. In the name of country, god, or self, we will bind together. Let not the states of strife and war be what humanity uses to define itself, for in the darkness we will hold a light. We are not afraid, and we will not be made to be afraid. Terror will not hold in our hearts, for we will build a better tomorrow.

We are not afraid.

Je Suis Ahmed, Je Suis Charlie
Liberté, Égalité, Fraternité

In Memorandum, 1-7-15, Charlie Hebdo
Frédéric Boisseau
Franck Brinsolaro
Cabu (Jean Cabut)
Elsa Cayat
Charb (Stéphane Charbonnier)
Philippe Honoré
Bernard Maris
Ahmed Merabet
Moustapha Ourrad,
Michel Renaud
Tignous (Bernard Verlhac)
Georges Wolinski

In Memorandum, 1-8-15, Currently Unknown Connection
Clarissa Jean-Philippe