In my column, I said I am not Charlie Hebdo, because I do not believe in gratuitously offending other people’s religion in juvenile ways, and because I do not deserve the title, as I am no martyr. No hero would probably be closer to my meaning. The meme claims the courage of others, without actually displaying any.

When I conceived the column I wasn’t aware of others who do not want to claim the title, for various reasons including David Brooks and Jeffrey Goldberg. Goldberg writes, “It is easy to express solidarity with murdered cartoonist, but it is difficult to live as bravely as they did.”

Exactly.

Nina Shea urges us to express solidarity by repealing the hate-speech laws that are functioning as anti-blasphemy statutes and (in this country) private speech codes. Brava.