I stand with Charlie Hebdo: Salman Rushdie

Here's my brief statement about the awful events in Paris. Vive Charlie Hebdo! http://t.co/kspeTLCQ78

— Salman Rushdie (@SalmanRushdie) January 7, 2015

"Religion, a medieaeval form of unreason, when combined with modern weaponry becomes a threat to our freedom.

This religious totalitarianism has caused a deadly mutation in the heart of Islam and we see the tragic consequences in Paris today.

I stand with Charlie Hebdo, as we all must, to defend the art of satire, which has always been a force for liberty and against tyranny, dishonesty and stupidity.

“Respect for religion” has become a code phrase meaning “fear of religion.”

Religions, like all other ideas, deserve criticism, satire, and, yes, our fearless disrespect."