Je Suis Charlie

I have been trying to come up with something to say about the recent attack on Charlie Hebdo.

Masked gunmen went into the magazine’s Paris office and opened fire. Twelve were killed, including renowned editor Stéphane Charbonnier.

Charlie Hebdo has taken pride in defying the outrage — and even death threats — sparked by its cartoons poking fun at Islam, according to the Wall Street Journal. Of course, the publication didn’t ridicule Islam exclusively. “It attacked Jews, Christians, Muslims,” said NPR’s Eleanor Beardsley in a Jan. 7 segment. Culture and politics were also frequently lampooned.

This attack has brought up questions about freedom of speech, censorship and safety.

As a journalist, this has moved me profoundly.

Today, I can’t seem to find my voice on the subject. However, many eloquent writers have already taken on the topic. Also, cartoonists from all over the globe have published incredible visual statements about the attack.

Here are some articles and a video I’d recommend and some cartoons that I find meaningful.

Je suis Charlie.

A Shadow in the Wings

Happy Halloween, All!

In the spirit of the holiday, I’ve posted a draft of a story that I’ve been working on. You can read it below.

As it is very much a work in progress, please let me know what you think in the comments!

 

by Meg Masterson

The alleyway was abandoned except for Kyle’s beat-up Jeep and moonlight spilling onto the pitted asphalt and piles of trash. Years of debris had blown into the corners of the narrow dead-end, and no one had cared enough to do much about it. Kyle leaned against the building at the mouth of the alley, watching the dim and mostly-empty street, while Scott knelt before the door handle. Jessie held a flashlight for him as he worked his father’s lock picks.

Remiss in my Duties

Dear heavens, it’s been far too long my friends!

I’ll be the first to admit that I’ve been terribly remiss in my duties. Things have been crazy over here, but we’re getting back on track.

City College Literary Journal Now Accepting Submissions

Current and Former Students Encouraged to share Fiction, Creative Nonfiction and Poetry

City College’s literary journal, Susurrus, is currently accepting submissions for its 21st edition to be published in spring 2015. Current and former students are encouraged to share works of fiction, creative non-fiction, poetry and visual art for consideration, according to Marci Selva, the adviser for the journal.

Susurrus – Not Just a Whisper

The class meets in one of City College’s aging, weathered, and not-so-temporary buildings that’s located across from Hughes Stadium. Inside the classroom, the wooden instructor’s table near the entrance substitutes as a snack bar with cookies, veggie platters and a bowl of oranges. Meanwhile, desks that once sat in uniform rows, are now haphazardly arranged around the perimeter. Student staff members bustle about, snacking and talking about upcoming open mic events.

Still, even in this scene of controlled chaos, the focus is on Dr. Steve Cirrone, who is perched on one the desks across the room. Before the business of running a student publication begins, he checks in making sure his students are on track, tackling each issue in turn before releasing the students to the business at hand. This is the home of Susurrus City College’s literary journal.