It's easy to say "do not let the terrorists win" and "don't let fear rule you", when the risk of getting harmed is so extremely small (as it is in a parade with over 100,000 participants, insane security and awareness, and statistically a very small risk of an attack).

But in truth, it's quite hypocritical.

"Je sui Charlie", eh? My ass. It was so easy to write a message on twitter and boast about it where nobody could reach you, but completely different to do something in reality. As soon as the risk becomes significant, we run like chicken. We won't go, we won't talk, we won't write.

Like the aftermath of the terror attack on the French satiric magazine Charlie Ebdo proved one and a half years ago. The terrorists actually won. Nobody paints Muhammad cartoons anymore, not even Charlie Ebdo. People are in general extremely careful to provoke islam. If they do it, it's from a completely safe position. Noble ideas of "don't let fear rule over you" are completely out the window.

As another example, think about the situation in other parts of the world where values are very different and human rights aren't respected in the same way. For example, think of any Muslim country in the world today. Would you go to a gay parade or to a gay club? Would you stand up for human rights and walk with them in solidarity? In countries where the punishment for being homosexual is severe, possibly even the death penalty. And if the authorities wouldn't arrest you, chances are high you'd instead be mauled by an angry mob. No, we wouldn't go. But in these places sometimes, very rarely, people actually go out and show their true selves and provoke the society knowing these risks, but sadly they also face these consequenses. These people are heroes. But they're very rare.

Meanwhile we in the West, we are so moral, we stand up for values and care about the weak. That's what we think, totally ignorant to reality growing up in a small safe bubble.

When we go it's only when the risk is extremely small, not because of a noble cause that is more important than a significant risk. Do not pretend otherwise.