I am not Charlie

"Je suis Charlie" is the cry of the day
protecting the highly valued freedom of speech
yet I have to make a distinction
for my conscience knows no other way

Because I defend your right to say it
doesn't mean i have to be it
my internal voice asks me in a pluralistic society
do I need to make a mockery of another's religion?

I don't make jokes about concentration camps
or about lynchings in the South
and with the in fashion assault on Islam
my desire is to be peaceful in my deeds

As for freedom of speech please correct me if wrong
but would such effort really be tolerated in the US?
I can think of the careers left on life support
for the suggestion that Palestinians are being denied human rights

You see freedom of speech shouldn't be a replacement
for human kindness a behavior that should guide
both individuals and corporate entities
because you can doesn't mean you must

So I am not Charlie and I don't ever see me with that name
just as Kyle holds no hero status in my book
find the peaceful warrior and tea is waiting
let's start building a house of humanity