I’m hearing a lot of reporters today saying that the gunmen in Paris claimed they wanted to “die as martyrs”.  I’ve even heard at least one say that they got that wish.

Jason Scott made a valid point.  They did NOT die as martyrs.  Here’s why I feel that.

As Jason pointed out, if they wanted to die as martyrs, they would have stayed at Charlie Hebdo and had a final confrontation with the police there.

But what did they do? They burst in a opened fire on defenseless, unarmed people, slaughtering them ruthlessly.  They then fled, ran away and evaded law enforcement searches for hours on end.  Then they cowardly took hostages, HUMAN SHIELDS TO HIDE BEHIND!!!  No one with a true amount of honor, dignity, and courage would hide behind another human like that!  Then after they were basically locked down and in talks with the police do they say we want to die as martyrs.  They knew they wouldn’t make it out alive, and wanted their interpretation of an honorable death made public.

Sadly, it’s my humble opinion that the persistent, non-stop coverage in the media of this tragic even has done nothing except help bolster their cause.  I’m not saying we should ignore their actions and not let the world know about it.  But to give it the 24-hour everyone’s an expert, no new details rehash treatment simply puts their evil constantly in the spotlight.

Cover it, tell us what’s happening, then move on.  There’s got to be something else newsworthy happening in the world?  I mean life doesn’t simply stop in Germany or America because there’s a hostage crisis in France, does it? 

Again, I’m not saying don’t report the incident, but perhaps we should rethink our 24/7 coverage of things?  Anyway, back to my original rant.  These men were cowards.  They ran from their original crime with one thought on their minds…survive.  If they really wanted to die as martyrs, why run and hide?  Why take hostages to hide behind?

Cowards, and good riddance to you.

Sorry if that doesn’t sound very Christian, but ultimate judgment isn’t up to me.