The UF journalism community was rattled when news broke of the terrorist attack on a French satire magazine Wednesday.
Jennifer Tintner, a 20-year-old UF telecommunication junior, said she was stunned when her phone buzzed that morning, notifying her that multiple people were slain at the Charlie Hebdo.
“I was so caught off guard,” she said.
On Wednesday, several gunmen attacked the controversial publication after a cartoon of Islamic prophet Muhammad was published. The publication has been known for publicly criticizing politics and religion through cartoons.
Tintner said she was angry when she read Hebdo was attacked because of the content it published.
“They were expressing their opinion, and we should live in a world where you have the right to do so,” she said.
Regardless of the attack, Tintner said she won’t fear terrorists.
“It’s something that will be in the back of my mind; however, you can’t live your life with fear like that,” she said.
Terry Anderson, UF international journalism professor and former chief Middle East correspondent, said he plans to talk with his students about the attack.
“The last several years have been more dangerous for journalists,” he said.
Anderson said he doesn’t think students will be frightened, but the attack still hits close to home in the journalism community.
“Most people who go into journalism understand that it can be a dangerous profession,” he said.
Patrick Yack, UF professor who has taught opinion writing and global studies, said the attack infringed on the right to free speech. He said that any students studying global communications can understand the ability to express opinions is very different from other parts of the world.
“I think that journalists, or students of journalism, need to be aware that in many parts of the world, it’s not safe to be a journalist,” he said, “and that level of safety that we enjoy in the United States is not universal.”
[A version of this story ran on page 3 on 1/9/2015 under the headline “UF journo community rattled by Hebdo"]
Hannah Bodem, a 22-year-old UF telecommunication senior, reviews her class schedule on her computer in the Weimer Hall atrium on Thursday. Behind her, the television display shows the latest developments in the Charlie Hebdo case.
