Al Jazeera column: PEN America should not honor Charlie Hebdo

http://america.aljazeera.com/opinions/2015/5/pen-america-should-not-honor-charlie-hebdo.html?utm_content=opinion&utm_campaign=ajam&utm_source=googlePlus&utm_medium=SocialFlow

OPINION

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PEN America should not honor Charlie Hebdo

There’s no reason to reward Islamophobic and racist content

May 2, 2015 2:00AM ET

by Rafia Zakaria   @rafiazakaria

On April 26, six prominent writers withdrew from an annual gala hosted by the PEN America Center, a New York–based literary and human rights organization, protesting its decision to honor the French satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo with its Freedom of Expression Courage Award. At least 29 more writers — including Junot Díaz, Eve Ensler and Rebecca Solnit — have since joined the boycott. The event, slated for May 5, is part of PEN America’s weeklong celebration of authors from around the world.