Remembering Charlie with random acts of free speech

Paris, if the Internet can be believed, is 4,872 miles away from Spokane. At 2 p.m. this afternoon, however, a local high school French teacher would like members of the public to help diminish that distance through the gathering of hearts. Marina Drake is her name. I met Drake Friday inside her classroom at St. George’s School. I don’t speak any French, but the music of her accent was enough to make me wish I did. Drake told me about the “free-expression rally” she plans to hold today at Monkeyboy Books, the bookstore she owns at 123 S. Wall St. Those attending should bring along some paper and a pen or pencil to write with.

(Cutline: St. George’s School French teacher Marina Drake poses for a photo behind signs on her classroom door that read “I Am Charlie.” She plans to hold a free-expression rally at her bookstore, Monkeyboy Books, in downtown Spokane on Sunday, Jan. 11. SR Photo: Tyler Tjomsland)

Don’t worry. There won’t be a test. The implements, she added, are for creating some opinionated posters or signage. In Drake’s mind, committing random acts of free speech is a fitting way to remember the slain journalists who worked at the satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo as well as all the others murdered in Paris last week by terrorists. Rest assured, this free speech rally “is not about intolerance” of any group or faith, she said. Rather, “this is about showing support for those who felt free to express themselves on a daily basis.” Drake’s right. This is an appropriate tribute. At last count, the Paris death toll stands at 20. That, however, includes three Islamic fanatics with links to terrorists, the only upside to this horror show that began as revenge for the magazine’s irreverent cartoons of the Prophet Muhammad. “France is a ticking bomb,” Drake said. “French people are thinking, ‘This is not our country anymore.’ ” I’ve had the same thought lately, but about the entire planet. Drake said her idea for a rally came while talking to a friend. Having to watch from afar as her country was being soaked in gore was an additional punch to the gut. Drake felt compelled to do something different than the stereotypical moment of silence. Suddenly, it dawned on her. “I am French,” the petite woman declared. “I have a bookstore that I am about to close. This would be a perfect way to end its life and make a statement.” Despite its great name, Monkeyboy will soon be no more and for several reasons, she said: Book sales are down everywhere, the Monkeyboy location is off the beaten track for downtown walk-ins and Drake can’t be two places at once. For a Sunday free speech rally, however, the store is ideal. There will be live music, she said, as well as T-shirts to emblazon with opinions in permanent ink. Once all the sentiment is affixed, Drake wants to preserve the event with a group photograph. Drake’s point of view is already scattered about St. George’s. As I walked into the private school, I couldn’t help but notice all the “Je Suis Charlie” (I am Charlie) signs taped to walls and halls. Drake gave the fliers to her students, who eagerly took care of placement. Originally from southern France, Drake has lived in Spokane for 13 years, coming here with a husband who is now her ex. Although she misses a bigger city’s “hustle and bustle,” Drake said she loves Spokane’s peaceful, easier lifestyle. Not that it has softened the way she looks at the world. “Being French, I do like to give a piece of my mind,” she said, adding a laugh. “I love irony. I love metaphors. I have quite a satiric mind.” All the more motivation to create this outspoken memorial for Charlie Hebdo. “It all came together,” said the French teacher. “It took one minute to realize that it was the perfect time to do this. It was my duty.”