Charlie Hebdo, the French satirical magazine that fell victim to a terrorist attack earlier this year, was presented the PEN/Toni and James C. Goodale Freedom of Expression Courage Award during the recently conducted PEN Gala. The award, which faced a lot of opposition from critics, was nonetheless given to the magazine for its undaunted stance in print media's freedom of expression.
The $1,250-per-head, black tie event was held in the American Museum of Natural History. Security was tighter than usual, according to The Los AngelesTimes, with dozens of policemen standing guard and each participant having to pass through a metal detector before entering the main hall.
The decision to award the magazine was met with a number of detractors, including six prominent writers who decided to boycott the event and more than a hundred others who signed a letter of protest.
Rachel Kushner, a novelist who was among the writers who signed the petition, stated that she was not comfortable with Charlie Hebdo's "cultural intolerance," according to Reuters.
Part of the letter of protest states that Charlie Hebdo does not really promote freedom of expression. Rather, it promotes religious bigotry by blatantly publishing material that intensifies anti-Islamic sentiments.
"Charlie Hebdo's cartoons were characterized as satire and 'equal opportunity offense,' and the magazine seems to be entirely sincere in its anarchic expressions of principled disdain toward organized religion," part of the letter of protest stated.
Despite these protests however, Charlie Hebdo was still given the prestigious award.
PEN President Andrew Solomon addressed the controversy behind the award in the gala's opening remarks, defending the decision to give the Freedom of Expression Courage Award to the French magazine, according to The Los Angeles Times.
"Few people are willing to put themselves in peril to assure we are free to say what we believe," Solomon stated as he emphasized PEN's stance on defending free speech. "Silence equals death," he added, according to The Los Angeles Times.
The PEN American Center claims a membership of 4,000 from the U.S. The PEN Gala, held annually, is known for handing out as much as $150,000 in awards to writers in the fiction, children's literature, biography, essays and other print media.
