Authors Alliance is appalled at the recent attack on the satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo, its staff, and bystanders in Paris. The right and ability to express oneself freely is at the heart of what makes authorship in the public interest both possible and powerful. Our members need to be able to express their views, even when—especially when—they are controversial, unpopular, or offensive. It is simply unacceptable for violence to be used to silence speech.

We send our deepest condolences to the families and friends of yesterday’s victims. It is all we can to do to stand in support of free expression and against those who would silence it. We can only hope that our efforts to empower authors to better disseminate their work will help ensure that their voices cannot be muzzled. Today, nous sommes tous Charlie.