Then three gunmen entered their office and murdered at least ten of them. Seven others were wounded. Two police officers were also shot dead. Though many details are obviously still unclear, it seems near certain that this was a jihadist attack. According to eyewitnesses, the gunmen described themselves as members of al-Qaeda.

Video footage shows one terrorist shouting the Takbir — “Allahu Akbar” (“God is great”). Unfortunately, Charlie Hebdo has long been an Islamic terrorist target. But not because of Iraq, or Afghanistan, or drones, or French foreign policy. But because Islamic extremism — both Sunni and Shia — is at war with human freedom. Believing their notion of God’s sovereignty is the unimpeachable source of existential purpose, Islamist extremists see Charlie Hebdo’s satire as a mortal sin.

Enabled by insipid sympathizers in the West (behold this pathetic eulogy for freedom following the 2011 firebombing of Charlie Hebdo’s office), the fanatics have successfully cultivated the lie that some freedoms are more equal than others. Or, put another way, that their “freedom” is supreme while everyone else has the right to be a slave, or in the grave.

In that sense, today’s atrocity at Charlie Hebdo isn’t just an attack against French society. It isn’t just an attack against free society everywhere. It’s an attack on our very souls as individuals — our right to free thought and creative spirit — our right not to be drones. In the coming days, we must invigorate our commitment to freedom.