WORLD.-Controversy is not something new for Charlie Hebdo, the French publication which often hurts sensibilities due to their satiric style when it comes to sensitive matters. On this occasion, the target for its drawings was the immigration crisis across the Mediterranean that affects thousands of Syrian, as they flee from war trying to reach the European Union.

In January, Charlie Hebdo generated enormous empathy after it became the victim of a terrorist attack, loosing 11 members of their team at the hands of jihadists, from illustrators to a columnist and other employees.

In that moment, millions posted the hashtag #JeSuisCharlie to show solidarity with the magazine as well as freedom of expression; yet today, after several cartoons where they feature Aylan Kurdi, they boy whose death touched the world, there are only a few who continue to defend the weekly magazine.

"Apparently, freedom of expression is a right that only Europeans can enjoy", "I don't understand how they can be so insensitive", Freedom of expression or freedom to offend? Where is the line?" and hundreds of more messages on Twitter have added up each minute to condemn this "insolence."

The drawings published by Charlie Hebdo take the already iconic image of the boy stranded lifeless on his stomach along the shore of a Turkish beach. What was Charlie Hebdo trying to say? Were they mocking? Yes, but not Aylan Kurdi. Christianity and consumerism coldness? Yes, but not the refugees and certainly not an innocent child.

Charlie Hebdo was trying to denounce in three images that the death of Aylan wasn't just the fault of the conflict in Syria, but also of social policies and some cultural issues that have denied humanitarian aid to Syrians.

The United States, for example, lives in fear of terrorist infiltrations as some sort of sequel to the 9/11 attacks, in other words, they live with a constante fear of Muslim culture.

"The image of McDonald's is a sharp critic to European consumerism in front of one of the worst tragedies of all times," explained Maajid Nawz, director of the foundation against extreme Islamists, Qulliam.

In the end, many will keep thinking that it is inappropriate to use his image as a reference in a satiric drawing. When in it came up, many thought that the image of little Aylan was also too strong, but let's not forget that thanks to it, the world opened its eyes and started to take action in favor of the Syrian refugees who have remained alive.

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Elizabeth.rosales@sandiegored.com

zyanya.figueroa@sandiegored.com