Your task is to extract the thesis of an opinionated news article by selecting some of its text segments. The thesis is a summarization of what the author wants to persuade the reader of. Your answer should consist of segments of the given text. Note that you are not allowed to combine different sentences.

Example Input: Charlie Hebdo and western liberalism. Another horrific tragedy has struck a western capital in the violent murder of French journalists and cartoonists at a satirical magazine, Charlie Hebdo . The culprits appear to have done so in response to the magazine's publication of cartoons deemed offensive to Muslims , though they were also thought to have been radicalised by the US-led invasions of Afghanistan and Iraq . French society - and indeed, the global reaction - has been united in its condemnation of the attack and French authorities mobilised the full strength of the state's law enforcement agencies to track down the assailants , who were killed after a standoff with police on Friday . As with most incidents of violence involving Muslims, however, the ensuing public discussion has revolved largely around resolute vows to uphold a fundamental value of western civilisation - the freedom of expression - and degenerated into recriminations about Islam's purported assault on that very freedom . As a result, the natural expressions of grief and sympathy on behalf of the victims have taken on the added quality of high-minded liberal support for the content of the Charlie Hebdo cartoons, irrespective of the publication's history of racism towards Muslims and people of colour . Hegemonic narrative . It is only by uncritically adopting the hegemonic narrative of western liberalism that one could reach the conclusion that the biggest threats to freedom of expression in the world today are Islam and North Korea . To frame these events without accounting for the broader context and power relationships at work inhibits any sensible understanding of the deep conflicts plaguing our world at present . By positing western liberal claims to freedom against Islam's supposedly intolerant attitude towards irreverent or serious critiques of it would be to ignore completely the history underlying the current tensions . The reality is that for as long as there have been liberal ideals staking their claim to the various freedoms western societies have come to sacralise, there have also been societies suffering from exploitation and subjugation at the hands of those professing these lofty principles . Even as they were establishing the very foundations of modern liberal societies, from the tenets of freedom of speech and the free exercise of religion to the basis for democratic forms of governance, Enlightenment thinkers were nearly universal in their expression of support for a world built on racial hierarchies and the expansion of new European empires that depended largely on the use of violence to control colonial subjects . That these philosophers developed their racist outlooks towards Jews, Muslims, and blacks on the basis of "reason" and "rationality" makes such views more abhorrent than those derived from pre-modern modes of thought . Whether it is the racist expressions of Enlightenment philosophers or the cartoons of Charlie Hebdo , these provocative views cannot be separated from the broader political projects at work . At the same time that western liberalism gave rise to modern states committed to freedom, democracy, and the rule of law , it also saw to the continuation of slavery, the colonisation and subjugation of large segments of Asia, Africa, Australia, and the Americas, and global economic exploitation and environmental degradation . Within Europe, western liberal ideals, whose proponents had never concealed their racist and exclusionary outlooks, could not avert the rise of a fascist movement in the mid-20th century that pursued the extermination of millions of people . Even after the devastation of World War II, European appetites for destruction were seemingly unsatiated , as the next two decades were marked by struggles for independence from European powers by colonised peoples in the global south . Faced with the prospect of supporting the freedom of the Algerian people, many French liberal intellectuals instead offered enthusiastic support for the brutal suppression of the Algerian struggle in a war that featured the widespread use of torture and the death of over 150,000 Algerians . "They are, all of them, born with raging fanaticism in their hearts, just as the Bretons and the Germans are born with blond hair. I would not be in the least bit surprised if these people would not some day become deadly to the human race." Writing on European Jews, this quote comes not from a propagandist in Nazi Germany, but rather from Voltaire, the 18th century French philosopher whose name has been invoked frequently in recent days as a historic champion of the freedom of expression . Voltaire's views on Islam were no more tempered , as he authored an entire play dedicated to mocking its Prophet Muhammad as "the founder of a false and barbarous sect" and "a sublime and hearty charlatan" . While one can defend the right of satirists, government officials, and philosophers to espouse such beliefs  - the hashtag #JeSuisCharlie became a popular means of expressing solidarity with the magazine in the hours after the attack- in the face of this history, it should become clear that in the case of cultural production, context always matters . Destructive policies cannot be pursued successfully without the vocabulary and imagery of racism and hatred of the other . One cannot attempt to comprehend the actions of mass murderer Anders Breivik or the recent report on the US government's torture of Muslim prisoners solely against the backdrop of western liberal ideals . However , when one considers the rise of a pervasive Islamophobic atmosphere as seen in prominent discourses across the US and Europe , one can understand the reason such violence becomes possible and, indeed, normalised . The significance of the question of what can be deemed appropriate speech goes far beyond its propensity to offend Muslim minorities, to its potential to have corrosive effects on the broader society . In the same way that western governments take great care to prevent the spread of ideas and messages they consider culpable for radicalising Muslims (all pretensions about freedom of expression be damned) , they should consider the role that anti-Muslim cultural production plays in facilitating their own abuses of human rights, and radicalising their own citizens , as seen in the wave of anti-Muslim terrorism that has witnessed a marked rise in the past decade . Commenting on the recent string of Islamophobic statements by Bill Maher and Sam Harris , religion scholar Karen Armstrong noted,"this is the sort of talk that led to the concentration camps" . The current permissibility of dehumanising expressions against Muslims has a legacy in the anti-Semitic tropes of a century earlier . Both stem from the same noxious logic of exclusion . In fact , western countries have had no qualms about setting aside their liberal values to offer full-fledged support to authoritarian regimes in the Middle East that, incidentally, create the repressive climate that has been proven to give rise to militant extremism . Nor have western societies proved unwilling to abandon claims about support for free speech when the question of social cohesion arises . France banned rallies in solidarity with Gaza during last summer's war and the state has consistently prosecuted writers, comics, and even cartoonists whose work was deemed to risk "disruption to the social order" . French Prime Minister Manuel Valls commented on the state's robust record of prosecuting artists saying:"Faced with this creativity of hate, should we do nothing? Certainly not." In 2008, Charlie Hebdo fired an artist and writer for a column that the editors found to be anti-Semitic . At this juncture, western Muslims remain excluded from national dialogues regarding the question of social cohesion . The historical continuity of racial discrimination, coupled with a ramped up pursuit of strategic objectives across a number of Muslim countries during the last two decades have seen to it that an atmosphere of suspicion and hostility has permeated the public sphere in the US and revived the legacy of intolerance in Europe . To understand and counteract the violent behaviour of extremists , these tragic events should be examined in light of this context, rather than through the lens of free speech . From Voltaire and the Enlightenment to the present, modern western discourses are replete with critiques of Islam . By contrast, the abhorrent violence by some Muslims is a recent phenomenon, and one that must be confronted by addressing the failure of western liberalism to live up to its stated ideals, not by reflexively continuing to sing its praises .
Example Output: As with most incidents of violence involving Muslims, however, the ensuing public discussion has revolved largely around resolute vows to uphold a fundamental value of western civilisation - the freedom of expression - and degenerated into recriminations about Islam's purported assault on that very freedom It is only by uncritically adopting the hegemonic narrative of western liberalism that one could reach the conclusion that the biggest threats to freedom of expression in the world today are Islam and North Korea

Example Input: Sony scraps 'The Interview': Dark day for America when we cave over silly Seth Rogen comedy. Exactly what country are we living in? How the hell could Sony give in to the demands of terrorists? And make no mistake about it... The hackers who broke into their computer systems are just that: Terrorists . Sony is a commercial enterprise and it has the prerogative to scrap the release of "The Interview." But Sony is also the face of the United States in this heated relationship with North Korea , and the United States doesn't negotiate with terrorists . Neither should Sony . It's a dark day for America when we cave over a simple, silly Seth Rogen comedy . It's embarrassing . It's humiliating . It's exactly what these hackers wanted , and it creates an open season for anarchists . I can' t help but think of that brilliant scene in Steven Spielberg's much maligned but hilarious World War II comedy "1941," (1979) when Toshiro Mifune, playing a Japanese submarine commander, is under orders to destroy Hollywood from off the coast of Los Angeles . Mifune beams with pride after destroying the Ferris wheel at the Santa Monica pier . He thinks his mission is a success . He thinks he's conquered America -- just as North Korea probably thinks it has conquered us . But in a way it has . Have at it, guys . Sony has just created a ridiculous, yet dangerous, precedent . Watch the first episode of the brilliant British series "Black Mirror"(which debuted in 2011 and is currently streaming on Netflix) to see just how this situation played out and will continue to play out within our society . In the episode, a British princess is kidnapped, and the ransom demand calls for the prime minister to go on live television and have sex with a pig . The world stops ; the masses are enthralled ; the news and social media go to town with the juicy fodder . Some cheer the prime minister's humiliation , some are disgusted , some are apathetic . But beneath it all, society is brought to its knees -- and the Twitterverse welcomes it because it is a damn good spectacle . "Black Mirror" -- the first episode, especially -- was incredibly prescient . Sony Pictures' "The Interview" is just a movie . It may be just a stupid comedy , but it is still a work of expression -- free expression! -- something that separates us from them . George Washington said,"If the freedom of speech is taken away, then dumb and silent we may be led, like sheep to the slaughter." For anyone to silence our creative voice is just wrong . Laughably wrong . That is why Sony should not buckle to the pressure of these vile threats . I understand that people may have been afraid to go to the big chain theaters to see "The Interview," and I respect their desire to protect themselves and their families . Sincere props, though, to the Alamo Drafthouse in Dallas/Fort Worth for announcing they would show the equally controversial film "Team America: World Police" (2004) in place of "The Interview." Thursday afternoon, Paramount announced that they would not publicly screen the movie ,. Sony should seriously consider releasing the Seth Rogen-James Franco (and phenomenal Lizzy Caplan) comedy on-demand for a number of reasons :. One : Sony and all involved will get their incredible payday . Has any recent film received more free hype than "The Interview"? Two : No theater will be harmed , even though theaters will lose potential revenue from the film . Three: Most importantly , Sony -- and we, the United States -- will not give in to this ludicrous and obnoxious threat from an impotent and juvenile country . This is America . We stand by our freedom . Even if it's a stupid comedy .
Example Output: And make no mistake about it... The hackers who broke into their computer systems are just that: Terrorists

Example Input: Sydney Hostage Crisis: Australia has lost its innocence. Australia is known as the "lucky country." It was a phrase first coined in 1964 by social critic Donald Horne, and has come to represent the visceral feelings of both Australians, and visitors to the nation . It is seen as a reflection of a high standard of living, and a geographical insulation from the bad actors of the world theater . But ten days out from Christmas, Australia has lost its innocence . On a day of brilliant blue skies, the terrorism of the post-9/11 world finally arrived on Australian soil , taking hold of city streets . A man wielding a gun and an Islamic flag took customers and staff hostage at a cafe in central Sydney . As a native of Sydney, home for the holidays, safe and sound but shaken and furious, December 15 is a day that will forever be seared into my mind . I've been to the Lindt Cafe ; in fact ,  I once worked across the street from it . Emotions have run high here all day -- from fear to anger to a desire for vengeance . I never expected this in Sydney . The profoundly shocking standoff with all its disruptions to city life has struck fear in Sydneysiders, unaccustomed to these types of events . The mood in Sydney is one of fear and uncertainty . Until now, Australian authorities have been flawless in preventing terror attacks on Australian soil . They have been aggressive in their pursuit of intelligence and would-be terrorists , foiling plot after plot . September saw the biggest anti-terrorism operation in Australia's history , involving up to 800 police in coordinated raids , sparked by intelligence reports that Islamic State supporters were planning to seize a random member of the public and behead them live on camera . Yet , it was inevitable that one would finally slip through the cracks , and Monday Sydney joined the ranks of cities such as New York, London and Madrid as the latest victim of what appears to be Islamic terrorism . Monday's distressing events have renewed Australians' concerns about Islamist objectives, and a growing Islamic presence in the country . Some Australians recognize that this likely terrorist attack is a result of the poor immigration decisions of Australian governments, both conservative and liberal, over the last four decades . A lack of liberty, an abandonment of reason, the imposition of Sharia on Muslims and non-Muslims, as well as the treatment of women are just some of the serious moral problems within the Muslim world . Islamist views are incompatible with the liberty enjoyed by Australians and Americans . Interestingly, Monday's events have also prompted Australians to revisit their gun laws . With Islamic supremacism a mainstream interpretation of Islam, deeply rooted in Islamic scripture and endorsed by many of Islam's most influential scholars, Australians are beginning to understand the nature of the Islamic threat , and studying their own weaknesses in its wake . The United Kingdom has had two beheadings of members of the public in the last two years, with neither police nor civilians able to prevent it . It also has prohibitive gun laws . Australians are looking to America, and not the UK for guidance . With this sort of threat, the normal calculus of a civilized society with a small, armed (or unarmed) police force upon which the citizens are forced to rely, no longer adds up . It is unsurprising that home-grown terrorism is most rampant in nations with strict gun control . It is a reality that Australia's powerful anti-gun lobby seems to wish to ignore . It is times like these that Americans should be thankful for their Second Amendment, and crush any effort or force seeking to weaken or remove it . Right now, they are the envy of a growing number of Australians that wish they were armed . Australia will never be the same again . Sydney just lost a little of its shine .
Example Output:
A man wielding a gun and an Islamic flag took customers and staff hostage at a cafe in central Sydney On a day of brilliant blue skies, the terrorism of the post-9/11 world finally arrived on Australian soil