Congressional lawmakers will hold up yellow pencils during the State of the Union address Tuesday night as a symbol of support for free speech and the victims of the terrorist attack in Paris against the French satirical newspaper Charlie Hebdo.
The pencils will be held up after President Barack Obama recognizes those who died during the Jan. 7 attack by Islamic State (ISIS) sympathizers during his speech,
The Hill is reporting.
"In the face of the terrorist attack in France, the pencil has become the international symbol in support of free speech," said Eric Harris, an aide for Democratic Rep. Gwen Moore of Wisconsin.
"Rather than divide and intimidate us, these brazen and barbaric attacks have united the international community and prompted a global response in defense of the freedom of expression," Harris added.
The Obama administration was widely criticized following the attack for only sending U.S. Ambassador Jane Hartley to represent the United States in the Paris march on Jan. 11, which included more than 40 presidents and prime ministers from countries all over the world.
© 2024 Newsmax. All rights reserved.