Lawmakers to hold up yellow pencils in SOTU tribute to Paris victims

Members of Congress plan to show solidarity with the victims of the attack on France’s Charlie Hebdo newspaper by holding up yellow pencils during President Obama’s State of the Union address.



The gesture is expected to come during an applause break Tuesday after the president pays tribute to the people killed in a mass shooting at the paper.

Charlie Hebdo is known for its cartoons depicting controversial subjects, including the Prophet Mohammed.


{mosads}A spokeswoman for Rep. Gwen Moore (D-Wis.) said she believed the demonstration is a “unique opportunity to join our global partners in showing our collective support and solidarity.”



”In the face of the terrorist attack in France, the pencil has become the international symbol in support of free speech,” Moore aide Eric Harris said. “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.”



The White House came under criticism in the aftermath of the attack for failing to send the president or another high-level administration official to a unity march with other world leaders in Paris. Earlier Tuesday, chief of staff Denis McDonough said he was responsible for the misstep.



“We’ve said we regret we didn’t send someone more senior than our ambassador,” McDonough said in an interview with NBC’s  “Today” show. “That rests on me; that’s my job.”



Last week, Secretary of State John Kerry traveled to France to meet with President François Hollande. French officials have said publicly they were not upset by Obama’s decision not to attend the march and have thanked the U.S. for intelligence assistance in the aftermath of the attack.