America: Your Solidarity with Paris is Embarrassingly Misguided

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Op-Ed by Claire Bernish at theantimedia.org

 

The World, at Large — We are in mourning. Again. Indeed, Paris is in mourning, again.

For the second time in less than a year, we are all de facto Parisians — with Facebook profiles, casinos, and whole buildings draped in the blue, white, and red of the French flag. Solidarity as sympathy, bien sûr — a most poignant message that humanity stands with Paris — and will act decisively to avenge the “carnage” unexpectedly wrought by those whose motives most will never fall victim to, much less comprehend.

Most?

Evidently, despite the accumulated knowledge of the entire planet at our disposal through the computer screen, solidarity has escaped some of us.

And I am weary.

Without question, I mourn for Paris’ recent victims and their families — and I would never claim knowledgeable firsthand experience of the same. But I refuse — despite my partial French heritage — to cloak myself in nationalism of any stripe or star, particularly not now. Because, besides victims in Paris, an incomprehensibly astronomic number of people have been grieving loss of the highest order for some time — in places whose names roll off our tongues as if it’s accepted that violence simply happens there — and a majority likely couldn’t guess the colors on these victims’ flags.

You see, I also mourn for those killed mere hours before Paris crumbled into chaos, in strikingly similar attacks in Beirut.

I mourn the hundreds of thousands displaced or killed in Syria, no matter their pledged allegiance. No matter their professed religion. No matter.

I mourn for the millions killed in ongoing and renewed, illegal United States’ aggression in Iraq — and those facing a torturous demise from exposure to depleted uranium employed in violation of international and humanitarian law — for reasons far closer to ‘American’ and corporate hegemony than compassionate principle.

I mourn the untold number killed in the United States’ insidious — and seemingly permanent — war in Afghanistan. And the countless children there who know nothing of peace, much less the feeling of safety it brings. And patients and staff recently targeted, bombed, and then shot while fleeing the Médecins Sans Frontières hospital in Kunduz — and the irony of that humanitarian organization’s French roots.

I mourn those forced into human slavery or sex trafficking in Malaysia; and curse the scant hope they escape, now that the massive TPP has garnered U.S. government’s tacit approval of the abhorrence that is human trade.

I mourn for Palestinians, whose land was usurped — and whose lives and infrastructure and families and sense of security and HOMES are under siege and occupation by an illegal and actively terrorist State.

I mourn the patients and staff at the over 100 healthcare facilities in Yemen that have been BOMBED since March. And the apparently soulless who found an acceptable target in hospitals.

I mourn for Yemen.

I mourn for the victims of complicit government violence in Mexico, and 43 students and their families who lack answers.

I mourn for Chinese men, women, and children working, quite literally, as slaves, so the West can be rude at dinner and take endless pictures — of its narcissistically apathetic self.

I mourn rampant genocide — past and present — for the sake of manifest destiny. And empire. And imperialism. And inexplicable and unstated reasons.

In fact, I mourn for all victims of terror, whether State or group sponsored, without conditions attached to my grief — no matter location, nor loyalty, nor arbitrary geopolitical happenstance of location of a victim’s birth. And I’m already grieving those soon to be terror’s next victims; since, as French President François Hollande jarringly warned, avenging Paris’ victims just birthed (yet another) “PITILESS” war.

As if gentle were somehow a method to employ in waging war.

Yes, I mourn for Paris. But I do so while weeping in shame at the deplorable supercilious judgment ensconced in Western reaction to it; for countless pitiable xenophobes and their endless vapid justifications; for arrogant commentary from politicians and their media mouthpieces with their embarrassing post-tragedy clamoring to exploit ignorant heartstrings for the appropriate victims; for the endless War of Terror — and the service members who somehow haven’t yet deduced that this would ALL END if they simply refused to fucking fight.

The fact is, grief on this scale is exhausting. And I’m very nearly out of tears.

So keep these victims around the globe in mind — every, single man, woman and child who has, who is, and who will suffer the maiming, horror, torture, and death that’s as necessary to war as those who take up arms — when you next excuse a politician’s stance on war, because the rest of his or her platform seems really promising.

Or, at least, seems the lesser of two evils.

And shake that flag from your social media profile; and your home; and your thoughts. Because as long as you wear just one flag, your attempt to stand with victims of terror is a most embarrassingly hollow solidarity, indeed.

This article (America: Your Solidarity with Paris is Embarrassingly Misguided) is free and open source. You have permission to republish this article under a Creative Commons license with attribution to Claire Bernish and theAntiMedia.org. Anti-Media Radio airs weeknights at 11pm Eastern/8pm Pacific.

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86 COMMENTS

  2. Millions of deaths on both sides have not achieved anything. It’s time for the leaders of all countries involved, including Isis etc to sit down at a round table, draw on their human egalitarian instincts and settle this bullshit, there are way more important things to worry about than your religion..

    • You’d bring ISIS to the table and thus legitmise their claim to atleast (some land), you don’t invite the bandit to come talk about peace bro.

      • yes you do, no war/conflict in history has ever ended without dialogue. those that shout about “never talking” probably have some hidden agenda ( its in their political/financial interest for there to be a war, an enemy at the gate. There is no “Turk at the gate” [see Baron Munchhausen])

      • We all deserve a place in this world regardless of your stripes and showing compassion and equality to your enemy is the first step toward reconciliation.

    • This is not about religion. This is a fight over land and resources. Greedy bastards are never satisfied. And the greedy bastards are usually sadistic sexual deviants to boot.

      • This would not be happening without some rediculous ideology that blinds the sheep and insists they are doing the right thing and to do as their told. No normal person would commit any of these atrocities without blind faith in an ideology that promises an afterlife of pleasure, greed and sexual deviance.

        • You’re talking about Christianity, right? (Minus the “sexual deviance”, whatever that means). Oh, wait…you’re talking about all religions.

          I hear you: all religions all promise “destruction to planet earth and and it’s inhabitants now” in exchange for a so-called cozy afterlife who awaits those who give their money to it and claim “Zeus” I mean “Jesus/Allah/whoever” as God (and of course sign documents agreeing with all their discriminations: be it racist, agist, religist, sexist, nationalist/jingoist, heterosexist, or speciesist.).

          “I get to eat animal products, sugary baked goods, and benefit from sweatshop labor and war against other nations? Cool.” /clicks channel to reality tv

          • Karen, you obviously don’t know much about Christianity. There’s no promise of pleasure nor greed along side “sexual deviance”. In fact the promise of eternal life and the abolition of sin directly contradicts a promise of pleasure and greed.

            Promising destruction to planet earth and it’s inhabitants now, well, you take that how you choose to. It’s a prophesy in Biblical terms, things are going to happen, of our own doing(under satan’s influence) in which we will destroy our planet earth and the inhabitants. God will intervene when necessary to ensure his Kingdom and his Earth remain intact and that those who are worthy are protected and/or saved in the end. Notice how we are to blame? Including you? We are responsible for our own decisions whether generational or direct. Free will is a concept most people don’t understand.

            In exchange for a cozy afterlife that awaits those who give their money and claim….whoever….as God(add in all those progressive labels)? First of all giving money to a church is not a bad thing, even by modern progressive standards, considering churches are THE most charitable platforms on planet earth; by a landslide. When a “wolf in sheep’s clothing” manipulates money out of his/her congregation, yeah, that’s pretty messed up. Tithing? Different story altogether. It’s personal, most folks know nothing of it in truth.

            Point is, what you just said is quite blatantly a generalization of the modern atheistic view of “religion”, meaning all religions combined into one sadistic glob of mass control and mind-manipulation. I don’t defend any other religion than Christianity(except for the right to practice ANY religion, no matter much I disagree with said beliefs). I simply believe that you are blinded by your own dogmatic beliefs/non-beliefs so much to the point of subscribing to being a racist, agist, religist, sexist, nationalist/jingoist, heterosexist, and/or speciesist….? really?

    • Daesh has no place at any table, they respect no boundaries.
      They’ve declared war on everyone, let them have it, and be annihilated.

      • Agreed totally Jeff, you cannot negotiate with insanity, particularly religious insanity. There is no place at the round table for government sponsored ideology, because that’s what created this mess in the first place. Ideologies must be left out of negotiations otherwise it would be pointless.

    • All I can say is that for hundreds of years the middle east has been in turmoil. Any radical fundamentalist using religion to commit crimes are just insane and their only end game is to see that all people, including their own, who do not believe the way they do must die. That is their endgame. They are evil and no matter how many bleeding hearts out there want “peace” it will not happen. What do they have to do, kill someone you love before you have a clue. They train up their young people to kill those who do not believe as they do. I stand with France and Beirut in their grief. I remember how I felt when the Towers went down and I lived on the other side of the US, but it still hurt to see so many lives ruined and snuffed out. Do I feel sorry for the people in Raqqa, NO!

  3. I’m kind of wondering what the point of this article was. “If you only feel bad for France, your a douche?” Is that it? “If you don’t expel every bit of water in your body as a tear crying for other people’s problems, you’re scum?” What is the point of this?

    • That’s not quite the point.

      Read the first paragraphs over again…no one said you should not mourn or be angry about the tragedy in Paris but rather open your eyes to the tragedies that do not make CNN do 24 hour coverage.

    • Thats not what they’re saying. What they’re saying is, Unfortunately Paris has had terrible incident and lots of lives are being lost. However, thats happening everyday, in alot, on a much larger scale, but people wont even bat an eyelid or post a status about how much of a tragedy it is.

      Paris comes under attack, and there’s mass movements on facebook, cities being lit up in French colors, everyone doing there utmost to show support; now, theres nothing wrong with this, infact I support it, but they are merely pointing out all of the other catastrophes which have/are happening which nobody could give a fuck about.

      If you read the article, it would be pretty clear to make this out…

    • this article is simply stating how everyone is being blinded, and how appalling it is that only the atrocities in Paris are going noticed, people around the world have been suffering for decades but no one is changing their profiles or showing public support for their deaths.

    • The point of the article is to get you to think about the flag you would have on your profile due to these tragedies. It’s to get you to understand why you chose to wave said flag. The point is a matter of personal interpretation and possibly self-reflection. If you took it as a subtle insult, then that is your prerogative. Think about how it insults you in comparison to your own set of morals. How are the two related?
      This attack was not just an attack for the French, but an attack on humanity itself… and humanity is to blame, as horrible as that may sound, it’s true. So think about who you’re really mourning for when you dawn the colors of a nation’s flag. Who are the real victims? The truth is, everyone suffers from tragedies such as this, so it makes the choice to convey one national flag seem rather hollow.
      This article was just viewed from a broader perspective. It is meant to make you think.
      The

    • The point is, people only care about what other people tell them. The media doesn’t tell you about Country A killing thousands/millions of people from Country B because either its something worth hiding to them or it doesn’t benefit them in any way. How many people have you seen with Frances flag accented on their Facebook profile pictures? Consequently, how many people have you seen with Syria’s flag accented on their Facebook profile picture, or even Iraq for that matter. The media wants you to mourn for France; the media doesn’t want you mourning for Syria/Iraq.

    • The point is that America tries to show how it feels bad for the 140 killed in France, when the same day thousands of others died in other countries. On top of that, America itself has been a part of attacks much like these terrorist attacks, just on a larger scale. Killing tons of innocent people. It’s kind of saying it’s stupid and ironic what the US is doing.

      • Really? That’s what you got out of this article? Why are you only point the finger at America? I believe this was aimed at people all over the world.

  4. I am an American Liberal. I don’t wear or wave a flag, I didn’t and don’t support the US being the “policeman of the world,” and it’s endless wars with huge numbers of innocent victims, it’s imperialism, exceptionalism, corporate fellatio, and religious bigotry. I feel terrible about all of those things. I vote for people who say they want to change those things. I have one vote to give, and besides volunteering for candidates who believe as I do, there is not much else I can do, because, as someone who is living on a fixed income..the system doesn’t even think I deserve to exist. And I am SO sorry for the victims and families and friends who were killed yesterday. I wish for Peace, for everyone.

  5. I get what your saying but you labour your point. By your reckoning people cant show thete remorse because other bad stuff happens elsewhere. I onow what you mean but thetsnothing wrong with any positive emotions after a tragedy

  6. I disagree with the premise of this piece: we can only mourn with one country/people at a time.
    There’s no flag for sorrow, for shared lament. There’s not a line in the heart of the grieving between Palestinian, political refugee, Parisian, or prisoner of war.
    To imply our hearts, while breaking for the French, are incapable of feeling the pain of other repressed people groups is hyperbolic and idiotic.
    Who among you could say the children dying a vile, painful death for lack of access to clean water are less heartbreaking today than they were yesterday?
    ❤anons❤
    This, however, pisses me off.

  7. I note that you’re mourning for Palestinians and portraying Israel as a terrorist state, so you’re definitely not mourning for Israeli women and children killed and injured regularly by Islamic terrorists. If your article is your personal views that’s one thing but if you are representative of or representing Anonymous then I and many others want to know because we won’t be part of a group that fails to recognise the Islamic terrorism going on in and against Israel and Israelis.

    • very well said. this article takes a very biased look and does not ONCE touch on Israel. Israel is a country that is faced with terrorism on a daily basis. Car ramming, stabbings, and bombings are all incorporated into daily life in Israel. Yes the world should come together against terrorism, but this article fails to consider the one country facing it every day, Israel.

  11. “this would ALL END if they simply refused to fucking fight.” Really??? And thieves would stop burglarizing your home if your simply refuse to lock your door. Because you’d have nothing left to steal. Just as terrorism will end if you refuse to fight. Because you’ll be dead and only radical Islamist will remain. The idea that preaching pacifism will deter people whose religion demands your death is moronic in the extreme.

    • that’s a massive jump in logic there retard. you need to look at the cause of this problem. if you want to stop burglary you need to get rid of the things that cause burglary. locking your door is not the cause that makes someone burgle your house. but continued fighting in the middle east and backing coupe plots in Africa(for oil, gold and diamonds) does cause more violence. violence begets violence. so using burglary to “prove” your point is idiotic. go back to school.

  13. I CALL ON THOSE WHO HOLD THE POWER TO DISRUPT THE FINANCIAL BACKERS WHO ARE INVOLVED IN FUNDING isis IT IS TIME TO STOP THE MILITARY INDUSTRIAL COMPLEX BY REMOVING THE BACKERS FROM THEIR POWER BY MAKING THEM UNABLE TO SUPPORT THE TERRORIST . I SAY THERE ARE TWO SIDES TO EVERY COIN JUST LIKE THERE ARE TWO WINGS TO EVERY BIRD. LETS PLUCK THESE FUCKERS . AND LEAVE THEM ALL BROKE SO THEY CANT AFFORD TO BUY THE AMMO USED TO DO THIS AGAIN. FIND THEM ON THE DARK NET AND DESTROY THEM FINANCIALY AND mentally.NO MORE .

  14. Your logic is painful to read. The Palestinians whose land has been usurped? What about the Jews? Or the Navajo? Or the aborigines? To suggest that our morning is misguided simply because another group or community is being abused is itself misguided. Compassion isn’t lessened because it doesn’t encompass all those who need it. It’s a miracle we are ever united as a people, let’s just find more common ground.

  15. Your article is grand standing. Soap boxing. You cannot sit their behind your computer and tell anyone what they should think, feel or have an opinion on. Who are you to tell anyone that their solidarity is misguided. You have sorrow for the other things in the world? That’s your choice. You telling anyone else that they should believe different, believe as you do, and if they don’t they are wrong? What gives you that right? Who are you to tell me or anyone else our thoughts and or feelings on this or any other subject are wrong or misguided?

  16. This article is nothing but masturbation. You made this situation about you and missed the point completely. If I was you I would be a little embarrassed about my narcissism. The point of people grieving like they do in Paris 1. Is because of the horrific tragedies that happened over there and 2. Because it happened where normally something like this doesn’t happen which shows that terrorist have taking this to the next level. Yes it happened a few times but not close to as many times as in middle eastern countries, so yes it means a lot. It doesn’t by any mean reduce the people’s compassion for other deaths in the world, it’s just a symbol of something that hasn’t happened before so yes people are grieving at the loss of their security they once had. Most people unfortunately know that in the Middle East there is war because it’s a political hot bed. But Paris is a place where people go to vacation since hundreds of years and has been the subject of countless movies, songs and marriages, not violence, so surely this is even more shocking in perception to people. Instead of throwing your general judgement on humanity showing their support, you should keep your misguided discontent to yourself. You added nothing to this at all but stupidity.

  17. The hypocrisy of this post in descriptive admonishing of those who have chosen a way to acknowledge this is disturbing. If the author was mourning so many countries and their devistion, why write this article now? Why not be a hypocrite to their own words and written of each and every instance mourned to reflect this?

    Like those who become aware, those who become aware take action. There is cancer in the world and people walk around day in and out knowing there is cancer in the world, but will not wear a pink ribbon to support those who are going through it or survived until they know someone.

    This is what society does. And like every other instance, unless of devastation, support is offered. In a majority of instances written, the US has show support through our government. And some of us who have this as a part of their education, have always. The truth of the matter is, psychologically all those showing support will soon feminist in capacity to cope with the trauma, no matter how close or far and will slowly withdraw. While those directly involved will take many years to recover. If they can recover.

    The world is already filled with finger pointers full of hypocrisy. I would hope that having the power of the pen and the force of the Internet; one could use it to change the world. Not become absorbed in it.

    While yes, it is

  21. “I mourn for Palestinians, whose land was usurped — and whose lives and infrastructure and families and sense of security and HOMES are under siege and occupation by an illegal and actively terrorist State”. Be ashamed for this incitement, this lie, this truth twisting reality you created in your head. Israel is the only democratic state in the ME. The only country where your article will ever be published because in other countries there you would be hung or beheaded. Israel offered to form a Palestinian state (Even though there was never an arab Palestine- it was ruled by great Britian before given by the UN! in 1948) but they refused because they don’t want to live side by side- they want all of the Israeli’s in the ocean. Do your research and stop believeing slogans fed to you by the people who are part of this terrorist atmosphere.

  22. No wonder this was written anonymously. I’d really like to see how this sniveling bigot would be received if they went to the sidelines of a 5k marathon being held to raise money for breast cancer research and called all the runners ignorant, bypocritical, selectively compassionate xenophobes because they’re not also running for AIDS, prostate cancer, heart disease and lung cancer. Ghoul.

    • Right. The bigotry against Americans is woven into every article. In one while the videos will point out that Turkey is buying oil from terrorists it is America that stands out as a villain. This page feels like it has the same attitudes as the racist terrorists it claims to abhor. It is that prejudice, that ingroup, outgroup bias that grips so many hearts and turns them against people. We want solutions, not more information about the problems.That is what we do in America. We work and we do things to help. Thank you for your comment. I for one stand with you.

  23. I stay in tune so I can explain whenever they misrepresent a point or idea, or say something false altogether. Also, to inform readers of when something posted to look like fact, is one of many theories and what is actually truth is unknown. I’m not sure if it helps, but I don’t like it when people try to misguide others.

  24. “I mourn for Palestinians, whose land was usurped — and whose lives and infrastructure and families and sense of security and HOMES are under siege and occupation by an illegal and actively terrorist State.”

    I think the writer of this article needs to do a bit more research before posting…

    • I laughed. Because Israel is an active terrorist state even though they’ve been trying to get their land back since they were enslaved in Egypt. Not to mention Palestinians obviously have never raised a hand at Israel and are completely innocent. They may as well be Buddhist monks … What a joke.

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  27. We need something that represents the WORLD and all of humanity. Grief and sadness need to be expressed. This is something small that people can do to show they care. Not the only thing but one of many. Do more than change your profile picture…..change your attitude and DO SOMETHING…help people!

  28. This Paris Terrorist Attack wreaks of False Flag kinda gives me the same gut feelings as Sandy Hook.. Wheres the blood? I see what looks like an Op, not an attack

  30. How exactly do you propose soldiers “refuse to fucking fight”? I’m a completely anti-gun and anti-war person, but Western countries who are now mobilizing their armies have never been the ones to initiate aggression in these kinds of terrorist attacks. Not allowing a country grieving to defend itself seems grossly misjudged. How would you propose to end the threat of terrorist groups to not just Western countries, but to the Syrian and Iraqi people whose governments are clearly so far out of their league that they have to align themselves with other islamist militant groups like Hezbollah. The governments of Europe and the United States have been acting in purely reactionary ways, and all have been extremely hesitant to broach the topic of war because of the blunders that the US has made in the past concerning the middle east. We cannot be asked to not defend ourselves and others from a merciless and self-justifying enemy. European countries getting more involved is the best thing that could happen for both refugees and people affected in other countries by terrorist attacks.

  31. This artice as well as many others comes from a deep seated hatred for Americans. Each one of us living in the world is subjected to many things throughout the day and given bits and pieces of info to work with. By and large Americans are busy working their asses off and do not take much time to sort through the worlds problem as much as we focus on work. That mentality is taught and maintained by a media run society that is quickly coming under the power of feudal lords while no one sees it happening. In fact all of this comes down to the misuse of wealth and resources a few, a very few and not the many, who have none and are getting poorer everyday. You want to say Americans are bad people for standing in solidarity with a political ally? That is absurd! You want to say Americans are enjoying luxuries and are all narcissts? Parisians were out at a concert not home mourning the world’s problems, and some of them were out to eat,so what are they, with their wine and their noses in the air, and what are you? Who gave you a degree in human psychology? No one. It is this same old crap, white Americans are bad and everyone else is good.They get sad wrong, they eat wrong…we judge them to feel better about ourselves and then call them narcissistic.

  32. This is something I have been highlighting since the attacks in Paris on Friday. My sincere condolences to everyone in Paris who have suffered from this tragedy. Nobody talked about the slaughter in Lebanon the same day or the killings in Iraq and places alike. We are all equal i find it highly immoral how people can have sympathy for people in Paris and not for other people around the world. We are all human and we are all equal religion and god is the biggest conspiracy there ever was and will be in my opinion at least it does not make us better or more important than other nationalities or religions because of where we live or which faith we follow. Its hypocricy of the highest order for americans who have been murdering innocent people for money and oil for longer than i have been on this earth to show sympathy for people who have fallen victim to the same crime they have committed.

  33. ahughes789, I am a US citizen. Your comments are right on target. I agree with you 100%. Except our policial is broken. Votes do not count, whoever has the most money wins.

  34. So here’s the thing, terrorists DO NOT WANT to talk. They don’t want to negotiate, they don’t want sympathy or land, they want death and destruction of anyone who does not think and act as they do. They did for their cause because they have no respect for life, they want ultimate bloodshed. So yes please explain to me how you want to sit terrorists down at a round table. Please. As for war would end if soldiers refused to fight, bad people will always exist, they will always want and do bad things. When they nan together what are you supposed to do? Bow down? Say no it’s ok, my life, our children’s lives are less than yours? Bad people kill innocent men, women, and children every day without pity for their tears or begging to spare them. That is a reality around the world. If soldiers choose to not fight those things will grow and will be left completely unchecked. Only people with their head up where the sun don’t shine and think everyone in the world just wants to talk it out think otherwise.

  35. i do agree there is something out of wack with the media outcry regarding these terrorist attacks. US media often loses all sense of context with regard to injustice occurring domestically and world wide. no one should fall victim to the atrocities that occurred in Paris – it was several acts of irrational, idiotic violence against civilians. but this is just one of many injustices happening right now, just as this article points out. so now, how should we and the rest of the world respond? a reinvigorated war on terror? fueled by nationalism and militaristic muscle flexing against tribal extremists? yea, because this has worked so well in the past! the US should do two things – ignore these terrorists and not give them more fuel for recruiting, and allow the countries they exist within to clean up their own mess! cries for their extermination, and trying to do so has never worked! more drone strikes? more military spending using tax dollars? that is just giving the military industrial complex exactly what they want – profiteering on citizen sponsored international violence. the circle of violence this country accepts, promotes, and buys into is absurd. the lack of context of US media is equally frustrating.

  36. This article is bull. People are not ignoring other bad things happening just because FB is running a new filter and the media is hyping up what happened in France. France is a country that has the same beliefs ALL free countries have..and when those beliefs are challenged, we react/fight back BIG because we do not want OUR FREEDOM TAKEN AWAY AND WE WILL FIGHT BACK HARD TO KEEP IT THAT WAY. THAT is why it’s bigger news right now…it has NOTHING TO DO with one life of one country being more important than another, because it isn’t true (and is quite annoying of columnists to spread around as they are, it’s only causing a disservice to why it is going big). Though I do agree also that Americans in particular are very ignorant to what goes on in the world in general unless Americans are involved. You have the American media and government to thank for the ignorance in America for not making many things general information as they should be. People do need to know what’s going on..

  37. I understand he sentiment of the writer, but could only get through the first few paragraphs. There is no “mourners” award. We all mourn for all civilian lost lives, whether it be in Bagdad, Beruit, or Paris. However, we can identify more with Parisian concert going, dinners, football matches, and having fun on a Friday night. Americans have a greater chance going to Paris than Beruit or the Middle East in their life time. The French fought for the United States independence near 240 years ago. We still remember that. Don’t be so judgmental, writer.

  39. Not once did the author mourn for the blacks and latinos getting killed by the police in the US. Not once did the author mourn women who are being domestically abused in the world. It is clear that this person hates blacks and hates women. The antiblackness and mysogyny of the world is rampant.

  40. I agree. And yet, I disagree.

    Ideally we would all mourn and react to any needless deaths, any acts of terror, etc.
    But here’s the deal: not everybody is there. Not everybody reacts to every crime the same way. We tend to gravitate to what we know, what is familiar, what is close to home. For example, when a mass shooting takes place in Virginia people in Portland do not respond the same as they would if the shooting was in Portland.

    Those who have, then, a greater sensitivity or ASPIRE to have a greater sensitivity to the crimes and terror and ills that take place throughout the world, have two choices:

    1. Accept as allies those who mourn the loss of the French, and gently remind them of the fact that we should also mourn the loss of those in Beruit, Palestine, etc., or

    2. Ride a high horse and mock them for not being as ‘aware’ and ‘sensitive’ as yourself.

    It is crucial, in my opinion, that we recognize glasses as half full, rather than half empty. I have to remind myself of this as well. We MUST learn to identify who our allies and friends are and separate them from who our real enemies are. SO many good people with JUST causes FAIL constantly in this regard.

    Know thy enemy. And know thy ally.

    And if you are blessed with a greater perspective, perhaps your duty is to gather your allies and encourage them to dig deeper, rather than beating the shit out of them for having not yet arrived at your broader conclusions.

  43. This article is a clear example of microaggression. I shall bring this up next student committee and request that you are removed from campus.

  44. The International Flag of Planet Earth

    http://www.flagofplanetearth.com/#intro-shift

    I vote for this Flag Profile Filter, Its not judemental, it doesn’t scold good intentions , but it makes a bigger much more powerful statement then 1 or a few flags.

    PURPOSE OF THE FLAG

    1. To be used while representing planet Earth.

    2. To remind the people of Earth that we share this planet, no matter of national boundaries. That we should take care of each other and the planet we live on.

  45. I’m not native Ebglish speaker, so I was wondering if I misunderstood a line in this text – when you mentioned the illegal and terrorist state harming Palestinians – you meant Israel or..? Cause if that is the case, it would be terribly wrong and cancel all the nice thoughts you put down on paper for the one who died, as Israel also lost many innocent people, as we all know it. But once again, perhaps I misunderstood?

  46. Having said that, what are your thoughts on this? Can you tell us without back-pedaling ? You wouldn’t dare say that France’s gesture to America post 9/11 was an ’embarassingly hollow display of solidarity with victims of terror,’ would you? http://time.com/4112746/paris-attacks-us-september-911-terrorism/

    BTW many victims you speak of – the dead, the Chinese, starving people in Africa- do not have access to Facebook so we cannot express our concerns for them here. We could, but it would be merely a public display of our self righteousness, like your article. Funny

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