Today is Saturday 14th, November, and as the whole world knows, Paris has been the victim of terrorist attacks
My friend Judith already wrote an article, but I thought it would be interesting to share my opinion and experience with this horrible event.
On friday 13th, around 11 p.m, I went to sleep as many other nights, casually, in my bed, while so many people where getting killed, but I did not know it yet...
At 12 a.m, Saturday 14th, my mother woke me up, telling me that something awful and unbelievable was happening in Paris... When I checked the news on TV and realised that things were turning into a nightmare for hundreds of people, I cried.
It might seem ridiculous, but in moments like these, you make a parallel between your life and theirs, the victims'. You start to realise that after all, you are not that safe in your dear country, and that it could have been you.
I did not go back to bed until 2 in the morning. I was thirsty for informations, something that could bring me back to sleep.
In the morning, around 7 a.m, when I went to school, I looked around me, like every morning, but this time it was different. The annoying sounds of birds that used to drive me crazy in the mornings because they woke me up became soothing to my ears. I noticed that the sky wasn't just bleu or black, and that the cold air wasn't this bad after all.
But this sweet image of a regular morning vanished as soon as I realised that, at any moment, all of this could disappear. The birds might stop singing because some terrorists killed them, the morning sky might just turn grey because someone threw a grenade randomly in a crowd....
What happened last night was really traumatizing to me and to all the victims. Unfortunately, beside being traumatized, there is not much we can do. Because our country have reached such a level of unawareness, that now terrorists think they can act in Paris like they act in Damascus or Bagdad.
Terrorism is everywhere nowadays, and the only person that can protect us at the moment is the army, because as small citizens, we are helpless.
Freedom has been touched once more, but this time, it is freedom at the biggest level possible... How can we be free if we can't go out a friday night without the fear of getting killed in the most horrible ways possible ?
However, what we can do, and what we HAVE to do is keep living our lives. Because if we stop going to Metal shows, or hang out a friday night in a crowded neighbourhood, or go to a football game, then terrorist will win, because their aim is to scare people in order manipulate and use them
I am still wondering how someone can have the strength to kill, bomb themselves in order to vehiculate an idea... They wasted their lives, just the same way they wasted other people's life... To be honest, I don't think these terrorists were bad person in the whole, I just think they were desperate souls that found a sense for their lives in an organisation that manipulated them.
Paris is a beautiful city, and french people are strong. I know that the country will make it through just like it did with Charlie Hebdo
Thank you all for reading my article
-Anissa
I agree with the fact that #PrayforParis is so weird... but it's the first thing I saw on tumblr this morning, and even though it's the title of my article (by the way, thank you Anissa for writing one that is much more expressive than mine), I prefer the "Peace for Paris" that I used as a picture.
ReplyDeleteAs for my French pride, it does not exist. I am not French. BUT I have my very own pride and will, that I WILL use to stand up and make statements.
I don’t understand how you can not have any reaction to what happened but anyway.
ReplyDeleteI don’t agree with you ^^ I think we can act. even in talking (well…writing) on this blog we are acting. We can act. Everyday. By talking, by thinking (some people are tempted to forget this one), loving, caring… discuss about it, avoid amalgams. Of course we are worried (personally, I’m terrified). Life goes on I agree, but we cannot say that people won’t care anymore. I don’t think people forgot about Charlie Hebdo. Well, I hope not. Life goes on, but if it could go on without terrorist attacks, hate and violence, it’d be better. I mean, is it life, to live in fear? For me, it’s not. Being afraid for your life? For your family? For your friends?
Right now, I personally don’t care about my (french?) pride. Which pride? I don’t get it.
I don’t think we should be fearless. I mean, we are afraid. And fear is not a bad thing. I mean, some are afraid to die? It’s normal. It means that you’re in the side of life. Because those people, are not afraid. They don’t care about dying. We are in the side of death. We should use this fear, and make it strength. To fight terrorism.
Except that, I perfectly agree that we should stay strong ^^
I really hope that, in the long run, people will have appropriate reactions, I hope that that amalgams will not be done, especially by some extremes (naming no one) and make people hate each other. Because this is what they want.
And, thank you so much Anissa for your very expressive article. Thank you <3
I don’t understand how you can not have any reaction to what happened but anyway.
ReplyDeleteI don’t agree with you ^^ I think we can act. even in talking (well…writing) on this blog we are acting. We can act. Everyday. By talking, by thinking (some people are tempted to forget this one), loving, caring… discuss about it, avoid amalgams. Of course we are worried (personally, I’m terrified). Life goes on I agree, but we cannot say that people won’t care anymore. I don’t think people forgot about Charlie Hebdo. Well, I hope not. Life goes on, but if it could go on without terrorist attacks, hate and violence, it’d be better. I mean, is it life, to live in fear? For me, it’s not. Being afraid for your life? For your family? For your friends?
Right now, I personally don’t care about my (french?) pride. Which pride? I don’t get it.
I don’t think we should be fearless. I mean, we are afraid. And fear is not a bad thing. I mean, some are afraid to die? It’s normal. It means that you’re in the side of life. Because those people, are not afraid. They don’t care about dying. We are in the side of death. We should use this fear, and make it strength. To fight terrorism.
Except that, I perfectly agree that we should stay strong ^^
I really hope that, in the long run, people will have appropriate reactions, I hope that that amalgams will not be done, especially by some extremes (naming no one) and make people hate each other. Because this is what they want.
And, thank you so much Anissa for your very expressive article. Thank you <3
Anissa your article is so touching and true.. It's sad how things like make us appreciate the little things that surrounds us, but like you said this should not stop us from living our lives and doing what we usually do.. It's true that the sadness and fear are there but by living our lives normally shows a sign of courage and overcoming the fear.
ReplyDeleteI was talking with a friend yesterday evening, and she said that her teacher said something along the lines of "they didn't choose to attack those places randomly. Attacking a stadium and a concert, they attacked our freedom, and more precisely, our freedom of having fun". And this rings so right. Let's not give them that satisfaction. Let's keep on going to concerts, football matches, restaurants, out in the evenings, whenever we want to (but still try to stay safe OK ? I don't want any of you to get hurt). We are fighting back.
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ReplyDeleteKellian it's true that people need to "stand up fearless" but how can it be normal for someone not to feel sad and be fearful after what just happened, it's natural and human to be terrified when such things happen. Think about the victims family, the are sad, heartbroken , are grieving their lost and loved ones (so are we by the way ) using the #prayforparis or the #jesuischarlie it's a way to express our feelings (since we can't do anything else) but also showing them that they are not alone, a sort of solidarity like you said.
ReplyDeleteSalomé, I agree 100% with you. I don't have anything else to say, but I had to show my support for your comment.
ReplyDeleteSorry for my terrible lapse. THEY are in the side of death. We are not.
ReplyDeleteBerverly, I'm not saying that feared people are cowards or anything. I have a friend that lives near the Bataclan, and I understand that she was affraid. My heart is with the vitims' families. And I know that some people used # to give support because they really care. And I respect it a lot.
ReplyDeleteWhat is, to me, disgusting is the fact that some people that don't care uses these # that are supposed to be used by people who care, not just to be a "good looking person". For example you will never see me say PrayForParis because I don't feel touched by this, and I prefer leaving this to the people that need to honestly express thei feelings about it.
But again, it's just my opinion, I'm not trying to convince people. I know that I'm kind of "feeling-proof", and honestly I just woke up like "a massive murder again? pff... I'm getting bored of this". And I know that making comonplace of murder and terrorism would be just an error.
And to me, a true thought to the dead people and their family is most valuable than any # or French flag filter on social media. It's just my opinion.
Salomé, I understand (and I agree) that writing on the blog is some how acting, but acting symbolicaly, not in an efficient way. I'm not saying that it's bad, I just say we should'nt give symbolic and superficial act too much value. And as you said, not making amalgams (which is to me the most important thing), talking to avoid the fear of terrorism is the best thing to do.
Also,as a person that takes the train and is in a great french railway station I should be even more worried, but I'm not. Because I trust the soldiers in the place to protect our lives. And even if one day I'm bombed by one of these crazy terrorists; well too bad, but life will goes on for other persons and this is the most important.
I'm also not saying that people won't care anymore about Charlie Hebdo event, I'm just saying that from an intense emotion it will slowly become just a date on history books.
"Life goes on, but if it could go on without terrorist attacks, hate and violence, it’d be better." Saying the opposite would be dumb. Of course it's more relaxing not to be worry for other persons.
But I have to admit that I wasn't precise enough to explain my conception of national pride. But I dont agree with you: ok we can be afraid but we should'nt STAY afraid, and I agree at 100% with what J.A.N said below: let's just continue to live normally, and don't give those crazy idiots attention, it's the wrost thing to do. And if it does help people to talk about it on the blog and being more insured, well ok, I don't see any problem to this.
Another thing: In cases of event like this. Please guys, I know that we need to know more, but don't turn on BFMTV, iTélé or any information channels: they are a real problem, it's common that they create informations, exagerate everything and debating on nothing. Just wait some times, like the 8 P.M news. Those TV channels just want you to be entertained and stay stick to your TV. Please everyone, don't give them this satisfaction. Also a video that sums up the situation pretty well (I know that I've already posted this one: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UlpVOuS5syU).
(I should learn to make shorter answers...)
ReplyDeleteI really don't understand how you can be "bored". I really don't.
ReplyDeleteFor me, acting symbolically is also an efficient way. And I really don’t agree that we should not give importance value to it. I feel lost and insignificant considering what happened, and talking is my personal way to fight back and act. I don’t think this is a superficial one.
I also trust the police, and soldiers, but I’m still afraid. I'll just not live cloistered or they will win. They would have reach their goal.
Just a date? I’m not sure. I hope not. Of course the emotion will be less powerful, because it has just happened. But I don’t think it will just be a date. People died in horrifying circumstances. Freedom is attacked.
And I don’t think that it’s about “relaxing”. It’s my personal point of view, but for me, a fearful life is not a life.
I agree that we should not change our habits, but I think that not giving them attention, is actually impossible. I cannot not give them attention. It’s not a crazy fanatic that put a bomb somewhere. This is not a secluded act. We should give attention, and react. Fight back.
I agree with Salomé, acting symbolically like writing about it on the blog is efficient. It means that we support each other even if we weren’t there, even if we are not French. It is not superficial because it is part of a solidarity that is really important in this kind of crisis situation. Instead of pointing out who is wrong we should stand together against it.
ReplyDeleteThis article was a great idea, and reading all the comments made me really thought seriously about this.
Yes, symbols are very important. They didn't attack freedom itself, as it is an idea. They attacked a symbol of it. The same way, we can't directly fight back, so fighting through symbols is important. Because the whole of ISIS can't take a blow through losing a few members ; however, it can through people showing their strength on every scale, whether it be a conversation between two friends, a discussion like we have here, or talking on a national TV station.
ReplyDeleteYes Kellian it's true that people use the # for other reasons that is sad but that's life.
ReplyDeleteYou said " a true thought to the dead people and their families..." Yes it's good to think about them but like we've said the # is not just a simple # it's a symbolic thing.. They will see the # they will know that they are not alone again the French flag on facebook profile pictures is once more a sign of solidarity.. I respect your opinion but just remember that not every body is doing it just to do it, some are really honest and they are using it to express their feelings.
Here is the problem: we can't know who is honest and who is not.
ReplyDeleteI just wanted to post it because I think it might be interesting :
ReplyDeletehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-ObsqQ0I4sc
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W-XcgcmZer0
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=89forneVSj8
Even though it was an interesting debate I will not put myself into it because I will be terrible at expressing what I think. I just wanted to tell Anissa that her article is very touching and perfectly written. LOOOOOOOOOOOOVE
ReplyDeleteAnd that :D
ReplyDeletehttp://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2015/nov/15/the-guardian-view-on-the-paris-attacks-amid-the-grief-we-need-to-hold-firm-to-the-values-that-make-us-who-we-are
Your article really touched me I totally agree with you and that night I didn't sleep either :(
ReplyDeleteGreat article Anissa! And we must rember that striking someone is an act of weakness! Peace and Love :)
ReplyDeleteReally beautiful article (and interesting debate). Thannnnnks!
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