Hi Charlie,
I woke up this morning because my best friend (yes, the same one who wrote a short text I put in an article a few days after Charlie Hebdo (yes, once again, they are very close to the most sensible areas)) phoned me, terrorised. Don't worry about them, they are fine.
But over 120 people have been killed in terrorist attacks in Paris yesterday evening. That makes over 120 people's families and friends who are mourning, people who didn't know them but were there at the attacks, people who will probably be traumatised for life, and there are still people who are somewhere between life and death, and their families and friends are also terrorised.
I don't know what else to say, most of us already know what happened anyway.
I hope every one of you who has loved ones there has heard from them, and I hope those loved ones are safe.
Judith
PS : while looking for a picture to include in this article, I saw that a brand for clothes has been created called "pray for paris" and they have already created many designs - and put them on sale. I don't know about you, but I find the fact that this manslaughter has been turned into a way to sell is simply outrageous.
PPS : I'm sorry for the lack of organisation of this article, but I can't think straight and I felt the need to share a few thoughts on this catastrophe.
thank you Judith for this artilcle, I wanted to write something about this but you were faster than me. thanks again.
ReplyDelete#Pray4Paris #ParisAttaks
I can’t think straight either. I just heard about it when I woke up. Honestly, I’m terrified. I just want to stay at home. I think it was Nelson Mandela who said « “I learned that courage is not the absence of fear, but the ability to overcome it.”. I don’t think I’m brave, but I’ll try not to live in fear.
ReplyDeleteI wish you did not have to write it, but thank you for this article.
I'm kind of pretty scared too, especially AFTER hearing so many people talking about what they lived. Like the cousin of a friend who can't go home yet, or a friend of the best friend I keep on mentioning who ALMOST went to a cinema next to the shooting. It makes it feel too real and too close. But as you said, I'll try not to live in fear either.
DeleteI followed the thing live until about 3 A.M. It really upset me, that's horrible.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad that everyone reacted really quickly to help others (for exemple, the hashtag "#PorteOuverte" which was very, very nice, and the option on Facebook to tell your friends you were safe), but I'm not a fan of making tons of accessories or whatever about the thing. I especially don't like it when people just put "Pray for Paris" as they did with "Je suis Charlie" as a profile picture, without saying anything else, like if they hadn't an opinion on the subject and just wanted to show they were "so nice".
But well... apparently up to 120 people died, that's terrible, and however some people react, we will never be able to forget that.
I think changing our profile picture is a good thing, it's a symbol, and if somehow one day a lage majority of people changed it it would show unity... but also, putting "Je suis Charlie" or "Pray for Paris" as a profile pic should mean more, it should mean really, really being affected by it. Not just a quick thought.
DeleteI agree with you. And I think that sometimes, we don't have words to express what happened, or how we feel about it.
DeleteThe problem is that they are so many people that do that just to make other people think that they care that it's slowly becoming ridiculous.
DeleteHonestly guys, I just lighted up a candle on my window. Nothing more. But I think that remembering this way, just for yourself, is more important than any Facebook profile picture.
I understand, but perhaps we should support each other, instead of denigrate, whereas in this case we preach the same message. For me, a profile picture with "Je suis Charlie" or "PrayForParis" is just a way to show solidarity. I think there is enough hate like that. We should support each other.
DeleteMaybe they do that "to make other people think that they care". I mean, who does not care? I think that showing people that we care about it, means a lot and is very important. For once that people support each other, I don't think we should say that this and that is ridiculous or wrong. And, maybe, they just don’t find words to express what they feel.
I'm not a fan of social medias, but for once, I think that what happened there was great. Yesterday, some people in Paris tweeted "I live ***, you can come" just to help others that could not go home. And we cannot deny that there is a lot of support on social medias.
I think we should remember it for ourselves, but also discuss about it. And express how we feel (for example, on Facebook, by a picture, or something else). I'll just talk for myself, but right now, I need to talk to people about it, discuss it, because I don’t want to withdraw into myself.
We can't digest this by ourselves. If I hadn't been talking about it all day yesterday, with everyone I could find, I would probably have stayed hidden in my bed, probably crying. Most of us need to externalize all of our present feelings, and show solidarity the way we can. For some, that is a candle in the window, for others, it is changing their profile picture, or dressing in black. My 12-year-old sister has been forwarding chain texts all afternoon, and though I hate chain texts, I can't tell her not to do that, because that's her way of showing she cares and getting it out of her system.
DeleteWow. I said I was not a fan of those who make profit in some way out of it. Social media are a good way to share your thoughts and opinion, so I'm pretty okay with people who put pictures as "Je Suis Charlie" or "Pray For Paris" and tell how chocked they are, but what I don't like is those who completely ignore the fact that something horrible happened, who do not talk about it when you ask, and then post a picture with "Pray for Paris" and a heart.
DeleteI was really upset by what happened, and that's why seeing some teenagers sharing dumb theories and especially "Like this horrible picture of people suffering and dying if you've got a heart, ignore if you're a hater, then add me"... drove me mad.
Many people had a very good reaction, and that's great, really great, but that minority of disrespectful people is still pretty upsetting to me.
Yeah, I tried to log on to Facebook today at some point, but there were so many posts like "like this or you're for terrorism lol", so I just got off because it made me sick.
DeleteAlso: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UlpVOuS5syU
ReplyDeleteWhen I heard the news I was choked! For some reason I felt like it wasn't real. This situation is just so awful and so many inocent people died while they were trying to enjoy life! We must stand together during this hard time and think of the victims and their families! #prayforparis
ReplyDeleteThe situation is very shocking my sister told me that late at night and I couldn't believe it and even days after it is still something that hurts people.
ReplyDeleteSame! I woke up and was devastated when I saw whayt had happend in Paris! On facebook, I put #prayforparis on my wall to stand tall and to support all the families that lost loved ones (128 deaths, It's enourmus, in-imaginable, It's horrible)...
ReplyDeleteWe can stand tall!
#prayforparis
#prayalsoforTunis which was attacked 2 days ago (8 deaths! ) :'(
Same! I woke up and was devastated when I saw whayt had happend in Paris! On facebook, I put #prayforparis on my wall to stand tall and to support all the families that lost loved ones (128 deaths, It's enourmus, in-imaginable, It's horrible)...
ReplyDeleteWe can stand tall!
#prayforparis
#prayalsoforTunis which was attacked 2 days ago (8 deaths! ) :'(