As someone who still remembers 911 vividly, I pray for the French people. Stay strong!
Absolutely heartbreaking. I'm so glad Eleima and her family are safe and hopefully any friends or families of any other Goodjers are as well.
My heart goes out to everyone in Paris. For me, it brings back horrible memories of 9/11 and Boston here in the US. I find myself wanting to do something more than just post on Twitter or a gaming forum, but I feel pretty helpless right now.
Three hours drive from my home town. Just realized that responding to another thread.
Awful what happened there. Hopefully this will be it for a long long time to come.
Yeah, breaking news like this, without a whole lot of details like the attackers' identities, doesn't belong in P&C, so I put it in Everything Else. So, FYI, if you want to talk about the Islamic State, or pundits being dumbasses on Twitter, there should probably be another thread over there.
Glad you're safe Eleima.
My kid spent a week with a family who lives in Paris this year. Her whole class (she did french language immersion from k - 5th grade) went with her. So far all the families and their kids are safe too.
We were pretty worried about Cammy's host family as they live in the heart of Paris but they're fine.
What a world in which we live. But even through this horror, you see the images and hear the stories of people coming together, donating blood, volunteering their homes for strangers to shelter in.
I only hope that the acts of love and kindness eventually overshadow the hate and terror.
That's always my hope and prayer. Every day.
Yeah, breaking news like this, without a whole lot of details like the attackers' identities, doesn't belong in P&C, so I put it in Everything Else. So, FYI, if you want to talk about the Islamic State, or pundits being dumbasses on Twitter, there should probably be another thread over there.
That makes sense. I was looking at it from a different angle, that attacks are automatically controversial. My bad.
Meanwhile, I'm trying to figure out if there's a way to donate some of Absurd's hotel points to people stranded in the US.
Let's also not forget that both sides of the political debate jump on these things to push their agenda. Just feels very one-sided here when people complain about "the awful stuff on twitter". I'm that rare person who still talks to people on every end of the political spectrum and sometimes it can be not so fun navigating that.
When twitter turns into a maelstrom of shit, I'm going to bring it up (as I did) so that people like me, who don't like to wade around in shit, can avoid it. I'm not going to restrict my warning to P&C, because that sentiment is neither political nor controversial.
I would also think that reactionary islamophobe freaks are also uncontroversially bad, in much the same way that serial killers and perpetrators of genocide would be considered uncontroversially bad. Or do you think that it's okay to call for the mass murder of Muslims? I would hope that sentiment and discussion promoting it is the controversial position in this situation.
I didn't name names, refer to any specific tweets or indict any "side", so I'll thank you to refrain from telling me where to express my reaction to the loathsome sentiments that have surfaced on social media last night and today.
Fwiw I have pretty conservative and liberal friends on social media and nobody has been saying anything except how their thoughts and prayers are with Paris. And hopefully that's how most sane people not running for presidents are responding. To hell with anyone who isn't taking that stance.
Eleima and anyone else living in Paris, please let us know how we can help and what charities we should consider donating to.
Thank you Jdzappa, that's very kind. As it is, the public healthcare system has spectacularly risen to the occasion and the "White Plan" has been very efficient. Medical personnel has been reporting spontaneously to all hospitals around the capital. It's almost ironic that we had a drill to prepare for just such a scenario on Friday morning. The government has been deploying all types of personnel, police forces, EMTs, therapists... Citizens are lining up, queuing hours to donate blood (HOURS! I've never had to wait more than 20 minutes myself).
The Red Cross is very involved with the relief effort, but really, all you can do is pay it forward. Go donate blood, or food and warm clothes to your local shelter. All we can do to fight the gate is spread the love. Indeed... "Be excellent to each other."
Fwiw I have pretty conservative and liberal friends on social media and nobody has been saying anything except how their thoughts and prayers are with Paris. And hopefully that's how most sane people not running for presidents are responding. To hell with anyone who isn't taking that stance.
As is often the case, you and I are on the same page.
I've been busy watching/reading and being concerned for the people caught up in this terrible incident. No point in doing much commenting at this point IMO.
[...] It's almost ironic that we had a drill to prepare for just such a scenario on Friday morning. The government has been deploying all types of personnel, police forces, EMTs, therapists... [...]
Cue Info Wars. "EAHHHHH FALSE FLAG AND ALL DA DINGS!"
Thank you Jdzappa, that's very kind. As it is, the public healthcare system has spectacularly risen to the occasion and the "White Plan" has been very efficient. Medical personnel has been reporting spontaneously to all hospitals around the capital. It's almost ironic that we had a drill to prepare for just such a scenario on Friday morning. The government has been deploying all types of personnel, police forces, EMTs, therapists... Citizens are lining up, queuing hours to donate blood (HOURS! I've never had to wait more than 20 minutes myself).
That is so good to hear. A little bit of faith restored in humanity tonight 
Definitely, you must have faith that people will rise to the occasion. I already mentioned the Red Cross, but the Mary Sue also mentioned Doctors Without Borders which I'd forgotten. They've also been doing lots of good and beyond Paris and France's borders (because they're... Without... Borders? 
).
It's not just the blood donations, it's people using the hashtag #PorteOuvrte on Friday night to offer shelter to those stranded (either tourists or citizens who couldn't reach their homes because the police had sealed off certain areas). It's doctors, nurses and EMTs reporting in to help during their hard earned time off.
Edit: The toll on the radio this morning is 129 dead, 352 injured.
Buzzfeed has a list, with profiles, of the victims, which they've continued to update as more are identified.
Thank you, Dixie. I read that entire list. It feels like less than129 but it still feels too damn long.
One thing is for sure. Look at that list. So many different backgrounds, and not just French, but folks from Romanian, Italy, Chile, Spain, the US... I've been thinking about it because a friend's sister in law writes for the Washington Post and reached out to me with a question: why dmthis neighborhood? And although I told her I didn't have much to contribute since I hadn't seen much, I've been pondering. It's because their neighborhood is young, vibrant, multicultural, progressive, a lot more so than other more close minded areas. They're stirring the pot, trying to instigate fear and hate. Well it won't work, we won't let them.
I saw this other analysis on Facebook and I agree:
Attacks like the ones tonight in Paris are committed to purposely trigger an Islamophobic backlash. That backlash is not an unintended consequence of such attacks, it is part of their logic. ISIS types want an Islamophobic backlash because it lends credence to their narrative that there is a war between the West and Islam. By strengthening and emboldening the xenophobic right-wing in Europe, they strengthen their own worldview as well. And the most tragic irony is that that backlash may target refugees who themselves had been fleeing ISIS' reign of terror.
Thoughts with everyone in Paris tonight. May the forces who wish to beget an apocalyptic "war of civilizations" be defeated.
I saw someone with a sign today. It read "they're trying to bring the French to their knees... Since when do the French do as they're told without complaining and protesting?" (you know since we're on strike more often than not)
Speaking of which, there are some dodgy health reforms underway and the Order of Doctors called for a nation wide strike on Friday. It was immediately lifted when the news hit. I've had colleagues post pictures of post op recovery rooms absolutely packed. I've never seen so many patients, but more importantly, I've never seen so many medical professionals in one recovery room. It's pretty incredible and I'm damn proud.
Eleima wrote:people using the hashtag #PorteOuvrte on Friday night to offer shelter to those stranded
That strikes me as a very nice and personal way for non-professionals (doctors, EMTs, etc) to help those in need.
Yup. Gander, Newfoundland did this for thousands of passengers after 9/11.
French war planes currently bombing the crap out of Raqqa, ISIS stronghold.
French war planes currently bombing the crap out of Raqqa, ISIS stronghold.
*sigh* I think I need to go watch last week's Doctor Who episode again.
*slinks back to P&C*
French airplanes are now bombing ISIS in Raqqa, Syria.
A proper response of a sovereign country defending itself against terrorism, right?
The snark is not appreciated.
I'd also like to mention those unnamed heroes. The Bataclan's security guards who ferried concertgoers to fire exits, the man who hid a woman he'd never met behind some chairs and shielded her with her body, the man who held a wounded young woman as they waited for the EMTs to arrive, the two street cops who stumbled in the Bataclan and managed to shoot one of the three terrorists inside... These people would have had every reason to run the other way and not look back. And yet... they stayed, and helped, in whatever way they could.
Sorry, I should have started by saying that I extremely sympathize with the victims in Paris. I'm not sure many people on this forum can feel the pain of these horrific events such as myself. After all, my country experiences radical Islamic terror on a daily basis.
I stayed all night to listen on what's going on in Paris, my Facebook profile is colored in the French flag colors. I've been to Paris in the summer and I have good friends there. The murder of innocent civilians is heartbreaking.
I said what I said earlier because it stings a bit when my country does the exact same action against terrorism as France did (or any sovereign nation would, for the matter), it is met with much less solidarity, to say the least. Anyway, won't bring politics in here.
Wishing a fast recovery to the injured and sincerely hopile that we are closer to the end of this dark Jihad chapter of history, rather than to the beginning.
It's very sad what happened, although people shouldn't ignore (although, terribly, it seems most have) that similar attacks went down in Beirut last Thursday. I believe Baghdad also got hit when a bomb went off at a funeral. This whole thing mostly makes me feel sad that countries like this don't get a similar level of outcry.
It's very sad what happened, although people shouldn't ignore (although, terribly, it seems most have) that similar attacks went down in Beirut last Thursday. I believe Baghdad also got hit when a bomb went off at a funeral. This whole thing mostly makes me feel sad that countries like this don't get a similar level of outcry.
One of the reasons people should also look outside the mainstream media. I do think there is certain numbness (bad enough) to war and attacks in that region. And we are not used to having those things happening so close to home, or at home for some now. Bottom line though, in both areas really horrible things happened and should be reported at the same level.
Guys, while it probably should have a dedicated thread, the issues are being discussed in the P&C Post a News Story and Post a Picture threads.
This thread is not in P&C and really shouldn't be used for arguing. It's more for general information and expressions of grief.
This is making the social media rounds, worth a watch.
Blocked in my country.
twitter video might work but lacks subtitles for those without French
the reporter asks the little boy if he understands what happened and why. The boy explains that the bad guys are very mean and he is worried they will have to move from their home.
His father assures him, no they won't need to do that, France is home.
The boy points out there are bad guys with guns who may shoot them. The father responds yes, they have guns, but we have flowers. At first the boy protests that flowers are no use, but the father points to those laying them in memory. The boy ultimately concludes that the flowers and candles are there to protect them.
An impressive effort to help his child understand this tragedy, and an interesting insight into a more youthful perspective.
The little boy obviously has a much better grasp on reality than the father.
Because fleeing your home and letting terror win is a good idea?
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