On November 13, 2015, seven terrorist attacks were enacted in the city of Paris. Suicide bombers had set themselves off in crowds, turning what would have been a regular Friday evening into a night of loss. Over 120 people had been killed, and over 350 had been injured. Those who had survived tell their story to news outlets and describe it to be a scene of fear and panic.
People around the world mourn for the loss of life, happiness, and innocence. It was a night that affected not only the people of Paris but also the rest of us living in the Western world. Everyone stopped to listen to what had happened. It was the biggest attack in Europe since the last shooting ten months earlier.
French President François Hollande called these attacks to be “an act of war,” and leaders of the Western world claim they will help to put an end to the attacks of ISIS/ISIL.
So what does that leave us regular folk? What should we do in response to this act of hate? It’s difficult to give a right answer, but I think there’s something we can do to help.
Some people turn to awareness. They want to let everyone know about this tragic event. They change their Facebook profiles, they share stories of other attacks in the world, and they tell everyone to give thoughts and prayers to the people of Paris. They urge everyone to be informed, and that’s as far as they will go.
Some people turn to revenge. They’re shocked at the tragedy. How could we let this happen? But more importantly, how do we put an end to this? Violence can stop this. They urge we send our military out once again and eliminate those who placed those suicide bombers in Paris.
Some people simply turn to anger. They’re mad at who did this, and they don’t want to think more on the issue. If you’re affiliated with Islam, you may be the enemy. They urge we remove this religion from the West, but they’re often drowned out by the people who disagree.
The reactions don’t stop there, but these are some main ones I have noticed in the past few days. Although I do think it’s important to find a way to put a stop to these attacks, I think we’ve missed an important point in regards to the heart of terrorism.
These attacks have been made in order to grip us all into a state of fear, and so far I think it’s been working. The U.S. has seen major increases in security measures with the enactment of the Patriot Act, the creation of the Department of Homeland Security, and the implementation of internet monitoring for any signs of terrorism.
I was only a kid when these things began, but what I’ve heard from the older generations is that we’ve been slowly becoming more paranoid about the powers of terrorism. Our carefree days are over, and now we are often worrying in the back of our minds about the next 9/11.
With the bombings in Paris, I can only say that I think we’ll be seeing similar changes in Western Europe. But we have powerful military forces and vast resources. We should be able to stop them.
It’s been over a decade since we put forth serious efforts to end terrorist groups, yet terrorism hasn’t ended. Despite all of our technology and manpower, we haven’t been able to stop the ideology of spreading fear. So what can we do? I think the answer lies within us and how we let these attacks impact our daily lives.
It’s crucial that we as average citizens stop worrying about the threat of terrorism, and that we do not dwell long with these attacks. I’m not condemning anyone who has mourned the loss of what happened in Paris. It’s only human to feel. I know it seems ignorant to wave off the threat of another bombing, but at the end of the day, unless you and I get involved in the military or an anti-terrorist organization, we won’t have the power to directly stop these attacks.
But we have another power. We have the power to keep our people together. We as men and women have the ability to help one another through times of fear. We should focus less on demanding justice and focus more on doing good in the world. And when I say doing good in the world, I don’t mean working a miracle like ending world hunger or curing cancer. What I mean is putting forth an extra effort to help your friends and family when they’re down on their luck.
Be kinder to those around you. Put in the extra work. Do good for goodness’ sake. Focus on your life and those in it, not the tragedies of the world.
There will always be bad in the world, so why not prove that there’s some good in it as well?
If we truly want to help with ending terrorism, I suggest we start by not giving into it. We can’t be shaken and terrified by these people because that’s what they want. They want you to feel like you can be attacked at any moment; that’s the goal of terrorism.
Don’t concern yourself with the next attack, because that’s the job of our military. Instead, concern yourself with what you can do to help your fellow man and woman by making those in your life feel connected. After all, what else do we have in the world that has been bogged down by division, fear, and violence?
Darkness cannot remove darkness, only light can do that. (Thanks, MLK).
