The breezy, lukewarm air settles in the night sky, refreshing after a hot summer day in the city of Nice, France. Citizens and tourists absorb the summer night, casually traveling the boardwalk with family and friends. Others settle into their seats at outdoor cafes, awaiting the fireworks that will light up the night. Chatter, banter, laughter linger in the night air. Bastille Day is here, a day symbolizing independence, freedom, and unity for the country.
Then, something in the distance booms, but it’s not the fireworks. The engine of a 19-ton refrigeration truck rattles the air. It is determined and vengeful, eager to kill. Over the stretch of 1.1 miles, 84 people were killed and 202 were injured.
The tragedy in Nice is more than just an attack on France, but an attack on the world. We are all mourning with France because this act of hatred is an attack against humanity as a whole. Therefore, if this is a global issue, what’s next? What do we do not only as diplomatically allied nations but also as members of humanity itself to eradicate this burning hatred?
“It’s a World War, now. We’re in a world war scenario. It’s no longer just an isolated ISIS attack,” said Bill O’Reilly on The O’Reilly Factor.
On the evening of November 13, 2015, 128 people were massacred as a result of six terrorist attacks throughout Paris, France, according to a CNN report.
Pope Francis said that this November attack was “a piece” of the “piecemeal Third World War,” according to the New York Daily News.
According to both O’Reilly and Pope Francis, we are approaching a world war. The Islamic State will continue to kill. But how should we respond? If nations across the globe engage in World War III, we will live in a world consumed by hatred, carnage and death. American lives will be lost and we will greatly suffer as an entire nation. Is the answer to the Islamic State’s violence even more violence?
However, is this wishful thinking? Some Americans believe that right now, we are not safe. Major militia and diplomatic action is necessary in response to the Nice, France attack. If the United States does not make a powerful statement against the Islamic State, then we may be next.
Another tragedy like the ones in Nice, Brussels, or Orlando is on our horizon. If nothing is done, then the Islamic State will continue to kill innocent people around the world. To save the lives of innocent people, the United States needs to take action, and fast.
The tragedies of France, Belgium, the United States and beyond have demonstrated that our world is tainted by severe hatred. This hatred is so strong, so powerful and so vengeful that it fuels people to take the lives of innocent people. So what’s next? Is a world war in our near future?
The horrific tragedy in Nice will forever change our world. And as we move forward, we keep the lives of those lost in our hearts. They will not be forgotten. Rather, they will be immortal; we will preserve their spirit in everything we do by acting with love instead of hate.
So, as we beat on, remember that although hatred is powerful, love is invincible. Despite the pain, the loss, the grief, and the hatred that riddles our world, believe that love is stronger.
