Pray for the World
When I heard about the recent terrorist attacks on Paris, I was moved by the large number of deaths, especially knowing that I know people who live in France. Later on, I was shocked to hear that similar (or even worse) attacks occurred in Beirut, Baghdad, and Kenya. It was not only heartbreaking, but also made me angry inside. I understand that people in the Western world feel a stronger relation to Paris, given that it is a more popular tourist destination and perhaps more common for relatives to live there rather than the Middle East or Africa. But there is absolutely no excuse for valuing one life over another. None. It's depressing to think that a lot of people will target their rage about the Paris events on Muslims or refugees. I mean, these are people who oppose terrorism just as much as everyone else. Refugees are trying to escape that violence and they were left without a home; it makes no sense to target them as aggressors when they are among the most affected victims of such atrocities.
So, why are people so ignorant when it comes to issues like these? I think it's a problem concerning attitude and the manipulative nature of the media. For one part, a lot of people fail to realize the details behind situations, the history of these conflicts, and so on. It's all a product of imperialism; that's the reason why the situation emerged and why it is still ongoing. But, I think many hold the belief that it's caused by religion, that "that's just the way Arabs are," or some other discriminatory nonsense. Ideally, people would have a more open mindset and be willing to try to understand the background before blaming a whole religion or ethnicity for the damage caused by a small group. The media is also a huge problem. They make huge distortions in the information we receive and don't receive, probably with selfish interests in mind. I mean, it's fine that Facebook provides a filter with the French flag, but why not do the same with the flags of Lebanon or other affected countries? Or even better, a flag for humanity? I think that, as global citizens, we should fight these tendencies from the media and seek truth and compassion for all victims--not just European ones.
So, why are people so ignorant when it comes to issues like these? I think it's a problem concerning attitude and the manipulative nature of the media. For one part, a lot of people fail to realize the details behind situations, the history of these conflicts, and so on. It's all a product of imperialism; that's the reason why the situation emerged and why it is still ongoing. But, I think many hold the belief that it's caused by religion, that "that's just the way Arabs are," or some other discriminatory nonsense. Ideally, people would have a more open mindset and be willing to try to understand the background before blaming a whole religion or ethnicity for the damage caused by a small group. The media is also a huge problem. They make huge distortions in the information we receive and don't receive, probably with selfish interests in mind. I mean, it's fine that Facebook provides a filter with the French flag, but why not do the same with the flags of Lebanon or other affected countries? Or even better, a flag for humanity? I think that, as global citizens, we should fight these tendencies from the media and seek truth and compassion for all victims--not just European ones.
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