Terrorist attack going on in Paris right now

[Anonymous]

WSJ: Security stopped suicide bomber outside of soccer stadium (attack could have been much worse).

http://www.wsj.com/articles/attacker-tried-to-enter-paris-stadium-but-was-turned-away-1447520571

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I feel really badly about Paris, like everyone else. But I can't get out the disparity in reaction between this and the Russian plane bomb, for which ISIS takes credit as well. That killed more people, including children. Why didn't the whole world light up for Russia two weeks ago?

because in the hierarchy of victims, white westerners are the most sympathetic. Right now, US-Russia relations are frosty, so doing/saying anything to acknowledge that Russians, too, belong to the human race, is not politik. A planeload of dead russkis, meh. They aren't like us, they don't bleed like us. Possibly asked for it, for all you know. Paris, well, that's different. Can't do it to people who look like us.

Um, Russian people don't look any less "like us" than French people.

The coverage of the Russian plane crash is/was treated much differently by Russian media itself, compared to coverage of Paris by Western media. I've been in Russia when foiled terrorist ploys within the country have been announced, and it just seems that everyone is more stoic about it. It actually reminds me of the novels I've read set in World War II London. I'm not sure why their attitude is so different, but it isn't because they lack compassion, and it isn't because they aren't informed. I'm not convinced our way is necessarily better.

Seriously, though, I can't help but think about the joy and validation all of the coverage of Paris is bringing to jihadis and their organizations. It is clear to them from the coverage that they have indeed caused terror. I'm not proposing a solution, or saying that Western media SHOULDN'T cover the event, but I do think that the way we cover the event is very pleasing to a lot of people who hate us, to a degree that Russia's stoicism is not.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I feel really badly about Paris, like everyone else. But I can't get out the disparity in reaction between this and the Russian plane bomb, for which ISIS takes credit as well. That killed more people, including children. Why didn't the whole world light up for Russia two weeks ago?

because in the hierarchy of victims, white westerners are the most sympathetic. Right now, US-Russia relations are frosty, so doing/saying anything to acknowledge that Russians, too, belong to the human race, is not politik. A planeload of dead russkis, meh. They aren't like us, they don't bleed like us. Possibly asked for it, for all you know. Paris, well, that's different. Can't do it to people who look like us.

Um, Russian people don't look any less "like us" than French people.

The coverage of the Russian plane crash is/was treated much differently by Russian media itself, compared to coverage of Paris by Western media. I've been in Russia when foiled terrorist ploys within the country have been announced, and it just seems that everyone is more stoic about it. It actually reminds me of the novels I've read set in World War II London. I'm not sure why their attitude is so different, but it isn't because they lack compassion, and it isn't because they aren't informed. I'm not convinced our way is necessarily better.

Seriously, though, I can't help but think about the joy and validation all of the coverage of Paris is bringing to jihadis and their organizations. It is clear to them from the coverage that they have indeed caused terror. I'm not proposing a solution, or saying that Western media SHOULDN'T cover the event, but I do think that the way we cover the event is very pleasing to a lot of people who hate us, to a degree that Russia's stoicism is not.

I blame social media for this relatively new phenomenon. Pre-internet (pre-globalization really), there would have been no major outpouring of sympathy. Now, each time you pass gas, it's a status update.

So while I agree with your psychological slant - that stoicism is a way to "fight" the fear associated with terror - the internet actually CREATES the fear. Every major news source is online - coupled with the "fringe" sources that highlight conspiratorial explanations.

Now. with Twitter, ISIS is kind enough to update the world on future attacks. So while knowledge is power, too much information causes paralysis.

On a conspiratorial note, maybe this is "all part of the plan."

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Why be ashamed? The Russian airplane thing is horrific, but because details are not confirmed (was it a bomb? Was it not????) I don't yet know what to think/feel. As to Beirut……I agree with PP, I have been to Beirut, it is a beautiful city, but yes, this is common there. Do we hold vigil every night for shootings in Camden? No, because sadly we are immune to it. It's conditioning. Did we react to the Mumbai killings in the same way as we feel these attacks? Probably not quite, because few of us have been to Mumbai. Paris? Most of us have been there. The idea that it was intentionally done to people doing what WE do, (dine, concert, football games, etc) is disconcerting to us.

It isn't shameful to recognize that it upsetting to feel more threatened and more sympathetic to that which we directly relate to. We relate to Paris. We have the "that could be us" reaction to it. We have the "it could be here next" feeling. It scares us. Don't you understand that? If we "lived out" every tragedy that happened in every place every day we would be paralyzed by anxiety. It's a way of coping, to NOT take on every bombing, every death, every horror. This one hits us harder because we relate to it, so it gets in through our carefully placed defense mechanisms. Nothing shameful about that.

Why be ashamed when people get blown up by terrorists in Paris and we're deeply shaken, but people get blown up by terrorists in Beirut and we shrug? I think that question answers itself.

Agreed...I totally understand why people have a stronger reaction to the Paris events than i.e Beirut, but you can't help being a little saddened by the disparity. It speaks to our selfishness I think. As long as we don't think it's something that "can happen to us" most people really don't care.

I don't think it's true that Americans weren't saddened and concerned about victims in Beirut, but I do think part of the emotional response to the Paris attacks is that more Americans have read about Paris, studied the language in high school - college, listened to their music, viewed their art, traveled to France, etc---there's a connection for them.

[Anonymous]

Many of us also have French ancestry

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You are kidding, right? No shame here.
Parisian values are a proxy for our values--the attack on them is an attack on us. They were just easier to get to. It is not a matter of more or less sympathy. People are reacting to the fact that WE have been attacked, and there is no end in sight. Your nutty question is like asking Americans after Pearl Harbor why they hadn't been equally shaken by god knows, the massacre of Nanking. It was horrific, but not an attack on the US. It is not revulsion / sympathy we feel. It is revulsion, sympathy, fear, outrage AND a call to action..

Ah I see - parisian values - are these the same values that republicans were just shitting on last week when potus candidates were making fun of the french work week?

The same values that have made france the butt of jokes on the right, here for the last 15+ years on all sorts of policy and cultural dimensions?

No your analogy is terrible - that's like saying americans were shaken up when Paris fell to the germans in 1940. A lot of americans weren't. Pearl harbor's analogy is 9/11.

Now that air travel is cheap Paris is more accessible to the masses. Not so in WW2 era. Going there was mainly for the well to do. None of our immigrant grandparents ever had the money to globe trot. Never saw their birth countries from the moment they set foot on a boat for steerage to Ellis Island. Any ancestors only went back as soldiers in WW1 and WW2. Incredible shame was felt by those with German surnames.

France has been a constant friend to the US since Lafayette and Yorktown. History. Chechnya and the Moscow train in 2003: http://www.nytimes.com/2003/12/06/world/suicide-bombing-on-russian-train-near-chechnya-kills-42.html

''The earth will burn under their feet,'' he said angrily in televised remarks. ''These animals will not feel safe anywhere.'' Tsarnaev's came to the United States as children in 2002. Obviously were not willing to leave their inclinations behind and as independents were responsible for the Boston Marathon bombings.

[Anonymous]

And Russians do feel pain and are not stoic about the horror of that flight. Do you people even realize that Russians recognize and honor and celebrate the end of WW2 to this day? https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2015_Moscow_Victory_Day_Parade

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Many of us also have French ancestry

+1

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I feel really badly about Paris, like everyone else. But I can't get out the disparity in reaction between this and the Russian plane bomb, for which ISIS takes credit as well. That killed more people, including children. Why didn't the whole world light up for Russia two weeks ago?

because in the hierarchy of victims, white westerners are the most sympathetic. Right now, US-Russia relations are frosty, so doing/saying anything to acknowledge that Russians, too, belong to the human race, is not politik. A planeload of dead russkis, meh. They aren't like us, they don't bleed like us. Possibly asked for it, for all you know. Paris, well, that's different. Can't do it to people who look like us.

Um, Russian people don't look any less "like us" than French people.

The coverage of the Russian plane crash is/was treated much differently by Russian media itself, compared to coverage of Paris by Western media. I've been in Russia when foiled terrorist ploys within the country have been announced, and it just seems that everyone is more stoic about it. It actually reminds me of the novels I've read set in World War II London. I'm not sure why their attitude is so different, but it isn't because they lack compassion, and it isn't because they aren't informed. I'm not convinced our way is necessarily better.

Seriously, though, I can't help but think about the joy and validation all of the coverage of Paris is bringing to jihadis and their organizations. It is clear to them from the coverage that they have indeed caused terror. I'm not proposing a solution, or saying that Western media SHOULDN'T cover the event, but I do think that the way we cover the event is very pleasing to a lot of people who hate us, to a degree that Russia's stoicism is not.

The Russian media HAS been covering other terrorist acts with the same degree of anger/tears. Recall Beslan, the Nord-Ost theater hostage operation etc.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Many of us also have French ancestry

+1

Please do not feel you have to analyze or justify an emotional response to the French tragedy. The suggestion u need do so is typical dcum lunacy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I feel really badly about Paris, like everyone else. But I can't get out the disparity in reaction between this and the Russian plane bomb, for which ISIS takes credit as well. That killed more people, including children. Why didn't the whole world light up for Russia two weeks ago?

because in the hierarchy of victims, white westerners are the most sympathetic. Right now, US-Russia relations are frosty, so doing/saying anything to acknowledge that Russians, too, belong to the human race, is not politik. A planeload of dead russkis, meh. They aren't like us, they don't bleed like us. Possibly asked for it, for all you know. Paris, well, that's different. Can't do it to people who look like us.

Um, Russian people don't look any less "like us" than French people.

The coverage of the Russian plane crash is/was treated much differently by Russian media itself, compared to coverage of Paris by Western media. I've been in Russia when foiled terrorist ploys within the country have been announced, and it just seems that everyone is more stoic about it. It actually reminds me of the novels I've read set in World War II London. I'm not sure why their attitude is so different, but it isn't because they lack compassion, and it isn't because they aren't informed. I'm not convinced our way is necessarily better.

Seriously, though, I can't help but think about the joy and validation all of the coverage of Paris is bringing to jihadis and their organizations. It is clear to them from the coverage that they have indeed caused terror. I'm not proposing a solution, or saying that Western media SHOULDN'T cover the event, but I do think that the way we cover the event is very pleasing to a lot of people who hate us, to a degree that Russia's stoicism is not.

The Russian media HAS been covering other terrorist acts with the same degree of anger/tears. Recall Beslan, the Nord-Ost theater hostage operation etc.

No, they have not/do not cover terrorist acts/terrorism in the same way; they cover it, but in a very different way. I live in a Russian-speaking country and am surrounded by Russian media messages and the reaction of Russian people to the media and to events. Trust me, it isn't the same.

[Anonymous]

"The Russians love their children too-"
Sting

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Many of us also have French ancestry

+1

Please do not feel you have to analyze or justify an emotional response to the French tragedy. The suggestion u need do so is typical dcum lunacy.

Look who is talking. You are clearly defending people with whom you share a kinship in post after post and thread after thread. Its so obvious.

[Anonymous]

Having empathy for the French people requires ZERO justification. Goodbye.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Having empathy for the French people requires ZERO justification. Goodbye.

+1 This thread needs to be closed. For 6 pages nothing but some people trying to tell others how they should feel.

Not any discussion at all about the Paris terror attack, investigation and consequences for Europe and all of us...
You know, the topic of the thread!