Shooting/Terrorism in Paris

[Irvine511]

one of my fave venues in Paris - have been there many times - can't begin to imagine... so many young people there, just heart-breaking, especially so soon after Charlie earlier this year, cartoonists, metallers, executed in cold blood wtf

Glad you are safe, thoughts are with you and all of France.

 

[Mack_Again]

What unmitigated horror. I have no words. Two bands that I really like, 65daysofstatic and Deftones, were scheduled to play the Bataclan tomorrow night.


Didn't you get the memo? Everything bad that happens is the fault of Obama and/or ISIS.

Too bad those bombers saw great place with rich culture (and great choice of bands) as the great target of bombing

 

[mama cass]

Glad you are safe, thoughts are with you and all of France.

thanks Irvine, that's really sweet x
we're in the countryside, a train journey from Paris, but spent most of Wednesday mooching around those same streets where some of the attacks took place in Bastille and in Les Halles, just having a lovely time in the city after our U2 gig - crazy how things can change from one day to the next... am hoping all my friends and work mates are ok though - won't hear from most until Monday, but everyone will be shellshocked i'm sure... dreadful times

 

[namkcuR]

MSNBC reporting that one of the members of the band that was playing was killed.

Fuck. I mean, I don't know anything about this band, but it doesn't matter. Fuck.


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[prbiker15]

Holy shit. I hope that's not true.

 

[david]

That conflicts with what was posted by Chan Marshall on her Instagram. David Pajo was contacted by a member of EODM and reported they were all safe.


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[bono_212]

That's awful.

 

[DaveC]

 

[namkcuR]

Band's manager has re-iterated that no band members were killed. Good to hear that, at least.


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[Mack_Again]

Band's manager has re-iterated that no band members were killed. Good to hear that, at least.


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I heard that all the band members managed to escape the sight before the fiasco really unravelled. I think they updated their Facebook page and stated that everyone from EoDM is totally safe.

 

[U2FanPeter]

1 EODM crew member was killed and 1 seriously injured. Band is fine.

From Consequence of Sound via NBC San Diego.

 

[Moonlit_Angel]

I feel ill just reading the tweets and news snippets people posted in here from those who were caught up in this horror. Holy crap. I just can't even begin to imagine.

So, so, so utterly devastating and tragic. mama cass, I too am glad to hear you're okay, and I'm sending tons of love and thoughts to you and everyone else in Paris and France as a whole.

Some Republican asshole is on CNN right now talking about how this Obama's fault for not going after ISIS...fucking hell

And yet idiots like him are the same ones who, when the issue of gun control comes up right after a mass shooting, are the first to go, "Now's not the time to talk about that! We shouldn't politicize this tragedy!" Right. Okay.

 

[The Sad Punk]

I confess that normally I would rather eat my own nose than visit this corner of the forum, but this is just such an enormous tragedy that I need to voice something of my thoughts. I feel at once a bit lucky and incredibly sick that the same year I visit Paris is the same year that its two worst modern atrocities occur there. I think of all those beautiful boulevards I walked down and wanted to call home, some very close to where the massacres occured, and it's just inconcievable thinking of those streets and their beautiful people being filled with so much terror and sadness... I hope badly more than anything that love and respect for one other, in all aspects of life and politics wins out after this rubbish, and that it only makes people closer no matter how much they want to tear it about. I pray for everyone there, particularly the Muslim people of France, constricted by the country's conservatism that has for so long been disguised as progressiveness. I love France and I love Paris, all my thoughts and loves for everyone over there right now.

 

[U2girl]

Sickening.

I hope the police dealt with all the barbarians from last night.

 

[Rusalka]

I would honestly be more surprised if the retaliation attacks weren't happening.

EDIT: This is not what I expected my 15,000th post to be.

I know. Despite the fact that the refugees are actually here, because they are trying to escape from the kind of people who organized the attacks. Blaming them, the first victims, doesn't even make sense (not that retaluation even does).


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[Galeongirl]

I feel so goddamn sick right now...

 

[mama cass]

Sickening.

I hope the police dealt with all the barbarians from last night.

they mostly dealt with themselves and killed at least 4 police officers and god knows how many others while doing so

 

[mama cass]

I feel ill just reading the tweets and news snippets people posted in here from those who were caught up in this horror. Holy crap. I just can't even begin to imagine.

So, so, so utterly devastating and tragic. mama cass, I too am glad to hear you're okay, and I'm sending tons of love and thoughts to you and everyone else in Paris and France as a whole.



And yet idiots like him are the same ones who, when the issue of gun control comes up right after a mass shooting, are the first to go, "Now's not the time to talk about that! We shouldn't politicize this tragedy!" Right. Okay.

thanks

we're fine here though, not in Paris right now, but friends are and everyone is shellshocked, stunned - feels like the world is irreparably broken or something... i just can't understand, why Paris, it is just such a multicultural place, so many people from everywhere, all colours and creeds, live there side by side peacefully and respectfully, it's like an attack at the very heart of freedom

 

[domo-kun]

Happy to see most of the familiar Parisians and french U2 fans I know are OK.
Europe has to rethink about some of its ideas. I do hope border controls and security at venues will be tightened for the time being.


Stay safe. The shooting at the EODM gig hit so close to home.. It made me sick to the pit of my stummik.

 

[U2girl]

they mostly dealt with themselves and killed at least 4 police officers and god knows how many others while doing so

Yes, we're aware of that.

For all we know there might have been more attackers.

 

[mama cass]

Yes, we're aware of that.

For all we know there might have been more attackers.

there were more attackers who, as far as i know, have not been caught, hence lock-down

 

[mama cass]

holy crap - have just heard that my friend's daughter's school mate was there at the gig and managed to get out

 

[digitize]

ISIS in indeed taking credit for the attack, stating that it's in retaliation for France's involvement in Egypt. Taken with their claim to have brought down the Russian airliner over the Sinai, this shows a new global reach for them that's a bit frightening.

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-34820016


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[Rusalka]

Europe has to rethink about some of its ideas.

Like what, specifically?

As far as I can see, the only way to prevent hate and terrorism is to not give people reasons to behave this way.


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[Diemen]

This was a particularly insightful comment over on MetaFilter about the motivations behind these attacks, and why it's so important to not blame the actions of an extremist few on the whole of Islam:

The people who do these things - whoever they are, across political spectra - hope that hatred will be roused against their own community/belief/group so that those people will be pushed into supporting the cause. They're hoping to cause panic and hatred, because the one thing they don't want is that their own people should be happy and free within the society under attack. They always want their own group to be hated by the majority so that they'll have no choice but to be recruited or to quietly support the aims of the violent. It is not just violence against the targets, it's violence against the people they purport to be "defending", and it's strategic. It's coercive and fascist and there is no ghost of a political justification for this kind of thing.

 

[Rusalka]

Thank you for sharing this, Diemen!


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[Mrs. Garrison]

.

 

[domo-kun]

Like what, specifically?

As far as I can see, the only way to prevent hate and terrorism is to not give people reasons to behave this way.


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About multiple things, about border security, for one. I don't need my government or the EU or whomever to close our borders, but i do wan't them to take my security, my families security, my friends security etc a more serious.
The security in France, Belgium and the Netherlands particularly have been a joke.

I want the EU to be there for people who are REAL refugees, who need a new home. Women and children first, men who are in need welcome too!
But please. Not the thousands of men who come here to ruin my fellow people's already crooked perspectives on religion, race , gender, etc.

That's what needs to change. We need to send a clear message to whom is welcome here, and who is not, and actively pursue/ send back the people who want to take advantage of a emergency situation. I don't know how. But I just wish we could.

Also I agree with you on that one. Not supporting the war in other countries conflicts would be a great start too, if that is what you mean.
includes weapons trade.

 

[Irvine511]

i hope this doesn't feel "too soon," but i've seen some of this online, and it's sure to be part of the discussion post-Paris in the weeks to come.

As France enters yet another period of mourning, Lebanon is just emerging from one. Not that you probably heard anything about it. Chris Graham reports.

If you didn’t know better, you could be excused for believing that the planning behind the latest terrorist attack in Paris is about more than just causing widespread death and fear in the West.

It looks like it’s also designed to highlight our selective outrage.

Overnight, dozens of people have been confirmed dead in a series of coordinated attacks in Paris.

News sites have fired up live blogs. Serious news Channels such as Sky are providing blanket 24-hour coverage of the event, and, as with all things tragedy, media are competing with each other for scoops and gory videos.

World leaders are also out in force, condemning the attacks. Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull held a press conference in Berlin a short time ago, after sending out this message of solidarity with the French people.


He was joined by his Foreign Minister Julie Bishop.

Labor’s Tanya Plibersek also tweeted in support.

French president Francois Hollande has declared a national State of Emergency, and closed its borders.

Meanwhile, in a brown part of the world, as the attacks began in Paris, Lebanon was just emerging from a National Day of Mourning, after 43 people were killed and 200 more were injured during a series of coordinated suicide bombings in Beirut.

The attacks – for which ISIS has reportedly claimed responsibility – occurred in the southern Beirut suburb of Burj al-Barajneh, a predominantly Shia community which supports the Hezbollah movement. Not counting Israel’s assaults on Lebanon, the slaughters represent the deadliest bombings in Beirut since the Lebanese civil war ended more than two decades ago.

Like suspicions around the attacks in France, the bombings in Beirut are believed to be in response to Hezbollah’s decision in recent weeks to send in troops to support efforts in northern Syria against Islamic State.

But the bombings in Lebanon drew no tweet from Malcolm Turnbull, no social media statement from Barack Obama, no live media blogs from Western media, no wall-to-wall media coverage. And no twitter hashtags from Australians in solidarity with the Lebanese.

It’s a curious state of affairs, when you consider that there are around three times as many people of Lebanese descent living in Australian, compared to French nationals.

You’d think if we were able to identify with anyone, it would be with Lebanese Australians – after all, so many of them are among the most beloved in this nation, and have contributed enormously to public life.

Marie Bashir – perhaps the most admired Australian governor in history – is the child of Lebanese immigrants. Her husband, Nick Shehadie is as well – he’s the former Lord Mayor of Sydney, and a member of the Australian Rugby Union Hall of Fame.

Queensland parliamentarian Bob Katter has Lebanese roots. Former premier of Victoria, Steve Bracks does as well. One of the most loved rugby league stars of all time is Hazem El Masri. Benny Elias’ parents come from Lebanon. So do Robbie Farah’s.

In the AFL there’s Milham Hanna and Bachar Houli, and the current coach of the Australian Wallabies, Michael Cheika, is of Lebanese descent.

The Lebanese contribution to Australian business has also been immense – John Symond, the founder of Aussie Home Loans has Lebanese heritage. Jacques Nasser is the former CEO of Ford Motors in Australia. Ron Bakir of Crazy Ron’s mobile phones was born in Lebanon, and migrated to Australia.

There have, of course, been many great contributions by Australians with French heritage – commentator Richie Benaud, actress Cate Blanchett, businessman Robert Champion de Crespigny, politician Greg Combet, and the iconic AFL star Ron Cazaly.

But how do we explain our identification with French suffering and our apparent indifference to Lebanese suffering? Or more to the point, how do we explain our indifference to the suffering of people we perceive as different, Lebanese, African, Hazara, Muslim…. Brown people.

The sad reality is, Australia has been here before, and just 11 months ago. A few days before the Charlie Hebdo massacre, terrorist organisation Boko Haram razed the town of Baja in Nigeria, killing more than 2,000 people.

The world’s media – and most of its politicians – were mostly silent. Last month, at least another 30 people were killed in another attack on Nigerian mosques by Boko Haram.

That followed 10 people killed in a coordinated attack near the Maiduguri Airport, again by Boko Haram.

In Islamabad Pakistan, at least 20 people were killed in a suicide attack on minority Shias. That came a day after 12 were killed in an attack on another Shia shrine, this time in the province of Balochistan.

It is the Shia who were manning many of the boats that we turned away a few years ago, as sectarian violence reached unspeakable levels in towns like Quetta in Pakistan. When the Pakistani Taliban targeted the Hazara community in Quetta in September 2010 at the Meezan Chowk (a market in the middle of the city), they managed to kill at least 73 people and injure 160 more. In the background of the bloody carnage is a billboard sponsored by the Australian Government, warning Hazaras against the dangers of getting on a boat to come to Australia.

The Meezan Chouk attack in Quetta, In September 2010. In the background is a billboard sponsored by the Australian Government, warning locals of the danger of getting on a boat to seek asylum.

The Meezan Chouk attack in Quetta, In September 2010. In the background is a billboard sponsored by the Australian Government, warning locals of the danger of getting on a boat to seek asylum.

In September, at least 117 people were killed at a mosque in Nigeria, again at the hands of Boko Haram. The simple fact is, Muslims are far more likely to die at the hands of other Muslims – or more to the point, Islamic extremists who bear no resemblance to average Muslims. They’re also more likely to be killed by Westerners, who are seeking to kill Islamic extremists. The difference is, they’re unlikely to see an outpouring of grief in Australia, or most of the rest of the world. But unlike Parisians, they already live in a state of perpetual terror. That’s why many of them have fled the Middle East for Europe, a reality which prompted this tweet this morning from American movie star Rob Lowe, a man who adequately sums up the outrage and frustration of white bigots everywhere.

The sad reality is that these attacks will increase. You can’t stop five or eight people with a gun and a twisted ideology, just as you can’t stop an American or Australian military with a commercial, strategic and political interest in slaughter.

Westerners are finally being given just a small taste of the constant fear that people from other nations have endured for generations. So solidarity with, and compassion for, the French is a good thing.

But solidarity and compassion for the victims of terrorism everywhere is even better, in particular those who’ve fallen victim to the terrorism sponsored in all our names.


https://newmatilda.com/2015/11/14/p...rability-and-our-selective-grief-and-outrage/

 

[Moonlit_Angel]

Indeed, I don't recall hearing anything about an attack in Lebanon in the news. But I am heartbroken to learn about that, too, and send love and thoughts to those affected by that horrible tragedy as well.

I hate to say it, but I think with some parts of the world, those sorts of attacks become so commonplace that people don't consider it all that newsworthy anymore. A place like Paris experiencing something like this is, obviously, not a common thing.

Those attacks SHOULD be in the news, though, if for no other reason than if world leaders are serious about dealing with extremists and terrorist groups, it would be important for them to bring as much attention to these horrible attacks as they can, and condemn them, regardless of how often they happen.

And, as the section Diemen quoted from that link so perfectly noted, world leaders also desperately need to make it clear that these extremists and terrorists DO NOT speak for the vast majority of Muslims. They need to let the Muslim world they've got their support and help, too.

thanks

we're fine here though, not in Paris right now, but friends are and everyone is shellshocked, stunned - feels like the world is irreparably broken or something... i just can't understand, why Paris, it is just such a multicultural place, so many people from everywhere, all colours and creeds, live there side by side peacefully and respectfully, it's like an attack at the very heart of freedom

You're welcome . And that story about your friend's daughter's school mate-yeow. Thank goodness she escaped.