Aujourd'hui nous sommes toutes les parisiens
Nov 13th, 2015, 05:09 PM
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Aujourd'hui nous sommes toutes les parisiens
One of my strongest memories of the morning after 9/11 was an interview with a very well dressed Parisian woman of a certain age who, with tears running down her face, said "aujourd'hui nous sommes toutes americains".
Today, with tears running down my face, I return the thought to her.
Today, with tears running down my face, I return the thought to her.
Nov 13th, 2015, 06:06 PM
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We were scheduled to fly to France the Thursday of 9/11. The people we called were so kind when I called to cancel lodging in each of the small hotels we were to stay in (planes were grounded), which we did take the following Spring.
Last night, we booked a trip to France and Paris. No plans to cancel.
And I agree, we are all French tonight.
Last night, we booked a trip to France and Paris. No plans to cancel.
And I agree, we are all French tonight.
Nov 14th, 2015, 01:18 AM
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Nov 14th, 2015, 03:17 AM
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We are all Parisians and not just today.
We were in France the end of August and beginning of September (Toulouse, Albi, Carcassonne, Montpellier and 5 days in Paris again).
I saw two soldiers with machine guns in Toulouse. Contrary to some of the reports I saw on tv yesterday evening, we saw no security (I don't think I even saw a police officer) anywhere in Paris. Not that it would have made a difference when they are prepared to die.
One day we walked thru Parc des Buttes Chaumont to Canal St Martin. We veered over to hospital Saint Louis and continued back to the Canal. We walked along the canal, went thru Place de la Republique and continued along Rue du Temple and thru Place des Vosges.
I can see how close we were to the affected areas.
A beautiful day that will now be linked to the events of yesterday forever.
We were in France the end of August and beginning of September (Toulouse, Albi, Carcassonne, Montpellier and 5 days in Paris again).
I saw two soldiers with machine guns in Toulouse. Contrary to some of the reports I saw on tv yesterday evening, we saw no security (I don't think I even saw a police officer) anywhere in Paris. Not that it would have made a difference when they are prepared to die.
One day we walked thru Parc des Buttes Chaumont to Canal St Martin. We veered over to hospital Saint Louis and continued back to the Canal. We walked along the canal, went thru Place de la Republique and continued along Rue du Temple and thru Place des Vosges.
I can see how close we were to the affected areas.
A beautiful day that will now be linked to the events of yesterday forever.
Nov 14th, 2015, 04:18 AM
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In the aftermath of 9/11 I also sent some mails to very good friends in the USA saying that I was an american.
Today - alas - the same good friends are telling me they are French.
Friendship knows no border and suffering gets sharred by good people wherever they are, whatever their sex and religion.
This being said, we are in a mourning state and after that I hope we'll get on the job of eradicating ElQaida and ISIS with renewed vigor. These are no times for half measures, but I do hope we will all keep discernment. We're already starting to read that we should kick out refugees from Europe and such nonsense.
Glad my avatar is ParisWat - emphasis on Paris these days.
Today - alas - the same good friends are telling me they are French.
Friendship knows no border and suffering gets sharred by good people wherever they are, whatever their sex and religion.
This being said, we are in a mourning state and after that I hope we'll get on the job of eradicating ElQaida and ISIS with renewed vigor. These are no times for half measures, but I do hope we will all keep discernment. We're already starting to read that we should kick out refugees from Europe and such nonsense.
Glad my avatar is ParisWat - emphasis on Paris these days.
Nov 14th, 2015, 04:37 AM
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"Not that it (armed security) would have made a difference when they are prepared to die."
The hostage-takers at the Bataclan could have taken out a few guards - they're easy targets. Once the guards have been slaughtered, the hundreds of metal heads are ducks on a pond.
One report: "...the gunmen stood near the back of the room and continuously shot people who had dived on the floor when the shooting started -- shooting some of them execution-style. 'They were not moving,' he said of the gunmen. 'They were just standing at the back of the concert room and shooting at us. Like if we were birds.'"
If the average Parisian had "2nd Amendment" rights, these 4 Islamacist scuzzballs would have been subdued without the long wait for police intervention.
Europeans will not be kept safe by authorities or by singing lovely odes to Paris. Hollande was right - this was an act of war. But it's only the beginning. All over Europe now, the enemy is armed and fearless and lives just down the street.
The hostage-takers at the Bataclan could have taken out a few guards - they're easy targets. Once the guards have been slaughtered, the hundreds of metal heads are ducks on a pond.
One report: "...the gunmen stood near the back of the room and continuously shot people who had dived on the floor when the shooting started -- shooting some of them execution-style. 'They were not moving,' he said of the gunmen. 'They were just standing at the back of the concert room and shooting at us. Like if we were birds.'"
If the average Parisian had "2nd Amendment" rights, these 4 Islamacist scuzzballs would have been subdued without the long wait for police intervention.
Europeans will not be kept safe by authorities or by singing lovely odes to Paris. Hollande was right - this was an act of war. But it's only the beginning. All over Europe now, the enemy is armed and fearless and lives just down the street.
Nov 14th, 2015, 04:54 AM
#18
Fuss, You are now bringing American politics into it. We could easily say that had 20 or 50 people in the room been armed, there's a good chance they would have shot more innocent people in the chaos themselves.
Hollande said this was an act of war. It is important to see what action the civilized world takes against ISIS. I'm afraid the only answer will be to accept collateral damage as a necessary evil.
Hollande said this was an act of war. It is important to see what action the civilized world takes against ISIS. I'm afraid the only answer will be to accept collateral damage as a necessary evil.
Nov 14th, 2015, 05:57 AM
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"Fuss, You are now bringing American politics into it."
Self-defense is neither political nor a uniquely American concept. Ask the Swiss, whose homes are typically firearm-protected. That said, America offers a lesson or two. It's the no-gun zones (movie theaters and schools for example) where mass-killers know they'll be most successful - and usually are, sadly.
Self-defense is neither political nor a uniquely American concept. Ask the Swiss, whose homes are typically firearm-protected. That said, America offers a lesson or two. It's the no-gun zones (movie theaters and schools for example) where mass-killers know they'll be most successful - and usually are, sadly.
