With the recent castigation of the western media and
African citizens by their peers for appearing to display more compassion for
the victims of Paris attacks than to the scores of people perpetually slain by
constant terrorist attacks in Africa and the Middle-East, we take a deeper look
into where the real blame may lie.
Freedom,
Equality and Fraternity. They sound like three encouraging words in these
trying times we now witness as each and every free willed person amongst us is
forced into the recently dubbed ‘war against terrorism’. Coined in the late 18th
century during the times of the French revolution simply as one amongst many
revolutionary slogans, these words (Liberté, Egalité, Fraternité)
have grown to associate themselves with the Republic of France and are now
associated with the colours of the French national flag. These words would
inspire the building of a great nation in the aftermath of the revolution.
Either that, or they’re just a bunch of words.
After the very
recent Paris attacks, the world was left in shock. Or at least Paris was. But
then world leaders condemned the attacks, few of them seized the opportunity to
show-off their mastery of the French language in their public addresses. Monuments,
statues and famous buildings were illuminated in the colours of the French
national flag as a sign of solidarity. Candles were lit in the streets of Paris
amidst swift response to the tragedy. The manhunt for the perpetrators was fast
underway as a three-day mourning period was declared by President Francois
Hollande. The media went crazy and of course the social media, almost
expectedly went frantic.
