Wednesday 18 November 2015

Editorial: The Paris atrocity

I've held off updating for a few days in light of the atrocity in Paris at the weekend. It didn't seem right to write about music following what happened.

I watched the events with horror, hundreds of miles from France. But the interconnected nature of modern society brings us all closer.

Friends were at the football match at the Stade de France, friends of friends died at the Bataclan, colleagues interviewed survivors.

I never intedned this blog to be overtly political, there are already more then enough badly-written blogs full of opinion and short of facts covering that field.

But politics and terrorism impacted not only the country I love and a city I love, but directly targeted people with whom I have so much in common.

There have rightly been tributes, and there have also been voices calling for revenge as well as idiots using events to further their agendas.



The story is still unfolding in France and how it will end I don't know. While I fear he worst, I hope for the best.

I am confident in France and its people. While some things may change, the values that underline the republic will be maintained, and the spirit of the people that constitute it will  prevail.

Grand Corps Malade posted some touching words, saying that while hate and a desire for revenge had been expressed: "Above all I have seen hope, I have above all seen courage and dignity"

"Like the widower who declared to the terrorists that thet will not have his hate, nor that of his 17 month old son.

"Like the elderly woman who stated that we live with 5 million Muslims, and that we fight against 10,000 barbarians.

"Like the journalist who declared that no one coulkd take from us that which makes us what we are.

"Like the child who repeats that the flowers and the candles are to protect us"



He continued: "France is beautiful because she doesn't give in to panic. She is beautiful because she continues to shine in all her colours, her differences and her inconsistencies"

"She is beautiful because she loves to dance and make noise, sing and live at light. She is beautiful because she loves to raise her glass and look into your eyes. She is beautiful because she has a big mouth.

"She is beautiful because she is a rebel and insolent. France is beautiful because it is free and that, no none can take from her."

Vive la France.

jk


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