Paris Attacks Reflection - Hamzah Khan

On Friday November 13^th, terrorists associated with the ISIS movement launched an attack in the heart of Paris with the intention of killing as many people as possible. Their objective was to strike fear into the heart of the western world and to make them feel as if they were not safe in their own homes. They also attempted to isolate and make the incoming Syrian refugees unwelcome. In the coming days, weeks, and months, we will see the response to these attacks. 

In times like this, it is natural to feel unsafe, and to be feel fearful, but to continue to feel this way and to let it dictate our decisions is not what we must do. In Europe in particular, anti-Islam movements have been gaining ground. They seek to alienate refugees and to force them to leave. ISIS has a similar goal. They view Syrian refugees as ‘fake’ Muslims, those who are leaving the land of Islam for the ‘liberalism’ of Europe and the west.

The argument divides into the two lines, those who say that we should not let the terrorists win, and those who say that we should stop the inflow of migrants. Both sides have valid points. To continue to allow refugees in, you run the risk of allowing ISIS militants into Europe, where they could easily strike. This is a valid point. The other camp says that if we stop the inflow of migrants, we will just be raising a new generation of terrorists, those who are upset with the West’s response to their plight.

To conclude, we must keep a positive mind. I think we should not let fear rule our hearts and minds. To quote Mr. Rogers “When I was a boy and I would see scary things in the news, my mother would say to me, "Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping.”

French Soldiers stand on guard at the symbolic Eiffel Tower after the Paris Attacks.