Lets not let fear inhibit our humanity.

It's been 72 hours since the attacks in Paris, and I have to say, I can't remember the last time I experienced an event so emotionally and mentally draining without being a physical part of it. Cycling in the gym last night, I was positioned right in front of the BBC news channel TV, which showed scenes of the Paris terror on a loop for a solid 40 minutes.

I do not want to watch the footage that captured the moment the explosion went off outside the stadium anymore.

I do not want to watch the video of someone clinging to the edge of a second floor window whilst innocent citizens clamber over bodies that were shot down outside the arts theatre.

I do not want to read about the names of the terrorists that attacked Paris.

I want to remember the #PorteOuverte hashtag offering safety to all those seeking refuge in the aftermath.

I want to consider the taxi drivers who turned off all their meters to give lifts to citizens who were out in the open.

I want to listen to the French national anthem that was sung by football supporters as they evacuated the stadium.

I want to take a moment to dwell on just how many Parisians queued up to donate blood after hundreds were left in critical conditions in hospitals all over the city.

And I want to appreciate the response from all over the world whose cities lit up in solidarity with France when the city of lights went dark.


Social media can be a chaotic place when something so outrageous and shocking hits the news. It can be full of arguments and disputes between people; condemning those for changing their profile pictures on Facebook, berating those who are showing their support for our French neighbours.

It is a shame that had the attacks in Paris not happened, many would not have known about the terrorism in Beirut and Baghdad. The selective mourning has been denounced by many, and rightfully so.

But we cannot let this hierarchy of moral judgement and debate cloud the real issue here. A single group of monstrous cowards, void of religion and humanity, are using terror to create faultlines in the relationships and culture of everyone around them, and in a significant number of cases, it appears to be working.

It is no bad thing that the barbaric acts of terror in Paris have hit so close to home for so many people. If anything, it should bring us closer together with countries like Lebanon and Iraq, for whom events like this are a common occurrence. The loss of a French or English life should not equate to more than the life of any other nationality. A human life is a human life, regardless of longitude or latitude.



As I scroll down Facebook, I see an alarming amount of suspicion surrounding the refugees. Poland have closed their borders, and many are imploring other countries to do the same.

Will you bloody educate yourselves.

 It is these very occurrences that refugees are fleeing from.

Imagine incidents like the Paris attacks occurring multiple times, every week, for months on end. Imagine your towns and villages being destroyed by such hate crimes. Only then will you realise what it is like to become a refugee, when the water becomes safer than the land.

I cannot express my anger over the hate that muslims get in the wake of these terrorist attacks. It is absolutely imperative that people do not fall into this trap. It is exactly what ISIS want. By creating a divide between 'the west' and Muslims, their narrative of a war between 'them' and 'us' is fuelled like petrol on the fire.

You do not blame christians for the KKK. You do not blame germans for the holocaust. Why is this any different?

It is more important than ever that we continue to love others, not just regardless of, but because of their different religions and race. People shouldn't have to be told that Islam doesn't preach hate. The prejudice and discrimination against Muslims plays to the terrorists advantage. By isolating Muslims in our own culture, you put power directly into ISIS' hands.

I feel so privileged that Bath University has such a prevalent French community. Attending the vigil at the lake on campus today was an honour. Hearing French nationals speak out against the terror that had occurred in their capital city, vowing that their spirits would not be defeated, was so moving.

We should refuse to live in fear of what ISIS may do next. I hope to God that Francoise Hollande's decision to fight fire with fire goes no further.

Lets not let fear inhibit our humanity.