Libération Editor Lawrence Joffrin On The Paris Terror Attacks
Plus the ugly realities of Islam, which actually commands this sort of attack. (More on that below.)
A witness account of the attack, from radio reporter Julian Pearce via KTLA:
Pearce saw two people he called terrorists enter the theater, "very calm, very determined" and firing "randomly."They wore black clothing but no masks. He saw the face of one shooter, who was very young -- a maximum of 25 years old.
"He was like a random guy holding a Kalashnikov. That's all."
Pearce said the gunmen managed to reload their weapons three or four times.
"They didn't shout anything," he said. "They were shooting people on the floor."
Other accounts.
Joffrin writes in his newspaper (translated):
The barbarity of terrorism has just taken a historical step. A massacre coordinated in the heart of Paris and the Stade de France was conducted with cold determination, in order to kill as many as possible.Even at the height of the clashes linked to the Algerian civil war in the 1990s, France had never experienced this level of violence. And it is France, its policies and its international role, which are targeted by the killers. Unlike the attacks on Charlie Hebdo or the Hyper Cacher, which were precise in their execution, tonight's attacks are acts of indistinct cruelty unleashed to inspire terror across the nation.
The sites of the attacks, all dedicated to entertainment and friendliness, were purposely in the line of fire as a way to underline the fact that French people are now under menace in their everyday life, as they simply go out with friends.
We are horrified in front of the vastness of this massacre, and compassion for the victims is the most humane and immediate reaction to have. We first and foremost think of the victims and their families. As for the rest - it has to focus on cold blood and civism. French society should arm itself with enough courage not to give an inch to the killers. It has to show both vigilance and the undying will to face the horror with the force of the law and solidarity.
I'm struck by this (and a look at Bataclan underscores it even further):
The sites of the attacks, all dedicated to entertainment and friendliness, were purposely in the line of fire as a way to underline the fact that French people are now under menace in their everyday life, as they simply go out with friends.
No, not all Muslims are terrorists or support it -- but a vast many do. However, it is not Muslims who are the problem; it is Islam, which is not the mere religion most people believe it to be, but a totalitarian system masquerading as a religion. It demands the death or conversion (or at very least, the third-class citizenhood, taxing, and shaming) of all non-Muslims, the removal of civil liberties from all of us, and the installation of a Muslim dictatorship called "The Caliphate" around the globe.
Ongoing story at The Guardian.
The ugly realities of Islam, which I have been studying since just after 9/11, summarized at the excellent site, thereligionofpeace.com:
The pattern of violence and aggressive disregard for human suffering that is persistent in Muslim history and contemporary attitude toward non-believers reflects the message of the Quran, which is one of personal superiority and arrogance.In today's world, Muslim dominance is characterized by the oppression and discrimination of non-Muslims, while Muslim minorities within larger societies are distinguished by varying degrees of petulant demand, discord and armed rebellion. Few Muslims are uncomfortable with this blatant double standard, in which Islam either plays the victim or unapologetically victimizes others, depending on its position of power - and the reason is obvious.
Islam is a supremacist ideology in which the role of non-believers is subordinate to the position of Muslims. Those who resist Islamic rule are to be fought until they are either killed or fully humiliated and forced to acknowledge their inferior status by converting to Islam or by paying a poll-tax and otherwise accepting the subjugation of their own religion.
There is simply no other religion on earth that draws such sharp distinction between its own members and others, or devotes as much of its holiest text toward condemning and dehumanizing those who merely choose not to follow its dogma.
So much about Islamic terrorism and the general indifference of the broader Muslim community toward the violence makes sense only against this dual nature of Islam - as does the strange willingness of Muhammad's followers to tolerate their own subjugation under Ottoman or Arab tyrants, such as Saddam Hussein, while being violently opposed to a Jewish neighbor state.
The apologists are correct in saying that Islam teaches love and kindness, but they fail to add that this applies only to the treatment of those within the Muslim community. Loyalty to one's own identity group is valued above all else and empathy for those outside the faith is optional at best - and even explicitly discouraged in places.
If this is a "misunderstanding" of Islam by modern-day "radicals," then it is an error that the founder of Islam made as well. In Muhammad's time, non-Muslims were put to death merely for speaking out against the new religion and its self-proclaimed prophet. Likewise, the Jews of Qurayza were summarily rounded-up and executed on Muhammad's order, even though they had not even fought in battle. Since the life of a non-Muslim is cheap, actual physical harm to a Muslim is not necessary to justify murder according to the example of Muhammad.
The Quran meets every criterion by which we define hate speech. Not only does the message inspire loathing and disregard for others, but the text mandates the superiority of Islam, even if the means of establishment is by violent force.
In his later years, Muhammad directed military campaigns to subjugate other tribes and religions, "inviting" them to Islam at the point of a sword and forcing them to pay tribute regardless. He set in motion the aggressive military campaigns that made war against all five major world religions in just the first few decades following his death.
Islam incorporates the ultimate devaluation of non-Muslims in the most obvious way by teaching that while a Muslim may be punished with death for murdering a fellow Muslim (Bukhari 83:17), no Muslim can be put to death for killing a non-Muslim (Bukhari 83:50, 3:111 - Muhammad: "No Muslim can be killed for killing a kafir."). The Quran's "Law of Equality," which assigns human value and rights based on gender, religion and status, is the polar opposite of equality in the sense intended by Western liberal tradition, which ideally respects no such distinction.
One can always find apologists willing to dismiss the harsh rhetoric of the Quran with creative interpretation, tortuous explanation or outright denial, but their words and deeds almost always belie a concern for Islam's image that does not extend to Islam's victims - at least not with the same sense of urgency - thus proving the point.
Of course, there are also exceptional Muslims who do not agree with Islamic supremacy and sincerely champion secularism and respect for all people. Some even find verses or fragments of such to support their independent beliefs. But, for these people, the Quran as a whole will always be a constant challenge, since it explicitly teaches the distinct and inferior status of non-Muslims.
Facebook safety check page. Wonderful feature.
https://twitter.com/amyalkon/status/665349954823544832
Amy Alkon at November 13, 2015 6:09 PM
And so it begins the parade of apologists:
https://twitter.com/Salon/status/665344751928008704
The commenters are having none of it though.
Sixclaws at November 13, 2015 6:10 PM
How do you get into a concert venue with an automatic weapon?
KateC at November 13, 2015 6:47 PM
I think a commenter at PJ Media has it right. To paraphrase: It is impossible for Islam and modernism to exist on the same planet. One of them will have to die.
Cousin Dave at November 13, 2015 8:25 PM
I think a commenter at PJ Media has it right. To paraphrase: It is impossible for Islam and modernism to exist on the same planet. One of them will have to die.
Posted by: Cousin Dave at November 13, 2015 8:25 PM
After watching the clueless SJW's at Mizzoo, I am laying even odds on which one will bite the dust.
Isab at November 13, 2015 8:47 PM
To Keenly Mullen & the rest of the #MillionStudentMarch - Where are your safe places now?
Wfjag at November 13, 2015 9:20 PM
It is impossible for Islam and modernism to exist on the same planet. One of them will have to die.
Our government cannot even call them "Islamic," despite that the terrorists call themselves that; so, how on earth can we trust our government to really protect us?
All the more reason to support and be thankful for the Second amendment.
P.S. Amy, that looks like a wonderful tool on Facebook. (I don't have Facebook, so it doesn't help me). But, I remember the Indian Ocean Tsunami and trying to find out information about a couple of friends. It was a nerve-wracking couple of days before I heard anything (through the BBC news site of all places - they had set up something similar back then)
charles at November 13, 2015 10:13 PM
I'm sitting in Heathrow Airport right now waiting to board a plane back to the US. Despite the enhanced security, the mood is one of serious unease. I'm not coming back here anytime soon. This is going to end up with cattle cars, one way or another.
llater,
llamas
llamas at November 14, 2015 2:41 AM
Charles, it is. I found all of my French and American expat friends through the Facebook tool, save for one I know who was at home (because she's in her 70s and does not go to metal concerts or the 10th arrondissement at night).
And Kate, I think they just strode in after the event had started.
Amy Alkon at November 14, 2015 5:20 AM
Amy Alkon
https://www.advicegoddess.com/archives/2015/11/liberation-edit.html#comment-6289232">comment from Amy AlkonParis attacks targeted neighborhoods where people more likely to be tolerant, liberal and progressive.
http://fusion.net/story/233036/paris-attack-young-progressive-core/?utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=socialshare&utm_content=desktop+top
Amy Alkon
at November 14, 2015 5:23 AM
Amy,
Love the comments at that link.
Denial and refusal to adapt to unsafe environment is typical human behavior.
Easier to blame others than to accept the harsh responsibility of protecting oneself or at least being prepared to.
Bob in Texas at November 14, 2015 7:58 AM
from the above article:
"Anne Hidalgo, the mayor of Paris and the granddaughter of Spanish Republican immigrants, called for unity in a tweet.
Nous sommes debout, nous sommes unis. J'en appelle à l'unité de toutes et tous.
— Anne Hidalgo (@Anne_Hidalgo) November 14, 2015
I doubt that she will be heard."
I believe that "unity" has different meanings to the parties involved so these "intelligent" responses are a shining example of the denial I am talking about.
Bob in Texas at November 14, 2015 8:04 AM
How do you get into a concert venue with an automatic weapon?
That's a good question. A better one tho, is "how do you get an automatic weapon in a country with very strict gun control?"
Of course, that was the same question asked when the train shooter was stopped.
I R A Darth Aggie at November 14, 2015 9:37 AM
"How do you get into a concert venue with an automatic weapon?"
Hell, no, that's not "a good question". It's not even the RIGHT question!
The real question is: "What makes/made you think that a LAW would render something impossible?"
Bone. Headed. Ignorance. -- is what this displays.
We have a "law-abiding" society, not because of laws, but because that society has agreed to certain codes of behavior. Laws do not establish those codes - they prescribe penalties for failure to observe those codes. Laws FOLLOW the society's observation of behavior it finds abhorrent.
This has always been the case, although in recent years, the eagerness some Americans have for enlisting the State's powers to punish their neighbors has made this more obscure.
Further: there is no way to prevent a first offense.
Take the lesson!
Radwaste at November 14, 2015 10:24 AM
Being "united" does nothing to stop primitive savages who believe the Quranic promise that they will get an express path to "paradise" by slaughtering unarmed non-Muslims...as Mohammed did with some frequency.
Yes, there's Jesus, all "Feed the poor!" and then there's Mohammed -- raping, looting enslaving, mass-murdering.
Amy Alkon at November 14, 2015 1:07 PM
llamas; hope your flight is an uneventful one back to the US.
Fly safe and land safe!
charles at November 14, 2015 7:34 PM
"How do you get into a concert venue with an automatic weapon?"
Who is going to stop you?
markm at November 19, 2015 12:19 PM
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