THE AFTERMATH OF THE 48 HOURS THAT HAS CHANGED WORLD VIEWS
VICTORIA ALVAREZ
Editor-in-Chief
“It is not [just] Paris we should pray for. It is the world,” said Karuna Ezara Parikh in a poem that has been shared across social media all over the world. Last week was a week of loss and devastation for the world. Hundreds were lost in Paris, Baghdad and Beirut to various terrorist attacks, all of which the Islamic State (ISIS) has claimed responsibility for.
According to the Wallstreet Journal, since late last year, ISIS has claimed involvement in more than 40 suicide shootings and bombings. In those 40 massacres, hundreds of lives have been lost in countries such as Egypt, Yemen, Tunisia, Syria, Iraq, Paris, Baghdad, Beirut and more, according to Foreign Policy Magazine.
On Thursday, Nov. 12 and Friday, Nov. 13, hundreds of lives were lost in devastating mass shootings and suicide bombings in Beirut, Baghdad and Paris. A pair of suicide bombings struck southern Beirut on Thursday, leading to the death of 43 people. These bombings shook the country of Lebanon and left 239 wounded.
According to CNN, the explosions detonated within 490 feet and five minutes of each other, taking place at an open-air market in the Bourj al-Barajneh district of Beirut. While police continue to investigate the bombings and the bombers, the citizens of Lebanon mourn the loss of the innocent lives taken in the blasts.
However, the death toll did not end on Thursday. Several attacks hit both Baghdad and Paris on Friday, devastating families and friends across the globe. A suicide bombing at a funeral inside the Al-Ashara al-Mubashareen mosque in south Baghdad killed at least 18 people and wounded 41, according to The Huffington Post.
The funeral was for a member of the Hashid Shaabi, a government umbrella group that is seen as a vital force in the battle against ISIS. However, the death toll in Baghdad did not end there. A roadside bomb detonated at a Shia shrine in Sadr City, killing at least five people and wounding 15 on Friday as well. According to the New York Times, ISIS claimed responsibility for both the suicide blast and roadside bombing.
“I think that it’s extremely sad that mass shootings and bombings have become so common across the globe,” said Aliye Menzies, sophomore. “People are dying every day at the hands of terrorists in various countries and nothing is being done about it. This shouldn’t be ‘the norm’ in countries like Lebanon and Beirut. No one should have to live in fear of being killed in public places.”
The massacre of innocent lives not only took place in Baghdad, but in Paris as well. On Friday evening, a series of coordinated terrorist attacks, consisting of mass shootings, suicide bombings and hostage taking, occurred in Paris. The series of attacks in Paris began to unfold beginning at 9:20 pm in the Stade de France, where a soccer match between France and Germany was in full motion, when an explosion detonated outside of the stadium.
At 9:25 p.m., masked attackers armed with guns, shot into restaurants in Paris’ 10th district, resulting in the death of 15 people.
At 9:30 p.m., a second explosion detonated outside the Stade de France, where the body of a second suicide bomber was found.
At 9:32 p.m., five people were killed in a shooting outside a bar, Rue de la Fontaine au Roi, in Paris’ 11th district.
At 9:36 p.m., attackers in a black car opened fire outside La Belle Equipe, a restaurant, killing 19 more people.
At 9:40 p.m., a suicide bomber exploded in another restaurant, the Boulevard Voltaire, where several people are injured, but no deaths were reported.
At 9:40 p.m., the largest attack and hostage situation took place at the Bataclan, a concert hall. Three attackers opened fire during a rock concert and took audience members hostage. This attack resulted in the death of 89 people, not including the attackers. Police killed one attacker, while the other two committed suicide.
At 9:53 p.m., a third explosion at Stade de France was detonated. This was the last attack of the night. Combined, these terrorist attacks resulted in the death of 129 people. Among these people were mothers, fathers, daughters, brothers, aunts, uncles, friends, students and more, all taken by the hands of extremists.
Although many know that ISIS is an extremist group, many have negatively tied the religion of Islam to the terrorist group, resulting in blame being put to the religion, instead of the terrorist group. Many people do not believe this connection is fair or correct.
“It’s extremely important to not afflict more hate and evil on innocent people due to the actions of monsters,” said Daneet Atari, freshman. “Not only do we have to pray for Paris, but at this time we need to pray for the world and humanity.
After the attacks, Atari shared a Facebook post, originally posted by a citizen of the United Kingdom, Leigh Matthews, that said, “The people behind last night’s attacks weren’t Muslims, they were extremists using religion as vindication for their cowardice. Please, I urge each and every one of you; do not lay blame at the doors of the innocent just because of what they believe. They are no more to blame for Paris than you are.”
Atari, like many others, believes that it is not right to lash out on the Islam religion due to a perceived religion affiliation. Since the attacks, many people have taken to social media to combat the spread of anti-Muslim comments in the wake of the devastation. ISIS has killed hundreds of people, especially in the past year. Their beliefs and actions make them extremists and mass murderers, which do not tie them to any religion.
After losing hundreds of people, it is important that the world comes together to find a plan of action against ISIS and put an end to the terror, instead of pointing fingers and throwing blame onto one another. On Nov. 12 and 13, the world lost hundreds of people.
In the span of 48 hours, hundreds of people were not able to come home to their loved ones. In the span of minutes, people took their last breaths. In the span of seconds, lives were changed forever. All of this as a result of terrorist attacks. “As the world comes together, one can only hope that something will be done soon to put an end to all of this devastation,” said Colleen O’Connell, sophomore.
