Qualitative paper #2

Your solidarity with France is Misguided

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Misguided Solidarity with France

Introduction

After the recent Paris attack, the whole world responded by the show of sympathy and solidarity with France by painting Facebook profiles, Casinos, and buildings everywhere with red and white French Flags. This behavior has been criticized by many authors as an evil message of standing with humanity since it will continue acting to avenge the unexpectedly wrought by those whose motives most is much less comprehended(Marshall,2015). The behavior of the world by a show of sympathy to the people of France was a sign of hypocrisy considering that terrorist attacks have been happening everywhere in the world, but there has been no such response of showing solidarity while many people have died. This Research paper will discuss many of the nations where terrorism has affected many people, and catastrophic attacks have left many dead but they have been assumed to be popular events to humanity unlike it happened in Paris (Marshall, 2015).

Articles that I have chosen

Black, J. (2001). Semantics and Ethics of Propaganda. Journal of Mass Media Ethics, 16(2&3), 121-137. Retrieved from http://www.communicationcache.com/uploads/1/0/8/8/10887248/semantics_and_ethics_of_propaganda.pdf

The author explores the subject of modern societal propaganda, with a particular emphasis on how the media manipulates through the use of semantics. A significant amount of information is documented on how society tends to fall into the proverbial trap of being swayed by the media to support a particular cause blindly and the ethical guidelines that the media has to adhere. The author assesses how propaganda is used in particular cultures, how it is used to manipulate several groups and individuals. This article will be useful in discussing how the media plays a crucial role in manipulating the public in participating in a cause and in believing a certain thought or perspective about a particular group.

Marmo, J. (2010). The American flag and the body: How the flag and the body create an American meaning. Kaleidoscope, 9, 45-64. Retrieved from http://opensiuc.lib.siu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1016&context=kaleidoscope

The author discusses the American flag, its meanings, and effects on the human mind during times of peace and war. The author explores why the flag is one of the most recognized symbols not just in America, but worldwide. In particular, the author examines the meanings it has had throughout the years, as well as its utilization in swaying the general public. The author seeks to understand how certain meanings have been applied to the American flag, and if this was the original intention, or if it has become that way in an attempt to manipulate the public. This article will be useful in explaining the overwhelming amount of people that displayed the American flag after the tragedy in France, and in discussing the concept of solidarity.

Marshall, A. (2015, November 23). Paris, Beirut, and The Media: What We Need To Understand. Retrieved from Olympia Media Group website: http://theodysseyonline.com/merrimack/paris-beirut-media-what-need-understand/222039

The author discusses the concept of standing with a country and specifically outlines that Paris, France was not the only country that needed media attention during November 2015. In particular, the author notes the attacks in Beirut that occurred the day before and how there was minimal coverage of that event, yet because the media likes to paint a picture and skew the narrative, France was the only event that was discussed.

Additionally, the author draws on the notion of how smaller events or events that take place in individual countries do not matter necessarily in the eyes of the media and therefore, the eyes of the general public that 'mourn' these tragedies. The article will be useful in helping to ‘flesh out’ the concept of solidarity with Paris, France, and the pros and cons associated with it (Marshall, 2015).

Explanation

The humanity race is exposed to terrorism everywhere in the world, but there has been no show of solidarity as it was with Paris. It is true that everybody would feel sympathy for Paris victims and mourn even without having any firsthand experience of such horrific incident. Claire Banish in his article “Your solidarity with Paris is Embarrassingly Miss guided” provides an explicit argument of the hypocrisy in the situation (Marshall, 2015). Banish says that he enjoys French heritage, but he would not cloak himself in the nationalism of any star at this position especially at the scene where an astronomic number of people have been grieving the loss of the Paris victims as the highest event that has occurred. The author claims that people have been assuming other places other terrorists and violence related been happening, but it seems as if violence is accepted at such places.

Evidence for the argument that the show of solidarity with Paris attack is embarrassing can be justified with the killings that have been happening in Syria. The world has been ignoring such recurring events that have been going on in the country (Marshall, 2015). The world should not be concerned with Syria’s’ professed religion or pledged allegiance. The world should also mourn for millions of people who died by the illegal aggression of United States on Iraq. It includes those that have been facing torturous demise exposure to dangerous depleted uranium that has been employed in the violation of the International humanity laws for reasons that are not based on compassionate principle but American and corporate hegemony(Marshall,2015).

The world should also mourn for the many people who have died of United States insidious that appears permanent war in Afghanistan (Marshall, 2015). There have been countless children that have been exposed to violence and hostile situations. People have been bombed and killed mercilessly, but the world has been watching as if it were a fictional movie, not reality. There has been no show of empathy to such victims at all.

The semantics and ethics of propaganda article have been added in this research paper to show how the media has been used to spread political hypocrisy in the world. The media was used to customize Facebook profiles with France and United States Flags after attacks which show that lack of diligence by the media. (Black, 2001).

This story has also been shown by the article that has discussed the importance of the American flag. The article further explains the symbolic presentation of the flag and what it means to people. The American flag was used after the Paris incident as a show of solidarity that shows that United States has been reflected as the nation to rescue France. The critical point from this is that the flag has not been used to show unity for those countries that have experienced violence too strengthening the argument in this paper that the solidarity shown by the Paris attack incident is embarrassing (Marmo,2010).

Discussion

There have been many victims of terror who should are mourned for whether group or state sponsored and there should be no conditions attached to grief including loyalty, geographical happenstance and location of the victims.

The show of hypocrisy in the Paris attack can be justified by an explanation of similar attack incidents that have happened all over the world, but the world does not react. People seem to be used to such events, and they just say that violence is accepted there which is completely inhuman. There have been no such reactions as it happened in Paris case that people have very painted their Facebook profiles with flags of the countries that have experienced violence of the highest order (Marshall, 2015). IT was the first time that the world reacted in large numbers as if Paris incident is the first ever event to happen in World history. Lack of showing sympathy to those violent nations has been responsible for the continued violence especially terrorism since it appears justified to the world that such places should continue living in such situations.

The purpose of this paper is not to show that it was wrong to mourn for Paris, but it is to emphasize that there has been a lack of loyalty and solidarity as it was claimed to be with the reaction of the people in the incident. When many people were so fast to customize their Facebook profiles with France flags, it would have been thought that this is the first terrorist attack that has ever happened. The case is not true since as the evidence has shown, there have been worse insecurity threats that have claimed a million lives. An example is an unlawful attack on America on Afghanistan and Iraq that killed many innocent lives. It was however assumed as if it was unauthorized activity.

Genuine people should have wept in shame at the terrible supercilious judgment encouraged by the reaction of the world since there have been countless pitiable xenophobes that have been caused by endless valid justifications including arrogance from politicians and media propaganda. There has been an endless war of terror that people have failed to realize that they can end if they agree to live peacefully (Marshall, 2015).

The truth in the world is that the scale of terror is increasing everywhere and they world should keep the victims of the violent places in mind including people of diverse cultures and religion that are undergoing horrific moments if real solidarity is to be shown. There have been unnecessarily and unjustifiable deaths that have claimed the lives of so many peoples and when people are standing with just one flag it is completely unacceptable and embarrassing(Marshall,2015).

Conclusion

This paper has been able to state that the world is living in hypocrisy, and the Paris incident was the good scenario of how the human being is. Many people will continue to suffer under unjustifiable violence just because there has been no real solidarity as it appeared with the Paris incidents. Many catastrophic events have happened, but there has been such a reaction from the worked as happened after the Paris attack. It is not wrong to mourn for the Paris in large numbers, however, but at the same time, it’s good to cry for others too in the world. After Paris had been attacked, the government declared that it will respond by revenging on the Islamic group in Syria showing that terror will not end but will continue recurring (Marshall, 2015).

References

Black, J. (2001). Semantics and Ethics of Propaganda. Journal of Mass Media Ethics, 16(2&3), 121-137. Retrieved from http://www.communicationcache.com/uploads/1/0/8/8/10887248/semantics_and_ethics_of_propaganda.pdf

Marmo, J. (2010). The American flag and the body: How the flag and the body create an American meaning. Kaleidoscope, 9, 45-64. Retrieved from http://opensiuc.lib.siu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1016&context=kaleidoscope

Marshall, A. (2015, November 23). Paris, Beirut, And The Media: What We Need To Understand. Retrieved from Olympia Media Group website: http://theodysseyonline.com/merrimack/paris-beirut-media-what-need-understand/222039