#AllLivesMatter from Paris to Raqqa

Firstly, any acts of violence perpetrated against any person or a people should be offensive to our humanity and the impact not to be diminished. 

We must condemn these horrendous attacks done in the name of religion and stand resolute with our French counterparts especially the youth.

In showing your support you might be one of the millions of people across the world showing solidarity with the people of Paris, after the recent terrorist attacks by using the French flag photo

filter on your social media accounts. The level of social awareness at an all time because of social media and it connectivity that reaches beyond boundaries and borders, allowing us to react, empathize and sympathize simultaneously as events occur in different parts of the world.

With many of us choosing western mainstream media outlets that are often for domestic markets like CNN – we end up not receiving the deeper coverage of stories that accompanies internationally focused media. This is inadequate for the formulation of balanced views and interpretation of world issues, it therefore leads me to submit that the current show of solidarity and outcry has been woefully disproportionate to the impact of terrorism and the so called ‘war on terrorism’ when comparing west and east.

Why I chose a Syrian Flag Filter?

Although the Refugee crisis gains considerable coverage, it still is being referred to as a “migrant crisis” – with the highlights being Europe’s response not the basis of the crisis that has led over 9 Million Syrians to leave their homes from the start of civil war in 2011.If you get pass the surface of mainstream reporting, there are facts and data that gives insight into the true devastation of terrorism and the war against it. 

The Institute of Economics and Peace (IEP), in its Global Terrorism Index 2015 states that, “terrorism remained highly concentrated in just five countries, with Iraq, Nigeria, Afghanistan, Pakistan and Syria accounting for 78% of terror-related deaths in 2014.” 

The town of Raqqa in Syria is the stronghold of Islamic State and has been completely destroyed by the ongoing civil war, IS and bombings by the US, Russia, France and other allied forces. Hospitals and schools are nonexistent at this point.

While the reasons for the filter is to make us feel better about our own inaction or inability to change the world but let’s not put a western cap on our solidarity.