On Friday, Nov. 13 at 5:24pm (EST), I was on my way back to campus from my Freshwater Biology Lab when I received this shocking text from my father:
"There have been multiple terrorist attacks in Paris. Terrorists bombed the Stade de France, shot up a theatre in which terrorists are now holding people hostage, and there were a few more attacks around the city. At a restaurant a gunman went from table to table killing as many people as he could while shouting 'Allahu Akbar.' Each act of terror occurred around the same time."
I couldn't believe what my dad had just told me, and I immediately googled "Paris terrorist attacks” to find out more about what was going on. I clicked on the first news link that was listed (CNN) and saw that six people had been killed by acts of terrorism in Paris, France, but that number continued to rise as time passed. I couldn't believe what I was reading; I was in shock. I started worrying about all of my friends who are studying abroad in Paris and in the countries that surround France.
Later that night I turned on the news and learned that six different locations were attacked, over 100 people were killed within a very short amount of time, and that the President of France, Francois Hollande, declared a State Of Emergency and closed the borders of France. Although the terrorist organization responsible for these acts of terror had yet to be confirmed, I, like most people, had a suspecting feeling that these horrific attacks were carried out by Daesh -- the new adopted term that replaces both "ISIS" and "ISIL" -- which was confirmed to be true by a statement issued by members of Daesh the following day.
I thought about how, just a day before the attacks in Paris, President Obama told ABC News that Daesh isn't "gaining strength" and that Daesh is "contained." I find it very unsettling that our president has continuously reassured us that everything is under control even though Daesh has been continuously committing acts of terror in the Middle East, Northern Africa, and, for the third time this year, France. Although it is yet to be confirmed, President Obama may have been involved in the neutralization the English-speaking Daesh member, Jihadi John (via drone strike), but even if he has been "neutralized," some other lunatic will just take his place.
Daesh is a terrorist organization that even Al-Qaeda, the terrorist organization responsible for the attacks on Sept. 11, 2001 (as well as many other acts of terror), believes to be too extreme. Unlike Al-Qaeda, Daesh does not discriminate in who they kill (men, women, and children, Muslim and Non-Muslim; European, American, Middle Eastern, African, Asian, etc.); they are a terrorist organization that desires to create an Islamic State, governed by their deluded interpretation and perception of a peaceful ideology by any means necessary. If a plan of action against Daesh is not made by President Obama and the leaders of the world, I am afraid to find out what it is going to take for them to neutralize Daesh once and for all. I am confident, however, that President Obama and the other world leaders recognize that this is an issue without political borders and a plan of action against Daesh is unquestionably necessary.
The world has responded to the Nov. 13 terrorist attacks in Paris with love and immense compassion, and that is exactly how we, as humanity, prevent the deluded members of Daesh from winning. The 129 people who have lost their lives will never be forgotten. Merely as one of the billions of members of humanity, I ask you all to pray for the 129 people who lost their lives during the November 13, 2015 attacks in Paris, for their loved ones, for everyone who has lost their lives and who have been affected by all acts of terrorism. Pray that our world leaders bring Daesh, and other terrorist organizations, to justice for their heinous crimes against humanity.
