By now, most of us know what happened on Nov. 13 in Paris, France. If you don't know, over 100 people lost their lives in hostage situations and bombing due to terrorists claiming to be ISIS. The world watched in silence as Paris was in chaos. Because this is comparable to 9/11, most Americans feel strongly about what happened on that fateful day. Personally, my heart goes out to those in France as they struggle to pick up their pride and stand tall. Their reputation and land was damaged and the people that were affected will never be the same. This event will go down in history books, and we have the opportunity to live through it. And because we are living through it, we also have the chance to contribute to the aid of France.
Here is how you can help:
1. You can donate.
Whether it's $10 or $100, the money that you give in order to help our fellow brothers and sisters would go so much farther than you'd ever know. You can donate here.
2. You can pray.
If you are religious or spiritual in any way, I encourage you to pray for the safety of those that are injured or frightened, and pray for all of the families and victims that were affected by this disaster.
3. You can spread the word.
If no one knows about what is happening in the world, how can anything be stopped? Whether it's a hashtag that you share or the French flag across your profile picture, the more attention that you draw to the evil in the world, the better.
4. You can know that not all Muslims are to blame.
When things like this happen, the world's society places a blame on the entire Muslim culture. This is not true. As young people, we should be able to tell the difference between extremists and people who wish to cause no harm even if they belong to a certain group or organization.
5. You can love one another.
So easily now this world is being turned individualized. We all live in a dog-eat-dog mentality. We have to realize that this will get us nowhere. If we love each other and look out for one another, the possibility of another event like this would more than likely be diminished.
France, you are in my prayers. We all stand with you.
