It happened after 9/11 — the same outpouring of hearts and thoughts that extended throughout every corner of the Earth. A wave of compassion rippled across the world after the two, billowing, towers collapsed, and humans all around the world grieved for people oceans apart.
After the horrors of the September 11 attacks, a prominent French newspaper, Le Monde, reported, “Nous sommes tous Américains.¨ We are all Americans. The solidarity espoused by that declaration spoke to the higher meaning that all humans, regardless of language or border, share the equal value of human worth and dignity.
On Nov. 13, the single deadliest terrorist attack on French soil occurred. According to the BBC, the brutality of the attack was comprised of several coordinated terrorist attacks that left 130 people dead and more than 368 injured. A music venue and stadium, along with several cafes were among the locations chosen for the attack. At the Bataclan theatre, hostages were taken, and 89 people were massacred at that location alone.
Immediately after the attacks, social media was overwhelmed by the love and support of strangers. In France, the hashtag #portesouvertes (open doors), was disseminated within the city, used by local Parisians to offer shelter to strangers stranded or afraid of staying out. Facebook quickly uploaded an accessory to the profile picture option, placing the French colors as a background for users all over the world. Facebook also enabled a safety check feature that allows users to state whether they are safe so that family members or loved ones can check in on the people in the area affected by the tragedy.
From the United States to Egypt, world monuments highlighted national landmarks with the colors of the French flag, as independent cities and facilities lit up their structures in blue, white, and red. The Shanghai Oriental Pearl TV Tower, Jerusalem’s Old City walls, The Christ the Redeemer statue in Rio de Janeiro, the CN tower in Toronto, Dubai’s Burj al-Khalifa, San Francisco’s City Hall, the London Eye, Sydney Opera House — all of these buildings immersed themselves in the colors of the French, invoking a solidarity stronger than could have been expressed through words.
The world could be a much better place if we all agreed that each of us is worthy of respect, and none of us is worthy to strip a human of that respect. But we haven’t reached that point. We might never do so, but until that happens, today we stand united. We are all French.
