I am not putting a French flag on my picture. I refuse to do that because doing so demonstrates exactly what is wrong with this war the world has been in for 14 years now. I stand in solidarity with the French people, but also with those in Lebanon, Syria, Irak, Afghanistan, the United States, and really all humanity at this point. I also stand in solidarity with refugees in Europe, who ran away from terror only to now there being political voices in Europe saying that they shouldn't find peace there either.

Here is the problem: this is not a war on France, Europe, the West, the Islamic world, or even terrorism. This is a war against humanity of all creeds, nationalities, age and ways of living. When politicians say that the solution to an attack is to kill in retaliation they are missing the point entirely and adding more fuel to mutual hatred. Imagine that a family member of yours died in these Paris attacks or in the World Trade Center; how is that different from those people whose family members were killed in a European or American-led air raid in Syria or Afghanistan (even worse, as "collateral damage")? The problem is that people have forgotten to see that others are human beings like oneself. Worse even, this is also a 14-year-long war fueled by the politics of Capitalism: the only winners in all this have been the military industrial complex, whose lobbies in the United States has bought politicians, conquered the minds of people (saying there's such a thing as a "war of justice") and voters. This is NOT an ideological war or Christianity vs Islam, or the West vs the Islamic World. This is a war between humans who in their greed for power and economic resources have convinced great sectors of the population (if not the majority of humanity) that this is a response to the "bad" being done to "us", that there is any sense of justice in indiscriminately hurting others.

Hollande and the West will probably now bomb more sites in Syria, ISIS will probably redouble their attacks in the West. This has been an escalating conflict going on for 14 years already and I doubt there is any chance to stop this at this point. How to get out of it? Stop being guided by hatred and listen to what your politicians, the media and people are telling you from a very critical perspective. Despite how much hate you have--feeling that "we" have been attacked--violence and lack of understanding only continues to bringing injustice: to others and to yourself. Only reason and humanity can stop this at this point. Start with yourself. Solidarity towards not only to France, but to humanity, as the ideals of France tell us: Liberté, égalité, fraternité.