If you’re one of the millions who changed your profile picture to the French flag after the Paris attacks, consider doing more.
As we all know, ISIS executed a complicated attack in Paris on Nov. 13, which solidified its determined goal to inflict more devastation in the future. According to Fox News, there were six different bomb sites, 132 people killed and 352 wounded, which compelled half of my Facebook friends to change their profile picture to the France filter.
Showing support is obviously necessary during these times, but simply changing the filter on your Facebook profile picture is a slap in the face to the people who are enduring travesty elsewhere.
It is wrong to say one tragedy is more devastating than another, especially massacres like the Paris bombings. But to completely overlook bombings in Beirut simply because most Americans have never traveled there is ignorant. Paris is likely receiving more coverage than other world news because people readily identify with Parisian landmarks.
According to Inklingsnews.com, “An overwhelming amount of [people] have no idea about terrorist attacks which occur in countries other than modernized, Western countries.”
This is no different than the “ice-bucket challenge.” It’s not really making a difference. Raising awareness for this type of event is unnecessary, as it has already received an overload of coverage.
“If [the France filter] is done for social reasons, I think it’s stupid,” said Ryan Polatis, a junior biology major from St. George. “For example, they’re doing it so I’m doing it, so I don’t look like a jerk.”
Obviously no one is happy the city of love has been bombed by the fastest growing group of terrorists in the world. If you want to support France, donate to a GoFundMe set up for some of the victims families, or figure out ways to actually help. Don’t settle for slapping a France flag filter over the picture of you on a boat during spring break.