Last November, we had series of tragedy. Cruel terrors. Massacre. Not only widely known terror in Paris, the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) also attacked Beirut, Lebanon, and Iraq on the day they committed violence in France. Those terrorist are threatening the world with their announcement for further atrocities. Tons of casualties and refugees who lost their home were made by the attacks to date. And accepting the refugees is becoming another problem to each state of the world.

 Someone says that the refugees ─ especially those who are Muslim ─ should not be accepted. The fact that the terrorists who attacked Paris could enter France by stating themselves as refugees is instigating this side of view. There are even some argues to separate Muslims with apparent mark, which is similar to Nazi’s policy about Jews.   

To feel the animosity and anger against the violence is quite reasonable. However, there is something that we should keep in mind. The goal of ISIL’s violence is to plant fear and hatred among people. To split the citizens of the world into several pieces and make them easy to tear down. And finally, blind the truth from the eyes of people. Also, we should note that violence can never solve the present problem, only to bear another tragedy. It is truly inappropriate to regard every Muslim as terrorist. That is just another “terror.” 

I would like to finish this piece with a letter from a victim who lost his wife from the Paris terror. Isn’t this the very thing that the terrorists should afraid of?


Friday night, you took an exceptional life - the love of my life, the mother of my son - but you will not have my hatred. I don’t know who you are and I don’t want to know, you are dead souls. If this God, for whom you kill blindly, made us in his image, every bullet in the body of my wife would have been one more wound in his heart.

So, no, I will not grant you the gift of my hatred. You’re asking for it, but responding to hatred with anger is falling victim to the same ignorance that has made you what you are. You want me to be scared, to view my countrymen with mistrust, to sacrifice my liberty for my security. You lost.

I saw her this morning. Finally, after nights and days of waiting. She was just as beautiful as when she left on Friday night, just as beautiful as when I fell hopelessly in love over 12 years ago. Of course I am devastated by this pain, I give you this little victory, but the pain will be short-lived. I know that she will be with us every day and that we will find ourselves again in this paradise of free love to which you have no access.

We are just two, my son and me, but we are stronger than all the armies in the world. I don’t have any more time to devote to you, I have to join Melvil who is waking up from his nap. He is barely 17-months-old. He will eat his meals as usual, and then we are going to play as usual, and for his whole life this little boy will threaten you by being happy and free. Because no, you will not have his hatred either.

By Antoine Leiris
   

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