The MASSive Difference

127 dead.  That is the number of people that were killed in a highly coordinated attack in Paris, France on November 13th, 2015.  The world is talking about the tragic events that occurred last night in the City of Love.  The acts, which have been confirmed to be from ISIS, is both horrible and unspeakable.  Many innocent people lost their lives.  Wives lost husbands, husbands lost wives, parents lost children and children lost parents.  All in the name of God.  Or, at least, that's what ISIS believes.  Murder, in the name of God, is not the God that I was raised to believe in.

Many of my friends on Facebook and Instagram have posted many, many photos "Standing with Paris".  Some have even changed their profile photos to include the French flag as a show of support, myself included.  I think that this is incredible and definitely a show of solidarity.  Others, and I need to add, many others, have taken this opportunity to blame this on President Barrack Obama.  Some even going as far as comparing mass shootings in the United States to the terrorist attacks in Paris.  Stop.  Just stop.  These people are comparing apples to oranges.  It is like trying to compare Magic Johnson to Steph Curry.  Or Joe Montana to Tom Brady.  Or Ronald Reagan to Abraham Lincoln.  Or the World War II with the Gulf War.  The two, no matter the comparisons, are completely different beasts that should never be uttered in the same sentence.  Ever.  To do so, to think that mass shootings in America and an attack by a known, psychotic, yet feared terrorist organization are the same, is lunacy.  Don't be "that guy".  This isn't about what President Obama did or what Hillary Clinton will do or who shot up what elementary school.  This is a blatant act of terrorism by a group who does not deny that they are terrorists.  This isn't Adam Lanza killing 28 total people including 20 young children in Sandy Hook Elementary School in 2012 or James Holmes walking into a premiere of The Dark Knight Rises in June of 2012, killing 12 people and injuring 70 more.  This is a TERRORIST ORGANIZATION!  They are Al Qaeda on steroids.  It really is only a matter of time before they attack America.  I seem to not be able to recall anyone comparing the attacks on 9/11 with what Stalin did in Soviet Russia, or what Hitler did in Nazi Germany.  So let's not make the comparisons with what happened in Paris to the mass shootings in this country.

I get it.  People hate President Obama.  That's fine, it is your prerogative and your right.  However, let's compare the two, shall we?  Let's find out if this IS his fault or not.  Mass shootings in America are the cause of some nut job, or mentally ill person or people, who hate a specific group of people for whatever reason or have felt "left out" their entire lives and have been made fun of, bullied or what have you.  Whether that's racism, or religion or political stance or even the love of a certain Superhero.  These people are also those who owned an arsenal of weapons that could arm a small militia.  They decided that putting these weapons of death to use against a certain group of people is a good idea.  So they go and shoot up a school because they didn't fit in and were made fun of because they wore trench coats.  Or they walk into a movie theater on premiere night of one of the most anticipated blockbusters of all time because they think they're the lunatic villain.  Or they walk into an elementary school in the northeast and kill over 20 young children because, well, no one really knows why.  The point that I'm trying to make with these horrific examples is that they are all different incidents carried out by much different people with completely different agendas.

Now on to ISIS.  The group that is responsible for this heinous act of terrorism.  Who are they exactly?  After doing quite a bit of research as to who they really were, I was stunned.  The majority of the high ranking ISIS officials are former Iraqi Army Officers.  Those who were some of the highest ranked Officers in the Iraqi Army under former leader Saddam Hussein.  So how did they get to be in the position that they're in now?  Why did they leave their post with Iraq?  It's simple.  Former President George W. Bush appointed L. Paul Bremer to be in charge of "converting" Iraq, who then told them to get out and never come back to their home nation after Hussein was overthrown by American Forces.  One of many links to where I found this information can be found here if you'd like to look for yourself.  The purpose of this organization is simple, convert the world to Islam or kill those who refuse to do so.  They are all a part of the same group with the same goals and the same hate in their heart.  The comparisons between ISIS and mass shootings in America are night and day.  They simply cannot be compared.  

So let us as a nation not get out of control and start posting lunacy about what happened, how it happened or even the cause of it.  Let us as Americans show our support for Paris and for all of France in their time of tragedy and need in the same way they showed their support for New York and all of America when terrorism and horror hit our own country.

Paris has never forgotten what happened on that fateful day in September, 2011.  Nor should we ever forget what happened on November 13th, 2015.  Stand with Paris.  Feel for all of those who lost their lives and the families that will mourn their loss and forever be affected by these awful acts.  Mourn with them in the same way that France mourned with us.  Continue to leave your Facebook, Instagram and Twitter profile pictures up to show France our continuous support and love.  Let them know that they are all in our hearts, thoughts and prayers.  When America was under attack from Al Qaeda, many countries stood in support of us.  But it was France that stood the longest.  So let's return the favor.  Show them our support.  Let's ALL #StandWithParis