This is absolute garbage.

First of all, it is extremely disrespectful to the millions of people of color living in France, as this was just as much an attack against them as it was an attack against French people of European origin.

Aside from that, the United States simply does not have the same relationship with Lebanon, Kenya, Pakistan, etc., as it does with France because it does not have the 400+ years of shared history with those countries as it does with France. There literally would not be a United States of America without France's help. We would have lost the revolutionary war without their support. We fought alongside them in WWI and the most famous battle of WWII was fought on their soil. 828,000 square miles of our nation was purchased from France in 1803. One of our country's most famous icons, the Statue of Liberty, was a gift from the French government. French culture was incredibly formative on the creation of American culture -- their cuisine, art, literature, philosophy, language, cinema. To ignore all of this and simply cry "racism" is to be willfully blind to the facts and history of the world.

The attacks in other countries were no less tragic than the attack in Paris, but our relationship with Paris is much closer than with those other countries, so it is only natural that it would effect us more. You grieve more for those who are closer to you. And there is nothing wrong with that.

Looking for racism where it doesn't exist. THAT attitude is doing us the most harm. In fact, to assume all of France is white is excruciatingly racists.

I don't have kids. Over the years I've been dismayed to notice that people with kids don't really care about all kids; they only care about their kids. It's all me and mine, rarely us and ours, never you and yours. It is dismaying to note but not surprising. It's an element of human nature, I think. White people acknowledging kinship with France is pretty much the same thing: it's we and us and ours. I'm wondering....how would Charles Mudede like us to collectively acknowledge our feelings towards the French?

There are many reasons why Charles is wrong. But how about a pure issue of international law: Unlike the other places you mention, Charles, France is a member of NATO. Under that 66 year old treaty, we will treat an attack on France as an attack upon the United States of America. France has declared the attack an act of war, and has formally requested that the mutual defense clause be triggered. I reject the notion that it is somehow morally suspect for a U.S. citizen to feel more kinship with France than with Pakistan. But leaving aside the shared history and shared sacrifices and the many feelings of affection and familiarity and fraternity our nation and its citizens have with France--as a legal and political matter we are obligated to defend France with our guns, our treasure, and our lives.

@107 - Compare & contrast Nazis to ISIL? To what end? What would be the point?
Both should be opposed, although the tactics of opposition are different because their generative ideologies and capabilities are different. Muslims themselves think ISIL are a bunch of lunatics, who need to be stopped.
The key questions are: Who is funding them? And why?
For the Nazis it was corporations funding their efforts (IG Farben, Bayer, VW, et.al.).
ISIL is being funded by various states with agendas.

The USSR & US together over the last 30 years opened a pandora's box of now multi-generational hatred, creating --however intentionally or not-- radicals so desperate and disaffected they will strap bombs to their bodies. The solution will easily take another 30 years. If we pursue one. And we won't.

Remember, guerrilla violence is a tool of the weak - the desperate, wanting to be heard, to incite. Those with the power have a moral responsibility to refrain from using that power, and instead specifically working towards peaceful solutions. And in this situation military superiority cannot hope to squash thousands of angry ants.

But there is no solution forthcoming... Hollande: "I want to say we are going to lead a war which will be pitiless." We have been successfully incited. We're playing right into their story.

It's going to get very, very ugly.

Ugh tragedy hipsters.

ISIS fighters are "a bit pathetic," "street kids drunk on ideology and power" -- "more stupid than evil."

« Why France? For many reasons perhaps, but I think they identified my country as a weak link in Europe – as a place where divisions could be sown easily. That’s why, when I am asked how we should respond, I say that we must act responsibly. »

I was held hostage by Isis. They fear our unity more than our airstrikes - Nicolas Hénin

I'm inclined to agree with the spirit of this article, but on the other hand, no one person or city or nation can fully honor/mourn each individual community or nation that experiences these sorts of attacks. Because there are too many. Humanity is sad, sick, and suffering.

I propose a world flag. Not for some "world nation", but just a flag for humanity. Maybe we raise a new one every time there is a mass killing, until every building is a memorial to the complex web of death and despair we've woven throughout our collective history on this planet.

This is a good read that offers some perspective that is absent in posts by Charles and Ansel.

http://flavorwire.com/547870/we-need-to-…

Ugh. Is every goddamn thing racist now? Solidarity with one group is racist against all the others? Is there *any* freaking thing that isn't racist anymore?

It's rhetorical because you know, I just don't care. My outrage fatigue meter maxed out a long time ago. Charles may or may not have a point here but frankly I'm too taxed out to care anymore. We're upset about everything all the time and can't take a freaking day or two to show some solidarity with a close ally.

Tragedy hipsters, crawl down off your ledge or you'll slip and fall on your own hypocrisy.

Mr. Mudede, by looking at your articles, you have a knack for fear and hate mongering. Narrowmindness is not a virtue, sir. Perhaps you should work for CNN instead? Your worldview has definitely been tainted by colonial history, but this is the 21st century! And please respect those who died in this horrible tragedy. It happened in France...hence the French flag!

@102: It's possible to express a sincere opinion and still do so with the intention of stirring the pot and making people waste time arguing about it. Trolling is a art.

I am Lebanese American. I wondered why there was two flags mourning in this recoent attack. Lebanon was at one time a French colony and to this day the a lot of Lebanese people speak French and well as Arabic. Lebanon was at one time prodominately Christian with the Christian seat of Government as the majority. That was all undone due to attacks , kidnappings and assassination of one very famous Christian president and then the bad guys took over. Hezbollah now runs the show especially in Beirut. My relatives are all Christians . They take pride in their religion and fight for that freedom. Lebanon was considered the Paris of the east until the terrorists ( Hezbollah) took over. This war with has spread to Lebanon since they broke thru the border last week. It will not stop there.
We must always remember that there are innocent people that are victims by these violent attacks that are not terrorists.

Ugh, everyone's Facebook feed was complaining about this 5 days ago, why beat it to death now Stranger? Go find something to report on.

BTW- all those other countries are predominately Muslim whereas France is not and many Americans have an actual connection to France. Muslims killing Muslims is sad but not really anything new. Muslims killing yuppies/hipsters in non Muslim countries is.

Dear Stranger - it's not racist to edit black writers from time to time.

This lazy screed is on par with the state senator editorial you guys published blaming white people for not being more polite to the the insulting, racist stage crashers at the Bernie Sanders rally this summer- not a good look.

@123: Yeah, I see. That's more in line with my comment at @1. Hence, it makes it even more despicable - playing games with peoples frayed nerves at a time like this.

I'd like to think that if Dan were still editor, he would have nixed Charles's post.

What's racist is that the same people who are complaining that the 47 people killed in Beruit were ignored are continuing to ignore the 224 Russians killed in an ISIS terrorist attack a few days earlier. Why are all those expressing sympathy for those killed in Beruit ignoring the Russian attack? Anti-Eastern European racism maybe? Playing the race card when it comes to the sympathy given to France is the biggest pot kettle black ever. None of these same people object that Mike Brown and Trayvon Martin got more sympathy than all other deaths worldwide that happened during that time combined. Maybe Charles should put that same guilt trip are black activists in Seattle and the paper he writes for. They give more attention to a white on black violence that happens on the other side of the country than black on non-black violence in this very city. The left has strong pro-black and pro-Muslim biases. Then they call everyone else out for perceived biases that are not pro-black or pro-Muslim. What a joke.

@124 any symapthy for those 224 Russians killed a few days earlier or are 47 dead Lebanese more important?

Too bad they weren't killed on the other side of the Egyptian-Israeli border. If so Charles Mudede, Muslims, and black activists would be outraged.
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/11/16/world/…

If we hung up 3rd World flags for every bombing, machete, or acid attack the city wouldn't have any money left to spend on sanctuary city scofflaws and Somali gangs.

Hey Stranger.... you all are fucking idiots and hypocrites. And question... does that make every person on Facebook with a French flag overall racist as well?! I mean I'm sure they didn't change their overlays for every bombing and attack on these other countries. QUICK, better write an article calling everyone in America a racist. Maybe you should all take your time and pull your heads out of your asses... starting with your idiot editor!

Mr. Mudede,

Are you saying that Muslims in Dubai are racist for putting up the colors of the French flag on their buildings? Are you saying that Iranians who stood vigil outside the French embassy are racist?

What about the fact that we didn't go nusto about the London or Madrid bombings? By your calculations, we should have been cumming all over that. I'm pretty sure England is considered... white. I could be wrong.

Let me explain something to you: Americans have an affinity for the French. As much as we poke fun at them, we love them. They love us. They are interwoven into our history and for fuck's sake, their language takes up 40% of the words we use!

Some examples of what they mean to us:

The Statue of Liberty: Their huge ass gift ("oh thank you... I guess we'll hang it over the mantle???) welcomes refugees and immigrants into this country.

Gilbert du Motier, Marquis de Lafayette: If you don't know who that is, you are missing a huge part of American History

Normandy and the shared blood spilled

Louisiana - There are whole sections of people who have spoken French in this country for a few hundred years.

They stood vigil over our flag after 9/11, now we stand proudly vigil with theirs. I'm fucking proud of that.

There are many more examples.

We have sadly become hardened by news reports from the Middle East. I know it can be a peaceful place, but to paraphrase Jon Stewart, no one turns on the news to watch a line of cars *not* exploding. They have been tearing each other to shreds and we have certainly, most certainly not helped. At all. In fact we are a blight over there.

You want to impress me? (as if you care.. but still): DO something about ALL the people - If all lives really matters to you, then you will put down the liberal PC bullshit which is a convenient way of yelling loudly but not doing a damn thing, whilst allowing Conservative xenophobes to run right over everything, causing havoc. Neither is helpful and your armchair activism won't help one Syrian Refugee: and you know what: We got to figure that shit out. They are desperate and running from ISIS assholes, while at the same time ISIS is shamefully exploiting them to sneak in sleeper cells. THAT should be our number one worry. How do we stop a threat without becoming dictators. There is one thing I know: Guantanamo is still open and that scares the shit out of me because if we are that willing to be open about torture, and detaining people without due representation or any human rights, I have no doubt that in an effort to prevent terror in our country.. they will do things covertly that would be even worse.

THAT is what you should be worried about.

Not the flying of the French flag, a country we love.

Yeah: they're white. I can't help geography and history. You'll have to take that up with God. Or Allah. Or whoever.

But for France, which provided much needed support during the Revolutionary War, there would not be a United States. So President Obama was not overstated the point that France is our oldest ally. That shared history, through two world wars and sixty years of trans-Atlantic alliance makes for a much closer relationship with France than other countries around the world. That is a fact, and not one the United States as a nation, or Americans individually should apologize for the closes of that relationship.

Just figuring this out now huh Charles? Nice scoop....

I agree we should support the French and show solidarity for their dead, but its lying to say that we dont undervalue other peoples sufferring. Brother Charles is right. Funny thing is, there are way more citizens of Lebanese descent living in the USA. There are thousands and entire communities of Lebanese living in Michigan alone. But of course to the majority of white folks in Sea town, they are not Americans or american like, and as always I see that Charles remains their favorite target for their thinly veiled racist views.

I just hope France and the international community are more rational in their response than the US was with 9/11... Responding to transgression with understanding and sympathy does not make one weak. We need to adjust our worldview and yet not allow ourselves to be taken advantage of.

Good talk, everyone.

Black Lives Matter, except for Charles Mudede who is just a complete hack and ass of a writer. Utter waste of ink and space.

Just a few minutes of searching shows exactly why Paris was "strategically" targeted. It was a multicultural statement. Specifically at multicultural youth. So to place a French flag on top of the Space Needle is appropriate. But once again Charles is the one being racist by trying to creating the illusion of France and Paris as a white only.
Like many major cities in the world it is massively multi cultural, just like Seattle. Look around, Seattle is diverse in culture, from Asia, Africa (like Charles), white (from many countries), Muslim, Jewish, Christian........
To imply France and Paris is a white only is ignorant and false. Diversity was the target of these bombings. Designed to undermine multiculturalism.
A perverted pattern emerges after a number of years If you are going to constantly point the finger at one group and make false statements to whip up some personal agenda of hate. Paris is a complicated multicultural city just like Seattle and if this had happened in Seattle I am sure many people would be offended if someone had made a statement that Seattle and the USA is a white only country. Paris is a representation of multiculturalism. So it is apt that the French flag be flown atop the space needle.
My nephew lives in France, his wife works in Paris, my mothers sister married a French man and has lived her whole life in France. I also have family in Hong kong, Africa, Canada, UK, Ireland. The world is multicultural and at some point somewhere a single place is chosen to represent that. That place has become Paris.

Charles -- a different angle would be to interpret this as a 1st world vs. everyone else moment. Paris is seen as a major center of the "western world" -- yes, it's a white world, but it's also the sense of economic and social connections we're brought up with here. We feel like American cousins to England, France, Germany, etc. through language and culture but it is simply a construct.

As annoying as the jingoistic USA USA b.s. can be, the over-the-top tricolore on everything downtown also loses a little impact when you realize they'll switch it right back to XMAS red and green right after thanksgiving, unless the 'Hawks are playing, then it will be blue and green, unless there's a Susan G. Komen event, then they'll be pink.

Knowing first-hand how the process works for Space Needle flags, *that* is (ironically, in the case of this post) one of the most heart-felt symbols of solidarity on display in this city.

Another thought about Paris and how it aptly represents multiculturalism came to mind.
The acceptance of African Americans in Paris, how many African American GI's settled in France, the embracing of Jazz and many black performers in Paris.
This history is easily explored by just looking it up and reading. It is not a white only city and culture.
The Statue of Liberty would not exist if not for France. Napoleon sold Louisiana to the US, it's culture diverse is steeped in French influence the French helped the US fight for independence.
Flying the French flag in the US is very appropriate when you look at your history.

Okay so but like, if Paris is super multi-cultural (meaning, raising the French flag is honoring many people of diverse backgrounds) and Seattle is multi-cultural (meaning there are people of many backgrounds here--Russian and Lebanese included), then why are we not respecting the grief of Seattle's diverse population, who DO have connections to Lebanon and etc? Like, if France's multi-cultural population negates claims of racism, then Seattle's multi-cultural population should, inversely, necessitate that we honor victims of terror in all the countries our population is connected to.

idk, i think the more important thing to do might be, like, continue to vote for politicians with compassionate yet pragmatic foreign policy, and continue to use tools like the internet to reach across borders and befriend people in distant countries. but that's just IMO!!!

The other attacks were aimed specifically at Christians. We like to pay our respects secularly.

@152

It took 232 years to elect a half Kenyan President of the US.

In that time we've shared over 300 years of immigration, culture, treaties, military alliances, and direct trade with the French. Kenya didn't even exist as a modern independent state until 1964.

The idea that America sympathy must be evenly dolled out by culture - like every single global culture is evenly represented (2.799679% globally or something) - is simply idiotic.

We are closer to western European cultures historically. Particularly France. With out whom our republic would't even exist.

And then there is simply the issue of terror fatigue in countries like Pakistan which had over 1800 terror attacks in 2014 that's five terror attacks a day. Even Kenya had something like 12-13 terrorist attacks last year.

And of course Lebanon has been torn apart by a civil fucking war for OVER 30 years. There are killings and bombings there nearly every week.

Even compared to the US, France has been largely at peace since WWII. Attacks of the magnitude we saw were deeply shocking.

But. hey. Go ahead and be a total cynical divisive pile of shit and police how people show sympathy. Go ahead. Join the chorus. Be just another sanctimonious pile of shit.

All of this.

The funeral analogy @2 is broken: it's more like the 'asshole' who asks the people at the funeral of a cop who gunned down 20 people in cold blood over the last year where the fuck they were then. The US, France, et al. have committed far worse terrorist attacks against civilians in other countries for decades, even centuries in France's case, with nary a word (and certainly no flags, no Facebook photo mods, etc.) from most citizens of our respective countries. The racist hypocrisy is fucking despicable. Be better people.

As a New Yorker living in Brooklyn, I can look out into the harbor every day and see the Statue of Liberty, a gift from our sister nation, France. France helped us during the Revolutionary War. And, this is purely coincidence having nothing to do with any recent events, or any intentional planning, but my brunch today included French brie and Bordeaux wine.

We have a close historical bond and cultural ties to France. It's not just any random country. Although there has been something of a love/hate relationship at times over the centuries, we have to acknowledge that as countries go, they're definitely a friend.

And when your friends get hurt, you'd have to be pretty cold-hearted to not feel for them.