“Je Suis Charlie”: Frank Underwood would be so proud of you, Monsieur Hollande…
World leaders assemble in Paris to march against violence… and to show united full power
I declare myself a huge House of Cards fan (even if Season 2 became a sort of adult political ‘Gossip Girl’, with the US President busier solving his personal life problems than anything else).
Mr. Frank Underwood’s cynicism is nothing new for someone like me -a mexican citizen who sees everyday how local politicians, including “mexican savior Enrique Peña Nieto”, struggle for power with no interest for other people,and caring more for personal image than really making a change. That’s why my first thought when I read some articles about massive rallies across France, was House of Card’s favourite master of manipulation.
“Francis would be so proud of François Hollande, Angela Merlkel, David Cameron, Mariano Rajoy, Benjamin Netanyahu and every other politician who saw such an opportunity after the blood bath occured in the Charlie Hebdo newsroom”, I said to myself.
An estimated 3.7 million people (according to french Interior Ministry) marched in Paris and other cities to honour the 17 civilians killed in the Charlie Hebdo and kosher supermarket attacks, and to show no fear against what seems to be a strong wave of islamic fundamentalism awaken by the international coalition led by the US and France against ISIS in Syria and Irak.
But then, people’s iniciative became a great opportunity for other politicians to turn fear and rage into a political move, and show concern for the security of their citizens*.
*By the way, some of those world leaders haven’t show any public concern or duel for the estimated 32 innocent civilians killed in Syria and Irak by the 5.000 bombs released by their own military planes against ISIS.
The 3 km “republican march” from the Place de la République to the Place de la Nation was such a political move, that far right -and Europe’s principal concern- Marine Le Pen was not invited to the rally. Nor her Front National party members.
Some other rallies will surely follow during the next days across France and probably Europe, pleading for liberty, democracy, security and freedom of speach, while western countries continue to bombard a foreign country far from home, and continue to kill innocent people who just was at the wrong place, at the wrong time. Not only in Irak and Syria, but other countries across the globe.
But until then, “Nous sommes tous Charlie” (“We are all Charlie”). At least as long as it shows as a productive political trend.
Mr. Frank Underwood would be so proud of you, “Monsieur Hollande”.
*Author’s note: I haven’t been a fluent english writing person for a long time, so I will appreciate your comments in case some arrangements to my text are needed.
