To think today was not the day to try and out liberal each other

[LunchpackOfNotreDame]

I have some painfully 'right on' types on my Facebook, the sort that make mumsnet look positively right wing.

A few are trying so hard to be 'right on' in their, not anti Paris but I can't think of how else to put it, they're being down right offensive. They are showing such contempt for people being shocked and saddened by the events in Paris that in their rush to do so they're just coming across as utter cunts.

Aibu to think some subjects you just don't do that with?

Shins Yes, I've also seen a lot of people who are FAR angrier about retaliation attacks that haven't happened than they are about the actual attacks

On this theme, and by no means a stealth boast where I double out liberal the overly liberals I've got loads of reposted stuff on fb today saying "Beirut got bombed too, no-one in the west even cares" well guess what, I'm British and I had plenty of posts of fb friends checking on friends and relatives, and plenty of westerners I know were talking about it, and were upset at the Beirut and Syria bombing.
None of those people are the same as the "what about Beirut" brigade who are now compassion/liberal out-doing each other and who only found out today about the Beirut bombing from a fb meme

I haven't posted much about the events on FB.

But there are wider implications of this than just "oh no those poor people" and people who examine them are sensible and not "trying to out liberal each other" IMO.

You can be concerned about a backlash against innocent refugees as well as feeling sympathy for people who have lost loved ones. The two are not mutually exclusive.

Nor does it mean you don't care about the people who have died if you don't post screeds about it.

Not wanting further airstrikes doesn't equate to having sympathy for Isis. It's simplistic to view this in that way, to say least.

I think actually this Paris massacre has brought out a lot of fear.
And yes we all have different points of view that's because we see and experience life differently to one another.
Not saying what people are saying and posting is okay but more that they are showing their fear.
It's very normal in a situation like this to feel fear and because we are all different we will respond to fear in these different ways.

Fanjo I think the majority of people will agree that the issues are not mutually exclusive. And I don't think it's being suggested that anyone and everyone who's reaction wasn't 'Vive La France' #TricolourFilter are trying to 'out-liberal' people, but I know exactly the type they mean. The ones who are essentially excusing it and saying in thinly veiled language it's what they had coming, the Parisians deserved it. It's going to come to London next, and they're going to deserve it too. The whole of 'the west' deserves it.
You know, that lovely lot

I hadn't heard about the other attacks until someone posted about them in response to the Paris support. I'm glad they did - we should know about these things and pay more attention. Doesn't take anything away from Paris though, where the proximity and nature of the attacks makes us more inclined to feel involved.

OP I actually agree with the people on your fb feed who you say are trying to "out-liberal" each other.
I haven't posted anything on fb, as I have been loath to cause offense after such an horrific event. So my views are not posturing, just because they differ from yours.
I've spent the last day feeling both sickened and horrified by the incident itself, and deeply saddened at how obviously some human lives outrank others, and also at some of the horrible anti-Muslim stuff that has popped up, predictable as clockwork.

Fanjo

I think you're missing the point. It's not that people don't see the wider picture, it's that some people are perversely showing more sympathy for potential future victims of islamophobic discrimination than the real victims of Friday's attacks, either that or disdainfully belittling the attacks by reference to other terrorist acts further afield.

People are pricks.

I don't think I'm missing the point. I suppose it could be a matter of interpretation.

But of course i haven't seen the actual posts in question.

Showing sympathy for innocent Muslims and refugees and mentioning other attacks alone are not IMO showing MORE sympathy for the refugees or belittling what happened in Paris.

Some people seem to think merely mentioning those things is offensive.

Of course it depends on the posts and wording

Even saying that governments in the west have brought it on themselves (note i sm not saying this or going there) is very different from saying the innocent people of Paris deserved it.

I feel some people are trying to out grieve and rage each other too. A middle ground needed as always

*Liberals are also often totally illiberal: they are all for tolerance when it comes to one of their "causes", but stonkingly intolerant of anyone who doesn't agree with them or holds opposing views. The words and phrases they use to denigrate and belittle those with other opinions are often striking in their viciousness. (

I think we could have given it a couple of days before polishing up our liberal credentials on Facebook etc.

A lot of the arguments are reductive anyway.

Do people really have to verbally make condolences to show they care though? I haven't shared anything like that but tend to assume if someone is calling something evil that they have compassion. I think making speeches of condolence to people you don't know who won't read it is not necessarily the biggest sign of kindness and empathy

I think I had a successful clear out after Lee Rigby so my fb feed is sensitive and non offensive. One put details of another bomb in the middle east but it wasn't done nastily just informatively.

he same posters don't give a shit not just about Beirut but Israel,Palestine....

It's this kind of argument that's irritating.

Lots of people are well aware of the global situation. But France is a place where many of us have lived, worked, have family. I have family in Bordeaux and Brittany.

People just want to make a gesture. Nothing wrong with that. It's a simple thing.

Facebook's "show solidarity by tricolour ing your profile pic" thing pissed me off a bit

Not because i have any problem with people doing that but more the way some random dudes at FB HQ get to decide what "deserves" to be recognised (or not).

When they are running a site with more than a billion users it has quite an impact.

In other words they are not being politically neutral or responsible.

Xpost with Washediris.

(I don't wear a poppy)

Just use it as a way to cleanse your friends list. It's nice when events show you who the cunts are.

Im ignoring one friend on fb as well at the moment who commented on the recent beruit incident and said it was worse than the paris incident. Both were awful as people lost their lifes. As for the picture changing seeing people laughing behind the french flag seems wrong. But each to their own. Thoughts with all those effected x