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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

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

144 replies

LunchpackOfNotreDame · 14/11/2015 22:37

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?

OP posts:
TwoSmellyDogs · 15/11/2015 09:20

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

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

It is a simple thing that the vast majority of people - who perceive themselves to be utterly powerless in the face of this terror - just want to do. Totally harmless but of course it's one more thing for the oh-so-right-on liberals to pounce on. Ugh.

Binkybix · 15/11/2015 09:20

Whilst I agree with some of the 'liberal' points being made I don't think today is the day to be posting it on FB. My group of friends had someone who was killed FFS and some of that group are still pushing their own agendas, for example on counter surveillance measures.

It just feels wrong to me today, but then I don't use FB politically at all and was starting to get fed up of the endless political point making on both sides, so I guess I'm primed to be pissed off.

bettyberry · 15/11/2015 09:26

I was once told the line on which we all place ourselves (far right - right - middle - left - far left) wasn't so much a line as a horse shoe and those at both extremes had more in common than their cared to admit.

Washediris · 15/11/2015 09:26

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

BertrandRussell · 15/11/2015 09:30

I don't really understand why it's offensive to point out that there were was another ISIS attack in Beirut. It is natural, of course to feel instant solidarity for the people of France- they are "people like us" and many of us have friends and family there. But surely that insular mindset is one we should be fighting against? iSIS is a global issue, not a national one. And it requires a global response. And we should be pressing our political leaders to think globally too. And it is,sadly, hardly a stretch to think that vested interests play a massive part too- for example, the huge international arms industries have no interest in peace............

cjbk1 · 15/11/2015 09:30

that's how 90% of the population is now though, competively liberal and tolerant, I despair Confused

OhYouBadBadKitten · 15/11/2015 09:32

I love France, but to put the French flag on when I didnt't put the Lebanese flag on for me would feel hypocritical. I don't however condemn those who are doing so, each person has to go with what their heart says.

It is also, as fanjo says, perfectly possibly to be worried about the backlash as well have huge compassion for those caught up in the acts of terrorism and all of those affected. It isn't just about what happened, but also what is likely to happen. Everyone affected, now or in the future by this is equally affected by this awful act of terrorism.

There is no right way to mourn such a horrific event, we are all different. Surely that is what we are defending with our democracy; the right to be all different.

fanjoforthemammaries7850 · 15/11/2015 09:33

There ARE a lot of bigots who only care now it has happened in Europe though

I actually saw a man with the CND peace symbol as his profile picture seriously advocating that France now uses nuclear weapons and destroys the whole Middle East
Addressing this doesn't make people automatically competitively right on.

StormyBlue · 15/11/2015 09:48

I haven't done any Facebook ranting, but-

I get that people feel more connected to the Paris incident, but the fact that hundreds of people being wiped out in bomb/shootings/US drone attacks is a daily occurrence in some middle eastern countries is a very large part of the reason Western cities are targeted. That's why people are saying that we need to look at the full picture.

I do hate the 'religion is evil' tirade though because it implies that the only reason ISIS is attacking the West is because Islam is a crazy religious cult, and if only they became atheist they would have nothing to worry about. It completely ignores the surrounding politics of the situation and western governments own responsibility for the existence of a lot of desperate people with nothing to lose.

I'm not trying to 'out liberal' anybody. If anything, I feel like it's doing a disservice to the victims of the Paris attacks to try and bury our heads in the sand or even cover up the reasons why the attacks happened, and that more will follow if things are allowed to carry on as they are.

MackerelOfFact · 15/11/2015 09:49

I'm a bit sceptical of the people on FB who are pointedly gushing about Beirut to show how right-on they are, yet have never shown any interest or sympathy for any non-western act of terrorism previously.

Personally I haven't posted anything about either attack. I know people who were caught up in the Paris attacks and I think it's tasteless to try and make the situation about me or the way I'm feeling.

pluck · 15/11/2015 09:50

I looked through my FB friends this morning, and it's about half "tricolore". However, there was still one Pride "rainbow"!

BertrandRussell · 15/11/2015 10:03

"
that's how 90% of the population is now though, competively liberal and tolerant, I despair confused"

If I thought 90% of the population was liberal and tolerant I would be absolutely bloody delighted.

Timri · 15/11/2015 10:06

There's also a big difference between actually being liberal, and being a 'Social Justice Warrior'.

fanjoforthemammaries7850 · 15/11/2015 10:10

Hear hear bertrand

PlummyBrummy · 15/11/2015 10:13

Well said Bertrand

BlueJug · 15/11/2015 10:18

You cannot care about every single thing. Ridiculous. Those going on about the fact that some us are expressing feelings and views over France that we have not expressed over African shootings or Middle eastern atrocities would surely not get equally upset over the death of a person they have never met in some far away country as they would a neighbour.

I lived in France. I work there sometimes. I have many French colleagues.

I also live in London - and we got bombed on occasion. So an expression of solidarity is important.

StarOnTheTree · 15/11/2015 10:24

I do find it offensive that there is a sea of red/white and blue but the same posters don't give a shit not just about Beirut but Israel,Palestine

And you know that how? Hmm

Washediris · 15/11/2015 10:27

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

totalrecall1 · 15/11/2015 10:28

The situation is terrible, world wide. But the situation in France has really impacted me. France is not a war zone. It is 2 hours away from us. I go there every year, I know people living in Paris, I had friends in Paris this weekend. I don't know anyone from Lebanon and I have never been there so I think its natural that what happened in Paris has a bigger impact on me. I have changed my profile pic, and so have most of my facebook friends. I am moved to tears by the overwhelming support for the people of Paris, it doesn't make what is happening elsewhere any less important, but it is natural for some of us to feel personally impacted by what happened in Paris.

Washediris · 15/11/2015 10:30

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Tory79 · 15/11/2015 10:31

The thing is, surely if we let ourselves feel this level of grief/empathy over every incident that happened anywhere in the world.... I mean I'm not sure if I'd be able to get up on the morning carrying all that on my shoulders.

Surely for self preservation there has to be a bit of selectiveness over what things become a truly big deal.

When the refugee situation came to the forefront a while ago I found myself in tears almost constantly. I felt guilt over anything I spent or wore that I could have donated. I was obsessed for a while just trying my to imagine what their lives are like. I can't function in my own life like that, so it has to be pushed to the back of my mind a bit.

Doesn't mean I don't care, I do. I donate where I can, support where I can, but there are hideous situations happening in such a large % of the world that it's just not possible (I think) to grieve in the same way over all of them - you'd destroy yourself. And naturally we gravitate to the familiar, the close by, the people we know....

Helmetbymidnight · 15/11/2015 10:33

Oh absolutely!

My FB has no Britain first/no racists/no right wing shit thank goodness.

What it does have is; what about Lebanon. It's all tony Blair. It's all our fault. That's if it even happened. Shit.

BertrandRussell · 15/11/2015 10:33

"There's also a big difference between actually being liberal, and being a 'Social Justice Warrior'.

Better a social justice warrior than a racist bastard. As my mother once said "if you think do-gooders are a pain in the neck, you should try do-badders"

evilcherub · 15/11/2015 10:52

The Paris attacks and the Beirut attacks were all perpetrated by the same people (ISIS, who are Sunni Muslims). I don't understand why there has to be sympathy for one and not the other, they are both victims of the same group.

Timri · 15/11/2015 10:56

I totally disagree Bertrand
To me their different sides of the same coin.

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