Refusing to put French flag overlay on Facebook?

[InTheBox]

I did add the French flag overlay on my FB but many of my friends didn't do so, not because they condone the shootings but due to FB's choosing of the seemingly deserving west and underserving others. Many of my friends queried why there hadn't been a Syrian, Lebanese, Iraqi or Palestinian flag filter.

I can't say I disagree but I admit I hadn't considered this until their posts came up on my feed. Did you choose to change your profile to include the French filter or did you decide against it?

I'm now going to change my profile pic back to normal because in the main I disagree with FB's double standards.

I changed mine, my profile picture is currently one of the poppy installation at the Yorkshire Sculpture park. My reasons for changing it were being able to relate to young people enjoying a Friday night out going to see a band or having a meal out with friends, both things I've done on numerous occassions. I changed it because it could've been me, it could've been several of my friends, it's very close to home.
I didn't change mine to the Pride one, I was going to but then realised I'd only be doing it to make my profile pic look pretty!

ItalianWiking

I am really am sorry for your loss. It's a terrible way to lose a loved one.

I'm just glad I don't know these people who post big explanations on FB about whether they did or didn't post a flag.

I wonder how we'd feel if a terrorist attack happened in our country and people didn't show public support as it's no worse than things that happen in other countries?

Those of you who are French or who have French connections saying that you do appreciate the gesture have stiffened my resolve.

After 9/11, I remember the Guardian saying some awful things about America and Americans. The very day after 9/11, human beings were still being dug out of the rubble. I was hurt, and I will never forget it.

At that time France was hugely supportive to America. France was the best friend possible to us. France even tried to stop us going into Iraq. Now, that is a good friend. And now, the French are still committed to taking in 30,000 Syrian refugees, when other European nations are faltering and states in the US are running scared.

The French made a major contribution to the liberal ideals that made the modern world which we all enjoy now. They absolutely deserve our solidarity now. A click on Facebook is feeble, but every gestures counts. At least the English football fans were a straight forward enough lot to sing along to the French national anthem without second guessing it. Symbols do matter.

No. I find FB 'activism' tiresome, to be honest. I don't understand how these things make a difference. The rainbow flag/French flag/whatever flag thing no different to those 'I care about cancer victims. I bet you won't prove you do and share this post for 1 day on your page' things. Annoying, meaningless to me...but if others want to get involved, fine.

Thank you Settling your post has brought a tear to my eye.

Soooo not changing your profile pic = not showing public support.

Did you even RTFT??

The point was that people were getting pulled up for showing the flag with people making the same vacuous point you did reference other countries around the world being affected too (despite having never, ever mentioned these countries before).

HTH

I seem to recall that France was opposed to the invasion of Iraq much to the dismay of the US who renamed French Fries "Freedom Fries".

Some people have short memories.

I see the Premier League have announced that the French national anthem will be sung before games this weekend and so the mind control continues...

Did you choose to change your profile to include the French filter or did you decide against it?
when i first saw it I wanted too but couldnt work out or see how to do it.

then I also thought whilst I love that other people have done it, I dont need to show and do it personally.

To be fair Washediris when it comes to showing personal support, wouldn't you expect Europeans to be more Eurocentric?

I certainly expect that people in Jordan felt more deeply about the Beirut bombing than they do about the Paris bombing, even though the Paris bombing was three times bigger. I think this because they are neighbours with Lebanon and therefore will have more personal ties and shared history. It does not offend or upset me at all. It doesn't make me think that the Jordanians think it is OK to bomb people in Europe, just that their special connection with the Lebanese will make their gestures more meaningful.

I didn't change mine. I am on Facebook but find it full of absolutely rediculous trivial crap. What happened in Paris isn't a Facebook type thing. It's utterly tragic.

I changed mine to the tricolore overlay, because I wanted to. If other people want to get their knickers in a knot about that they can get on with it.

I've seen some posts from people explaining rather self-importantly why they aren't doing it. Because of course the important thing about the horrible events in Paris is all about them and their reaction to it .

Plenty of people haven't done it and haven't felt the need to make grand announcements about why.

Bottom line. I can't get worked up about well meaning people making a kind hearted gesture which is intended to show sympathy and solidarity.

Washediris, the only fury I've seen here is directed towards people who did change their picture. And sometimes by - but not always - people who are so desperate to be seen as PC that they be one rather nasty in the process. That's great you don't feel more empathy for European terrorist victims than those from other parts of the world - but lots of people do identify more with the French and don't deserve the nastiness because of it.

Another French here, that was deeply moved by seeing her friends speak about France and have the overlay. I was actually full of hatred when I was following what was happening, but this "stupid" thing on Facebook reminded me that we were not alone, and that our values were shared and valued in the world.
On Monday I went to give blood to the UK blood bank (even if I am terrified by needles) as a way to say thank you to the lovely British people that showed so much kindness at work and on social media.

I would be devastated if anything happened in the UK, because in my mind we are kin. I would feel sadness for such a thing in the Middle East, but honestly I would feel real grief for the US, the UK, and our European partners. Not because I think people in the middle East are less worthy, but because I feel real kinship, in term of value, History, and culture with the more western countries.
The world is too fucked up for us to be able to feel equal grief every time a bomb goes off. We would not be able to function normally.