Why isn't there the same sympathy for Kenyan attacks?

I really resent the question posed in the OP. All across the world these atrocities are taking place and they fill us with deep sadness and feelings of helplessness. It's coming up to the first anniversary of the Peshawar massacre where 140+ children and their teachers were killed and Sandy Hook four years ago.

Each and every one of these mass killings, whether by some lunatic fringe group, by religious bigots or by an individual are to be abhored.

But two things are at work here. Our own news networks tend to be very parochial and unkess you follow the world news on a network like Al Jazeera you learn very little about what's going world wide. Secondly many of us have visited Paris and have French friends, and this brings the horror closer to home.

But to even suggest that we don't feel 'sympathy' for those who are under attack in other parts of the world, like Kenya, makes me wonder about the motives of the OP. What's that new term that's being bandied about these days? Virtue flagging...???

Sorry to hear that Bags

I know Facebook has been useful in letting people know others are safe but putt ing a tricolore on a page setting is a bit like wanting a holly emoticon on Gransnet. I start to feel get a life. I think the French equivalent of MI5 should be put under a microscope instead of people being 'we're all French'. And if ,as Hollande says it is , war, then can David Cameron please follow Winston Churchill's splendid example of NOT speaking French

Thank you, anya.

Well I obviously need to 'get a life'; I have updated my FB profile picture with the tricolour to show solidarity with France, a country close to my heart, where I once lived and was educated. I see nothing wrong with that. It does not mean that other atrocities across the world mean any less to me and I take it as a personal insult if people who do not know me think that and take it upon themselves to unjustly criticise me and others. As for DC speaking French - at least he made an effort, unlike most Brits - good for him.

This is for the OP, from @Active_Change_F #messagetoisis
"united against terrorism everywhere", which of course we ALL are.

I think it's because we identify more with Europeans, they are our close neighbours & it could have been us. Whilst atrocities on the Kenyan scale are appalling it's not something that is so easy to relate to as they are further away and a different culture.

I don't really go on Gransnet very often. Today I have been reading what people here are saying about terrorist attacks and am very impressed by the reasonableness of the debate especially compared to the debates going on elsewhere. I learn from you to think of all the victims of terrorist attacks throughout the world (including Russia). I'm already quite active on this issue but the comments have further inspired me.

Kenya, Tunisia, Sharm El Sheikh, Paris. We feel these things as they happen. Paris is very close to home and we share cultural affinities with the French, not to mention that Paris, London and Washington are picked out as targets in the same breath by the terrorists so we are bound to be particularly affected by what is happening on our doorsteps. My daughter works in London and is now adding to her already onerous journey by switching lines so she doesn't have to alight at Oxford Circus. One cannot but be affected by news like that. Personally, I find the iniquities handed out to the Christian Yazidis beyond horror.

I obviously haven't conveyed how I feel about it very well at all - I haven't changed my own profile on facebook, I hate 'virtue signalling'. I feel huge sympathy for those suffering for the dreadful atrocities all over the world, and actually there is no other flag provided by facebook that I am aware of. I was just astonished by the overwhelming amount of visible support and coverage for France. Even quite small towns around here are lighting up their buildings in red, white and blue. Seeing that in my local news item on tv, my first thought was - why didn't they do that for, say, Egypt? Or Kenya? That was what prompted the OP. It was all one big guilt trip, they felt they had to, it was stated that the decision to do so had only been made by local councillors very early yesterday morning.

My own impression is that it was all done out of fear of it coming closer, nothing more. I think it is a huge show of bravado, to show unity. When the bombs are further away, we can pretend it isn't happening for just a bit longer. I just wanted to know what everyone else thought.

Not suggesting this applies here but a lot of younger generation don't read a paper or watch the news. They get their news and current affirs from the skewered world of social media.
I have had long discussions with 17 year old DS2 about looking at world events in more depth than a quick link on twitter.

This article sums it up

I understand your viewpoint about fear and solifpdarity, stillhere , but I don't think it's quite as simple as that. I liked this short tweet which I think puts the subtlety of it succinctly.

This blog called "Paris oneupmanship and the self-righteous" puts it well. It's not all that long. Three paragraphs.

What has happened to the Yazidis is just appalling beyond belief. I almost feel that I have to try and shut my mind off from thinking about it, as like everyone I am powerless to do anything to help these particularly persecuted peope. If I could, I'd pull the trigger myself if it would rid the world of these evil, vile, bestial murderers. Incidentally, I'm not usually a violent person!!!

Great blog, thatbags. Thanks for that.

That just about sums it up. Good blog and thanks bags

thatbags Thank you, that does sum it up very well.
It is probably what some have been trying to say (me for one, but in a more clumsy fashion.

And yes, the situation of the Yazidis has caused a lot of people distress, combined with frustration at being unable to do anything to help. Likewise the Nigerian schoolgirls.

I meant the blog sums it up well.

I'm not sure about the tweet. I see the point, but it does sound rather callous.

Will the chap who stopped the suicide bomber entering the football stadium get the same accolade as those who tackled thd gunman on the train? I would like to think so.

I wondered about that too Grabba - it was a miracle that hardly anyone was killed at the Stade. Had those three gunmen/suicide bombers gained entry it death toll would have been very much worse.

Well done that person!

I think I heard on the news there were three security people who stopped them entering. And they are being hailed as heroes. Quite rightly.

In that blog, is he actually saying that London is not a "great European city"? I think it is mate!

I can definitely see where people are coming from when they ask about attacks further afield. But I'm not sure they are right. I for one, was horrified at the suicide bombers in Beirut. And I cringe every time I hear of people being blown up in Afghanistan or Iraq. And I don't for one moment think I'm alone.

I agree with the link thatbags too.

I remember starting a thread on the attacks on Yemin a while ago, I think there were only about 6 gransnetters posted! Proves a point maybe?

Might I just add the UK news is dire for world news , excluding Aljazeera and RT Today which is a tad anti British at times and journalism is getting lazier and lazier.