France, Paris 1997. The Opera House (Palais Garnier), Gueorgui Pinkhassov.

France, Paris 1997. The Opera House (Palais Garnier), Gueorgui Pinkhassov.

France, Brittany. Cote d'Armor Department. “Saint-Jacut de la Mer” peninsula. The port 1999, A. Abbas.

France, Brittany. Cote d'Armor Department. “Saint-Jacut de la Mer” peninsula. The port 1999, A. Abbas.

France 1999, A. Abbas.

France. Cotes d'Azur. Alpes Maritimes Department. Near the village of Escarene, 1999, A. Abbas.

France. Cotes d'Azur. Alpes Maritimes Department. Near the village of Escarene, 1999, A. Abbas.

France, Nimes 1999. Roman arena, Thomas Hoepker.

France, Nimes 1999. Roman arena, Thomas Hoepker.

12th arrondissement. Marché d'Aligre (Aligre market), France, Harry Gruyaert.

12th arrondissement. Marché d'Aligre (Aligre market), France, Harry Gruyaert.

Seine Saint Denis department. Le Bourget, Air & Space Museum. France 1985, Harry Gruyaert.

Grape harvest in Behorleguy, France, William Albert Allard. 

The notes we can take from the last atrocities enacted by ISIL and how they where presented once again shows us the double standards of Western media about level of importance and the amount of exposure an event gets. This discussion is not just about Christians vs Muslims, it is way bigger and wider - it is a discussion about the “free and democratic” westerners vs the “barbaric” easterners. 

The perception of Easterners as uneducated possible inhumane killers and terrorists is now a perpetual way of thinking about the Muslim community. However, adding to that point, it is not only the Muslims who are treated as second hand people. We need to be very specific when we talk about this, because when we look at the recent attacks against Yezidis and Assyrians by ISIL, you will see a pattern of ignorance and disregard not only for Middle Eastern Muslims tragedies, but Christians too.  It is a display of cultural imperialism, orientalism and glorification of Western cultural values and hegemony. 

We live in more atomised societies than in the past, in an age in which many people feel peculiarly disengaged from mainstream social institutions and in which moral lines often seem blurred and identities distorted. These developments have shaped not just Muslim self-perception but that of many social groups. Many individuals within white, working-class communities are often see their problems not in political terms, but rather through the lens of cultural and ethnic identity.

To sum it all, we see an increasing pattern of double standards and engagement in one tragedy while being totally removed by the sufferings of the East. Who decides which atrocity need more attention? Who decides which one of the need to be talked more about? Who can set a definition of importance of tragedies? What is the role of media?  

Western nations dominate the media around the world which in return has a powerful effect on Third World Cultures by imposing on them Western views and therefore destroying their native cultures and disregarding their pain and suffering.

The need to defend Muslim community in France even though it is still not announced who is responsible for the attacks is a true showcast of how islamophobia will rise up again. We are seen as murderers, cruel and violent people who are the ones to blame about every bombing, killing and terror. We are Muslims and we are seen as animals, as feelingless human-beings, as the others. As people who belief system is way too different and inhumane than the Western world. We are Muslims and being one will make you accountable for the atrocities done around the world. We are Muslims and we will always be seen responsible for them. We are MUSLIMS.

A person finds a unique way to carry a copy of the Mona Lisa across the street, James Stanfield.

A person finds a unique way to carry a copy of the Mona Lisa across the street, James Stanfield.

France 1988. Normandy. Mont-Saint-Michel, Bruno Barbey.

France 1988. Normandy. Mont-Saint-Michel, Bruno Barbey.

Eiffel Tower from Arc de Triomphe 1999, Chris Steele-Perkins.

Eiffel Tower from Arc de Triomphe 1999, Chris Steele-Perkins.

Paris 1958, Elliott Erwitt.

Paris 1958, Elliott Erwitt.

Paris 1997, Rene Burri.

Paris 1997, Rene Burri.

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