Okay, so the speech by Melania Trump was apparently lifted from Michelle Obama's 2008 speech at the Democratic National Convention. I get it, and it was indeed embarrassing for the Republicans, and for the Trumps in particular, surely. It serves as just one more thing - the latest in a long strong of reminders - of just how lacking in ideas, originality, and class that Trump and his people have, and how he is not fit to be President.
Here's the thing: I have never in my life seen a major candidate screw up quite as much as this. I mean, it literally seems like every single day, Donald Trump finds himself in some sort of major controversy, either directly or indirectly.
Not surprisingly, this stands to benefit Hillary Clinton. It seems that everything during this unconventional election season has served to benefit Hillary. Even when she appeared to be losing, when Bernie Sanders was drawing thousands (and sometimes) even more than ten thousand people during his rallies, while Hillary was struggling to draw a few hundred people at her events, she still managed to win primaries, although often with the help of closed primaries, or with strange things occurring on election day (take a look at some of the investigations into voting irregularities in Arizona, New York, Nevada, and California, for example). The evidence suggests that the party establishment helped her enormously, and of course, it is no secret that her funding came largely from the infamous Wall Street big banks and corporations, and not from the people, as was the case with Sanders.
Ultimately, the powers that be wanted her, and she won.
Now, she is winning against Trump, and in large part, it is because he keeps stumbling. Things always seem to go wrong with his campaign, to an extent not seen before. At least not in my lifetime. Not by a major candidate who actually won his party's nomination.
Frankly, I am not even all that convinced that Trump wants to win the White House. Perhaps he does, perhaps this is truly heartfelt. But given how much Hillary seems to have benefited thus far from Trump, particularly from those people who fear a Trump presidency more than an apocalypse, seemingly, the fact that he seems to bend over backwards to accommodate these fears and fuel them gives me cause for alarm.
I understand that he is a buffoon. Personally, I have always believed that he was an arrogant schmuck who certainly did not deserve the unbelievable media attention that seems to follow his every move. He seemed like the unfeeling and arrogant rich tycoon back in the eighties, and I sincerely believed that Gordon Gekko was modeled after him exclusively, although he was not.
Still, Trump came across like an arrogant schmuck, and I never really could understand his popularity. People seemed to love him, especially when he had his show, with the supposedly brilliant line, "You're fired!" He became associated with it, and eventually, it seemed as if he owned it, as if nobody had ever uttered those words before Trump's reality show.
Such utter nonsense!
And now, of course, he has looked like an unbelievable buffoon throughout this presidential campaign, and no longer looks like the slimy but polished billionaire tycoon.
However, despite all of the ridiculous incidents that keep happening to Trump, that does not somehow candidate Hillary Clinton. Let us remember, she has been in the middle of a ton of controversies and official inquiries as well. Some of them were staged or exaggerated, such as Bengazi, which modern day conservatives harped on relentlessly, shamelessly using a tragedy to score political points. However, the email controversy was not a joke, and neither were the election frauds that seemed to be a running theme in the Democratic primary - and she always seemed to win these controversial elections, with the blessing of the party establishment! Things always seemed to go her way, like when she promised there was no chance of her being indicted for those emails, and then her husband just happened to be on the same tarmac at the same time as the Attorney General, who is in charge of the Justice Department responsible for the investigations, and he happened to decide to meet with her, supposedly just to talk about golf and grandchildren for half an hour, surely inconveniencing thousands of people at a huge airport. Plus, she never did release the transcripts of those speeches to Wall Street firms and big banks. And let us not forget that she ultimately voted for the Iraq War, no matter how her supporters try to distort that reality nowadays, or that she contributed in designing the Trans Pacific Partnership (which she officially opposes, for now). And let us not forget that she seems to take a lot of money and gifts from lobbyists, particularly the healthcare industry that she used to fight, and that this constitutes a conflict of interest.
I short, she is a Clinton, and controversy follows the Clintons like a trail of slime from a snail or slug. It can be no other way.
As Bernie Sanders suggested, Hillary Clinton has the qualifications to be president, although her judgment has proven to be a liability. She is not trusted, and for good reason. Again, that just goes with the territory of being a Clinton.
Of course, her supporters remain blind to all of this. Months ago, many of them argued that anyone who did not support Hillary was automatically a sexist, which is an outrageous and absolutely ridiculous, patently false claim. They only see her words and her own self-aggrandizement, and take the words at face value, rather than as political propaganda. Much like her husband (and perhaps because of her husband), some people will like her, no matter what.
Then, there are other people - and I know quite a few people like this - who are so scared of a Trump presidency, that they put down any and all skepticism of Hillary, and that is wrong, too. Voting for the lesser of two evils still means voting for evil. And let us face one glaring fact: Hillary's "experience" has more than a small streak of corruption to it. She's a Washington insider, which means she knows people, has influence, and can do things. Trump does not have that same access. If anything, he's an outsider. And that means that ironically, despite the conventional wisdom being that Clinton would be the lesser of two evils, she might actually have a more detrimental impact than Trump ever could, simply because a lot of people would not allow him to get away with anything. By comparison, Hillary Clinton got a pass. After all, if she was a man, with her corruption and her ties to the big Wall Street firms and her issues with a lack of trust and people simply not liking her, she likely would never have gotten within sniffing distance of the Democratic nomination.
So, let us recognize what really is a glaring truth: that neither of the two major party candidates is fit to be the Commander-in-Chief. We need someone with ethics, someone who we know will be working for the American people, and not acting like an irresponsible buffoon like Trump surely will, or someone who is working behind the scenes for all of the wrong reasons, making sure to secure profit for all of her friends and the insiders at the expense of the American people, like Hillary surely will. Whether you opt for Jill Stein, or are thinking about writing in a candidate, such as Bernie Sanders, it seems clearer to me than ever before that this country needs better options, rather than systematically settling on evil.
Some people suggest that voting for other than the Democrat or the Republic is throwing away your vote. I would counter that voting for one of them is throwing away your vote. It's time for a real change.
Wednesday, July 20, 2016
Tuesday, July 19, 2016
The Yoga Skit on the Jamie Kennedy Experiment
Okay, so, these last few days have been very heavy in terms of world news, and thus the subject matter that I have chosen for this blog.
That said, sometimes you need something to cheer yourself up. Something to take your mind off of tragedies and this seemingly endless stream of bad news.
For whatever the reason, I started thinking about this one thing that really made me laugh many years ago, during another bad time, in the months following the September 11th attacks. There was a show back then known as the Jamie Kennedy Experiment. You guys have probably heard of Jamie Kennedy, right? He was the actor in the original Scream trilogy who played the geek who knew everything there was to know about horror movies.
Well, in any case, he had his own television show there for a while, where he would play pranks for regular people. It was your average hidden camera show, although this came before everyone and their uncle had such a show, and before the phenomenon spread to the internet and because so commonplace.
Not all of the skits were funny. In fact, this is the only one that I specifically remember, because it really made me tear up laughing. None of the other shows of his that I saw were anywhere near as funny as the one where this particular skit was shown, and even after all of these years, it made me laugh pretty hard when watching it again. Yes, that is how funny it is.
But then again, you can be your own judge, right?
So, if you are like me, and you could use a little something to put a smile across your face, then do yourself a favor and watch this. It is very funny, and well worth it!
That said, sometimes you need something to cheer yourself up. Something to take your mind off of tragedies and this seemingly endless stream of bad news.
For whatever the reason, I started thinking about this one thing that really made me laugh many years ago, during another bad time, in the months following the September 11th attacks. There was a show back then known as the Jamie Kennedy Experiment. You guys have probably heard of Jamie Kennedy, right? He was the actor in the original Scream trilogy who played the geek who knew everything there was to know about horror movies.
Well, in any case, he had his own television show there for a while, where he would play pranks for regular people. It was your average hidden camera show, although this came before everyone and their uncle had such a show, and before the phenomenon spread to the internet and because so commonplace.
Not all of the skits were funny. In fact, this is the only one that I specifically remember, because it really made me tear up laughing. None of the other shows of his that I saw were anywhere near as funny as the one where this particular skit was shown, and even after all of these years, it made me laugh pretty hard when watching it again. Yes, that is how funny it is.
But then again, you can be your own judge, right?
So, if you are like me, and you could use a little something to put a smile across your face, then do yourself a favor and watch this. It is very funny, and well worth it!
Monday, July 18, 2016
The Third Day of Mourning Following Nice Attack
Image courtesy of Yann Caradec's Flickr page - La tour Eiffel illuminée en bleu blanc rouge - Fluctuat nec Mergitur - Liberté, égalité, fraternité: https://www.flickr.com/photos/la_bretagne_a_paris/23166709356/in/photolist-BhCnau-ACu1K2-Ao4tqp-AJDkKk-BktiW8-AnW3i5-AnW9mN-Biarzo-ATk9oY-AJDGSa-ArDcyu-Ao4KZ6-Ao4EG2-AnWkZh-AnWhn7-AJDirx-AJDhqe-ATke7A-Ao4x96-Ao4pUB-AnW4FW-Bib4xW-Ao4TGk-AnWtXm-BiaT8Y-Ao4MUD-Ao4QbH-ALXPa4-Ao4K3X-AT7Bxo-AJDDsK-ACKJp4-AQHzfV-B8X7Jz-5ZGntM-AcQCVd-a2Df2P-dK72Y9-dTrNS1-6nZwqZ-bW5h2H-B4sV2H-cB9KaW-ArDMhM-AqxUck-cB9oFo-ng5bV-AJDAs6-2NR3w-4HhFbF
Creative Commons License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/
Image courtesy of Yann Caradec's Flickr page - La tour Eiffel illuminée en bleu blanc rouge - Fluctuat nec Mergitur - Liberté, égalité, fraternité: https://www.flickr.com/photos/la_bretagne_a_paris/22564367624/in/photolist-BhCnau-ACu1K2-Ao4tqp-AJDkKk-BktiW8-AnW3i5-AnW9mN-Biarzo-ATk9oY-AJDGSa-ArDcyu-Ao4KZ6-Ao4EG2-AnWkZh-AnWhn7-AJDirx-AJDhqe-ATke7A-Ao4x96-Ao4pUB-AnW4FW-Bib4xW-Ao4TGk-AnWtXm-BiaT8Y-Ao4MUD-Ao4QbH-ALXPa4-Ao4K3X-AT7Bxo-AJDDsK-ACKJp4-AQHzfV-B8X7Jz-5ZGntM-AcQCVd-a2Df2P-dK72Y9-dTrNS1-6nZwqZ-bW5h2H-B4sV2H-cB9KaW-ArDMhM-AqxUck-cB9oFo-ng5bV-AJDAs6-2NR3w-4HhFbF
Creative Commons License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/
Image courtesy of Yann Caradec's Flickr page - La tour Eiffel illuminée en bleu blanc rouge - Fluctuat nec Mergitur - Liberté, égalité, fraternité: https://www.flickr.com/photos/la_bretagne_a_paris/23076411945/in/photolist-BabDit-AsnWy8-BbaZLz-AQHzfV-ArDcyu-ePL8X6-AJDK4V-ePL9eZ-AwdfDF-BqYvt-82JkNK-4e1gAx-9z6gS8-8k88Kn-8dLijM-B8YLnf-AdhyRP-BbaSLH-BbaPtF-B7T3Lj-Awd5Eo-B7SWHY-BabwFa-B7SYmC-Ayw2sp-BktRwn-bW5h2H-Bktv62-Ao4EG2-bEUdg3-5JtF78-4Eh7XQ-dK72Y9-eS4yHL-4Eh7no-7N1iSa-5yS5i9-AnWkZh-ATkw3E-BktzLz-Ao4ANa-AnWhn7-8bZw6z-cUQASA-ACKJp4-Ao4tqp-AJDkKk-AJDirx-BktiW8-AJDhqe
Creative Commons License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/
As France had a third official day of mourning following the 14th of July attack in Nice, authorities are learning more about the man behind the attack in the Mediterranean resort city that shocked the whole world last Thursday night.
Indeed, there are no known connections linking this man, Mohamed Lahouaiej-Bouhlel, to organized terrorist groups, although he clearly seemed interested in radical Islam.
After there was a moment of silence throughout France, prosecutor Francois Molins announced new findings in the case, but reiterated that there are no known, clear links to organized terrorism.
"If there are no elements in the investigation to suggest at this stage an allegiance to ISIS nor links with individuals from the group ... he showed a certain recent interest for radical jihadist movements," Molins said.
The attack was premediated, and Lahouaiej-Bouhlel had taken selfies of himself by the Boulevarde des Anglais.
Prime Minister Manuel Valls attended a solemn memorial service in Nice earlier today. There was silence during the ceremony, although Valls was booed when he laid flowers on the promenade following the moment of silence.
As criticism grows of the increasingly unpopular government and it's apparent failure to keep the nation safe and at peace, French President Francois Hollande headed a meeting of the defense and security council earlier in the day in Paris.
French officials have not hesitated to call this incident a terror attack, and Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve recently suggested that Lahouaiej-Bouhlel. He also made clear that there would be a much stronger presence of police for the remainder of the summer, but was quick to remind everyone that, in this day and age, there really is no such thing as "zero risk."
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This was played after the Paris attacks n November, but it seemed fitting to add it in the wake of yesterday's attacks in Nice, as well.
Nice Attack Investigation: No Sign Driver Was Tied to Terrorist Networks by CASSANDRA VINOGRAD, July 18, 2016:
Sunday, July 17, 2016
Investigations Into Nice Attack Continue as President Hollande Braces France for More Such Attacks in Future
Image courtesy of Yann Caradec's Flickr page - La tour Eiffel illuminée en bleu blanc rouge - Fluctuat nec Mergitur - Liberté, égalité, fraternité: https://www.flickr.com/photos/la_bretagne_a_paris/23166709356/in/photolist-BhCnau-ACu1K2-Ao4tqp-AJDkKk-BktiW8-AnW3i5-AnW9mN-Biarzo-ATk9oY-AJDGSa-ArDcyu-Ao4KZ6-Ao4EG2-AnWkZh-AnWhn7-AJDirx-AJDhqe-ATke7A-Ao4x96-Ao4pUB-AnW4FW-Bib4xW-Ao4TGk-AnWtXm-BiaT8Y-Ao4MUD-Ao4QbH-ALXPa4-Ao4K3X-AT7Bxo-AJDDsK-ACKJp4-AQHzfV-B8X7Jz-5ZGntM-AcQCVd-a2Df2P-dK72Y9-dTrNS1-6nZwqZ-bW5h2H-B4sV2H-cB9KaW-ArDMhM-AqxUck-cB9oFo-ng5bV-AJDAs6-2NR3w-4HhFbF
Creative Commons License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/
Image courtesy of Yann Caradec's Flickr page - La tour Eiffel illuminée en bleu blanc rouge - Fluctuat nec Mergitur - Liberté, égalité, fraternité: https://www.flickr.com/photos/la_bretagne_a_paris/22564367624/in/photolist-BhCnau-ACu1K2-Ao4tqp-AJDkKk-BktiW8-AnW3i5-AnW9mN-Biarzo-ATk9oY-AJDGSa-ArDcyu-Ao4KZ6-Ao4EG2-AnWkZh-AnWhn7-AJDirx-AJDhqe-ATke7A-Ao4x96-Ao4pUB-AnW4FW-Bib4xW-Ao4TGk-AnWtXm-BiaT8Y-Ao4MUD-Ao4QbH-ALXPa4-Ao4K3X-AT7Bxo-AJDDsK-ACKJp4-AQHzfV-B8X7Jz-5ZGntM-AcQCVd-a2Df2P-dK72Y9-dTrNS1-6nZwqZ-bW5h2H-B4sV2H-cB9KaW-ArDMhM-AqxUck-cB9oFo-ng5bV-AJDAs6-2NR3w-4HhFbF
Creative Commons License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/
Image courtesy of Yann Caradec's Flickr page - La tour Eiffel illuminée en bleu blanc rouge - Fluctuat nec Mergitur - Liberté, égalité, fraternité: https://www.flickr.com/photos/la_bretagne_a_paris/23076411945/in/photolist-BabDit-AsnWy8-BbaZLz-AQHzfV-ArDcyu-ePL8X6-AJDK4V-ePL9eZ-AwdfDF-BqYvt-82JkNK-4e1gAx-9z6gS8-8k88Kn-8dLijM-B8YLnf-AdhyRP-BbaSLH-BbaPtF-B7T3Lj-Awd5Eo-B7SWHY-BabwFa-B7SYmC-Ayw2sp-BktRwn-bW5h2H-Bktv62-Ao4EG2-bEUdg3-5JtF78-4Eh7XQ-dK72Y9-eS4yHL-4Eh7no-7N1iSa-5yS5i9-AnWkZh-ATkw3E-BktzLz-Ao4ANa-AnWhn7-8bZw6z-cUQASA-ACKJp4-Ao4tqp-AJDkKk-AJDirx-BktiW8-AJDhqe
Creative Commons License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/
Today is the second straight day of mourning in France in the aftermath of the shocking Nice attack. The nation is trying to cope with this new reality of regular terrorist attacks on French soil, while the investigation of what exactly happened on Thursday night, and why it happened, continues to puzzle authorities.
The French interior minister is suggesting that Mohamed Lahouaiej-Bouhlel, the terrorist who killed 84 people and wounded over 200 others (many of whom remain in critical condition) by driving a huge truck along the very crowded Promenade des Anglais right at the end of a fireworks display for France's national holiday, was likely radicalized very quickly.
Authorities now believe that this man probably heeded the call of ISIS or other militant Islamist groups in their calls for terror attacks against soft targets, often appealing for attackers to try and be creative in how to go about their attacks.
While concrete evidence linking Lahouaiej-Bouhlel to terrorism still does yet not exist, or has at least eluded authorities to this point, there was a phone call placed to a jihadist man living in Nice.
In the meantime, French President François Hollande has warned his nation to expect more terrorist attacks in the future, even as a growing number of people are blasting him for failing to keep his nation secure.
Saturday, July 16, 2016
Turkish President Erdoğan Calls on Citizens to Flood Streets to Thwart Coup D'état
I have written a few blogs in a row about the terror attack in Nice, although there is other news going on around the world.
In another country recently hit hard by terrorism, there was an attempted coup d'état of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, as people claiming to be ranking members of the army claimed to have seized control over the country, throwing it into immediate turmoil. They claimed that President Erdoğan had compromised Turkey's secular traditions.
For his part, Erdoğan blamed treason within the armed forces of the country, and vowed that this attempted coup d'état would be defeated. To that end, he called on the Turkish people to flood the streets and fight those seeking to try and overthrow the government, and thousands of his fellow countrymen took this to heart. Indeed, they went into the streets and fought those who tried to take over.
As of Saturday morning, the attempted coup d'état appeared to have failed. There was live footage of President Erdoğan's plane touching down at Ankara, and he was greeted enthusiastically by a large crowd. He gave an address from the airport, and again asserted that the coup attempt had failed, that he remained in control, and that those who had attempted to take power in the country would face severe consequences for their actions.
In another country recently hit hard by terrorism, there was an attempted coup d'état of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, as people claiming to be ranking members of the army claimed to have seized control over the country, throwing it into immediate turmoil. They claimed that President Erdoğan had compromised Turkey's secular traditions.
For his part, Erdoğan blamed treason within the armed forces of the country, and vowed that this attempted coup d'état would be defeated. To that end, he called on the Turkish people to flood the streets and fight those seeking to try and overthrow the government, and thousands of his fellow countrymen took this to heart. Indeed, they went into the streets and fought those who tried to take over.
As of Saturday morning, the attempted coup d'état appeared to have failed. There was live footage of President Erdoğan's plane touching down at Ankara, and he was greeted enthusiastically by a large crowd. He gave an address from the airport, and again asserted that the coup attempt had failed, that he remained in control, and that those who had attempted to take power in the country would face severe consequences for their actions.
More on the Nice Attack
Image courtesy of Yann Caradec's Flickr page - La tour Eiffel illuminée en bleu blanc rouge - Fluctuat nec Mergitur - Liberté, égalité, fraternité: https://www.flickr.com/photos/la_bretagne_a_paris/23166709356/in/photolist-BhCnau-ACu1K2-Ao4tqp-AJDkKk-BktiW8-AnW3i5-AnW9mN-Biarzo-ATk9oY-AJDGSa-ArDcyu-Ao4KZ6-Ao4EG2-AnWkZh-AnWhn7-AJDirx-AJDhqe-ATke7A-Ao4x96-Ao4pUB-AnW4FW-Bib4xW-Ao4TGk-AnWtXm-BiaT8Y-Ao4MUD-Ao4QbH-ALXPa4-Ao4K3X-AT7Bxo-AJDDsK-ACKJp4-AQHzfV-B8X7Jz-5ZGntM-AcQCVd-a2Df2P-dK72Y9-dTrNS1-6nZwqZ-bW5h2H-B4sV2H-cB9KaW-ArDMhM-AqxUck-cB9oFo-ng5bV-AJDAs6-2NR3w-4HhFbF
Creative Commons License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/
Image courtesy of Yann Caradec's Flickr page - La tour Eiffel illuminée en bleu blanc rouge - Fluctuat nec Mergitur - Liberté, égalité, fraternité: https://www.flickr.com/photos/la_bretagne_a_paris/22564367624/in/photolist-BhCnau-ACu1K2-Ao4tqp-AJDkKk-BktiW8-AnW3i5-AnW9mN-Biarzo-ATk9oY-AJDGSa-ArDcyu-Ao4KZ6-Ao4EG2-AnWkZh-AnWhn7-AJDirx-AJDhqe-ATke7A-Ao4x96-Ao4pUB-AnW4FW-Bib4xW-Ao4TGk-AnWtXm-BiaT8Y-Ao4MUD-Ao4QbH-ALXPa4-Ao4K3X-AT7Bxo-AJDDsK-ACKJp4-AQHzfV-B8X7Jz-5ZGntM-AcQCVd-a2Df2P-dK72Y9-dTrNS1-6nZwqZ-bW5h2H-B4sV2H-cB9KaW-ArDMhM-AqxUck-cB9oFo-ng5bV-AJDAs6-2NR3w-4HhFbF
Creative Commons License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/
Image courtesy of Yann Caradec's Flickr page - La tour Eiffel illuminée en bleu blanc rouge - Fluctuat nec Mergitur - Liberté, égalité, fraternité: https://www.flickr.com/photos/la_bretagne_a_paris/23076411945/in/photolist-BabDit-AsnWy8-BbaZLz-AQHzfV-ArDcyu-ePL8X6-AJDK4V-ePL9eZ-AwdfDF-BqYvt-82JkNK-4e1gAx-9z6gS8-8k88Kn-8dLijM-B8YLnf-AdhyRP-BbaSLH-BbaPtF-B7T3Lj-Awd5Eo-B7SWHY-BabwFa-B7SYmC-Ayw2sp-BktRwn-bW5h2H-Bktv62-Ao4EG2-bEUdg3-5JtF78-4Eh7XQ-dK72Y9-eS4yHL-4Eh7no-7N1iSa-5yS5i9-AnWkZh-ATkw3E-BktzLz-Ao4ANa-AnWhn7-8bZw6z-cUQASA-ACKJp4-Ao4tqp-AJDkKk-AJDirx-BktiW8-AJDhqe
Creative Commons License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/
We now know the name of the man who plowed his truck through the throngs of people in Nice during France's national holiday.
His name is Mohamed Lahouaiej-Bouhlel, and he was born in Tunisia. He was not on the radar of counter-terrorism agencies in France. There were no known connections to any terrorist organizations, and no obvious links to radicalization. No terrorist group has claimed responsiblity for the incident. Authorities believe that there probably are links, although they remain as yet unknown. However, he did have a somewhat violent history in recent years, and he faced six months in prison for an incident involving road rage.
His neighbors have suggested that he was "frightening" to them, but for the most part, he kept to himself. According to one neighbor, Lahouaiej-Bouhlel would stare at children, which understandably made adults nearby uncomfortable. Again, there were no outward or obvious signs towards fundamentalism or extremism that authorities have unveiled. At least not yet, although this incident is believed to be one of wider terrorism.
Victims included people of diverse backgrounds and nationalities. Among the victims were two American tourists (a father and son), a Russian student, a Ukrainian, a German teacher from Berlin and two of her students, two Swiss citizens (a mother and her child), three Tunisians, and two Algerian children.
These were some of the man victims from Lahouaiej-Bouhlel's rampage two days ago. The only mistake or crime that they committed was wanting to go out and enjoy a beautiful resort city's fireworks on France's national holiday.
President Hollande called for three days of mourning following this latest attack, and called this incident "terrorism of opportunity" which, frankly, sounds about right. Still, Hollande is receiving mounting criticism for his security response, which some are calling inadequate, with this being the third major terrorist attack on French soil in the span of one year and a half, starting with the Charlie Hebdo attacks, followed later in 2015 by the Paris attacks in November, and now, this latest attack in the coastal resort city of Nice.
Facts in this case are still being revealed, so more details are likely to emerge. For now, however, this tragedy remains clouded in mystery, and incredible sadness.
\
This was played after the Paris attacks n November, but it seemed fitting to add it in the wake of yesterday's attacks in Nice, as well.
Nice attack: truck driver named as France mourns 84 killed in Bastille Day atrocity – as it happened, July 15, 2016:
Friday, July 15, 2016
Terror Attacks in Nice
Image courtesy of Yann Caradec's Flickr page - La tour Eiffel illuminée en bleu blanc rouge - Fluctuat nec Mergitur - Liberté, égalité, fraternité: https://www.flickr.com/photos/la_bretagne_a_paris/23166709356/in/photolist-BhCnau-ACu1K2-Ao4tqp-AJDkKk-BktiW8-AnW3i5-AnW9mN-Biarzo-ATk9oY-AJDGSa-ArDcyu-Ao4KZ6-Ao4EG2-AnWkZh-AnWhn7-AJDirx-AJDhqe-ATke7A-Ao4x96-Ao4pUB-AnW4FW-Bib4xW-Ao4TGk-AnWtXm-BiaT8Y-Ao4MUD-Ao4QbH-ALXPa4-Ao4K3X-AT7Bxo-AJDDsK-ACKJp4-AQHzfV-B8X7Jz-5ZGntM-AcQCVd-a2Df2P-dK72Y9-dTrNS1-6nZwqZ-bW5h2H-B4sV2H-cB9KaW-ArDMhM-AqxUck-cB9oFo-ng5bV-AJDAs6-2NR3w-4HhFbF
Creative Commons License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/
Image courtesy of Yann Caradec's Flickr page - La tour Eiffel illuminée en bleu blanc rouge - Fluctuat nec Mergitur - Liberté, égalité, fraternité: https://www.flickr.com/photos/la_bretagne_a_paris/22564367624/in/photolist-BhCnau-ACu1K2-Ao4tqp-AJDkKk-BktiW8-AnW3i5-AnW9mN-Biarzo-ATk9oY-AJDGSa-ArDcyu-Ao4KZ6-Ao4EG2-AnWkZh-AnWhn7-AJDirx-AJDhqe-ATke7A-Ao4x96-Ao4pUB-AnW4FW-Bib4xW-Ao4TGk-AnWtXm-BiaT8Y-Ao4MUD-Ao4QbH-ALXPa4-Ao4K3X-AT7Bxo-AJDDsK-ACKJp4-AQHzfV-B8X7Jz-5ZGntM-AcQCVd-a2Df2P-dK72Y9-dTrNS1-6nZwqZ-bW5h2H-B4sV2H-cB9KaW-ArDMhM-AqxUck-cB9oFo-ng5bV-AJDAs6-2NR3w-4HhFbF
Creative Commons License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/
Image courtesy of Yann Caradec's Flickr page - La tour Eiffel illuminée en bleu blanc rouge - Fluctuat nec Mergitur - Liberté, égalité, fraternité: https://www.flickr.com/photos/la_bretagne_a_paris/23076411945/in/photolist-BabDit-AsnWy8-BbaZLz-AQHzfV-ArDcyu-ePL8X6-AJDK4V-ePL9eZ-AwdfDF-BqYvt-82JkNK-4e1gAx-9z6gS8-8k88Kn-8dLijM-B8YLnf-AdhyRP-BbaSLH-BbaPtF-B7T3Lj-Awd5Eo-B7SWHY-BabwFa-B7SYmC-Ayw2sp-BktRwn-bW5h2H-Bktv62-Ao4EG2-bEUdg3-5JtF78-4Eh7XQ-dK72Y9-eS4yHL-4Eh7no-7N1iSa-5yS5i9-AnWkZh-ATkw3E-BktzLz-Ao4ANa-AnWhn7-8bZw6z-cUQASA-ACKJp4-Ao4tqp-AJDkKk-AJDirx-BktiW8-AJDhqe
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Usually, the 14th of July (le 14 de juillet) is a time of celebration in France. It is the national holiday, the equivalent of Canada Day on July 1st, or the 4th of July (Independence Day) in the United States. It marks the anniversary of the storming of the Bastille prison in 1789, which itself marked the true beginning of the French Revolution. In turn, the French Revolution set France apart from all other nations, setting it apart in some key ways, and helping to mold what has become the modern nation of France.
Like those days in Canada and the United States, July 14th is a time of relaxation and fun. It falls in the summer, so the weather is usually accommodating for outdoor activities. The scenes are similar to scenes in the same month in North America: there are barbecues, there are parties, and there are fireworks, both illegal and legal.
Of course, the government wants to encourage public fireworks, for reasons of safety, which is understandable.
However, it was at a public display of fireworks in a prominent French city last night that there was a major terrorist attack again yesterday. Presumably, the large crowd assembled to view the fireworks was one of the reasons for the attack.
A white truck filled with explosives broke through security, shooting and killing people before driving into a crowd assembled to view the big holiday fireworks show that the city was planning for. According to witnesses, the truck driver was swerving from left to right specifically to hit and hurt and kill as many people as possible. He drove approximately 2 kilometers (around 1.2 miles) before he was stopped.
The AFP is reporting at least 84 dead from last night's attack.
French President Hollande addressed the nation early this morning, wearing a black jacket and tie, and speaking solemnly. He had been about to lift the State of Emergency that has been in effect since the terrorist attacks on November 13th of last year, but he instead extended it for another three months in the wake of these attacks yesterday in Nice. He suggested that France is in a state of war.
“All of France is under threat from Islamist terrorism,” Hollande said.
“Nothing will make us yield in our will to fight terrorism. We will further strengthen our actions in Iraq and in Syria. We will continue striking those who attack us on our own soil.”
Hollande summed up by emphasizing that France would “always be stronger, I promise you, than the fanatics that want to strike it.”
However, this is not the first, nor even the second, major terror attack on French soil seen during Hollande's presidency, and political pressures and criticisms both are growing sharper.
Reactions poured in from leaders all over the world.
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau had this to say:
“I was heartbroken to learn of the many dozens of innocent victims who were killed or injured as a result of today’s terrorist attack that targeted Bastille Day celebrations in Nice, France.
“On behalf of all Canadians, I extend my deepest condolences to the families and friends of those who were killed. We also wish a speedy recovery to the many more that were injured.
“Canada and France are the closest of friends, and we stand by the French people as they face this terrible ordeal. We have offered all possible assistance to the French Government.
“Senseless acts like this one are not isolated events, and we will continue to work with our Allies and partners to fight terrorism in all of its forms. We will bring those who are responsible to justice, whether they be the perpetrators, or those involved in funding or organizing such attacks.
“Our thoughts and prayers are with the people of France at this very difficult time. We mourn the loss of so many innocent victims.”
American President Barack Obama said this:
"On behalf of the American people, I condemn in the strongest terms what appears to be a horrific terrorist attack in Nice, France, which killed and wounded dozens of innocent civilians. Our thoughts and prayers are with the families and other loved ones of those killed, and we wish a full recovery for the many wounded. I have directed my team to be in touch with French officials, and we have offered any assistance that they may need to investigate this attack and bring those responsible to justice. We stand in solidarity and partnership with France, our oldest ally, as they respond to and recover from this attack.
"On this Bastille Day, we are reminded of the extraordinary resilience and democratic values that have made France an inspiration to the entire world, and we know that the character of the French Republic will endure long after this devastating and tragic loss of life."
Russian President Vladimir Putin called this a "disgusting act of terror."
Putin went on, addressing President Hollande in particular:
"Dear Francois -- Russia knows what terrorism is and what threats it creates for all of us. Our people have faced similar tragedies more than once and deeply feel what has happened, they sympathize with the French people and are in solidarity with them.
"The crime in Nice which led to deaths and injuries, including Russian citizens, was committed with extreme brutality and extreme cynicism. I want to underline once again that only through a united effort can we defeat terrorism."
He finished with a personal appeal:
"Mr. President, I ask you to pass the condolences and words of most sincere support to the relatives and kin of those killed."
Pope Francis said this in the aftermath of the attack in Nice:
"I pray for the victims of the attack in Nice and their families. I ask God to convert the hearts of the violent blinded by hate."
European Parliament President Martin Schulz had this to say:
"Liberté, fraternité, égalité: France will not give in," @EP_President Martin Schulz on #NiceAttack. pic.twitter.com/1CG6YPypgF
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This was played after the Paris attacks n November, but it seemed fitting to add it in the wake of yesterday's attacks in Nice, as well.
This was played after the Paris attacks n November, but it seemed fitting to add it in the wake of yesterday's attacks in Nice, as well.
Nice terror attack is a crisis for presidency of François Hollande by Angelique Chrisafis, 15 July 2016:
Trudeau, Obama offer sympathies to Nice truck attack victims by The Canadian Press Thu., July 14, 2016:
STATEMENT BY THE PRIME MINISTER OF CANADA ON THE TERRORIST ATTACK IN NICE, FRANCE, by Prime Minister's Official Website, July 14, 2016:
Statement by the President on the Attack in Nice, France by President Obama, released by Whitehouse.gov, July 14, 2016:
Live updates: Truck driver attacks crowd in Nice, killing dozens by Steve Almasy, James Griffiths and Lauren Said-Moorhouse, CNN, July 15, 2016:
Pope and other leaders express their sympathy for Nice by Lauren Said-Moorhouse, July 15, 2016:
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