為無辜巴黎人命哀悼

Condolences for Victimized Parisians

          為無辜巴黎人命哀悼

Yesterday an unprecedented ‘massacre’ happened in Paris, causing 128 people to die. Islamic State finally claimed responsibility for this atrocity, their supporters hailed to the assailants, who fired and killed people at random. They also called Paris ‘in flames’.

The innocent victims were unarmed, unprepared, and murdered in several different locations, including the stadium, cafes, restaurants, and or a music hall for performance of an American pop music, Eagles of Death Metal.  In other words, they might be sports fans, theater-goers, or diners…etc.

Almost simultaneously, both American President and French president condemned the terrorists. President Francois Hollande was even at the scene, in the stadium, and fortunately evacuated.  He later declared war on ‘terrorists’, telling them that the French are already united, and determined to face any challenge from ‘merciless killers’. When evacuated from the stadium, French spectators even sang “La Marseillaise” (馬賽進行曲), National Anthem of France, equally signifying “Viva la France”. We do admire French bravery, but we cannot but ask a question: “Do all the French people have to pay the toll of what their politicians have done?” Because, reportedly, the French government’s military movements are hostile towards ISIS.

Should it be this way, we feel deeply sorry that human lives of innocent people should be at the mercy of politics.  In the mean time, human life is worthless, sometimes lasting not longer than one day.  Here is a saying by a venerable, senior monk:

『人生猶如草上露，可保晨朝不保夕』。(Literally meaning: “life is fragile”)

“Like morning dew drops is a human life,

Warranty for morning, but not till night.”

Sad to say, people may perish not out of illness or natural causes, but because of idiotic, mutual enmity of homo sapiens.  However, as compatriots, or fellow human beings on this earth, we are hereby to offer from the bottom of our hearts, our sympathy and condolences for those mercilessly murdered in Friday’s Attack. And compassion shall also be extended to the people who were bereft of their loved ones in this tragedy!

          

Justin Lai (賴正雄)

11/14/2015

於美國南加州