In Defence of Voice

I was going to write a piece about the vastly differing importance given to Beiruti and Parisian lives over the last two days. But I find myself continually having to defend the very voicing of this disparity. As if in highlighting the unequal treatments that these tragic events and lives received, I somehow negate my empathy for Parisian lives.

It goes without saying that these attacks were tragic. It goes without saying that I feel for the families and friends of those affected. It goes without saying that the gunmen are disgusting excuses for human beings. Or at least it should go without saying. But it seems that unless I pay this lip service, I am not allowed to speak nuances or context or analysis. But it feels pointless and hollow to say what everyone else is saying. It feels like a waste of space to just add to the uniform ‘thoughts and prayers’ that fill up my timeline. There is more to this. Why can’t I say the more to this.

For every status about Paris, I see that person’s complete silence about Beirut. For every profile pic changed to a picture of Paris solidarity, I see the lack of Lebanon. The very vocal care and attention given to Parisian lives at every level – government, media, public – tells non-Westerners (and Beirutis in particular though other non-Western populations know the same) that their lives are not worth as much as Western lives; not even when the common enemy of ISIS is the one that blows them up. They know this anyway. It is told to them in stories of collateral damage and drone strikes; in the upholding of this human rights standard but not that, in the welcome of this dictator, the arm trades to that despotic government.

And it is not just non-Western populations that experience this devaluation of life. Minorities within Europe are constantly told their lives do not matter as much as their white counterparts: whether in media coverage of white vs. non-white deaths; stops-and-searches; increases in and treatment of hate-crimes; discrimination and violence by authorities.To grow up with constant assertions that your life is worth less than those around you, that you do not belong in your country of birth. Would this not make it easier for fanatics to prey upon those insecurities and vulnerabilities. To use the fact of your mistreatment to move you towards vengeance.

And so is it not as important to say this now, when the violences perpetrated upon these lives are coming back in such an extreme form. Is it not important to counteract the cacophony that drowns out the ‘less-than’ – and even attempts to silence the fact that a discrimination is even made. For the tragedy is obvious, the discounted lives are not.