I remember after 9/11 when people in NY held up a sign saying „Please don’t overreact!“… 

Well, Europe is not the US, but hopefully they never stop to talk, no matter what „actions“ are taken. There is so much conflicts in this for decades in the near east which get even worse with a war going on. And it’s a guerilla war since 2001. 

Unfortunately, there’s no easy solution, but also no moral integrity while there’s a war led by drones which regularly kills civilians. In parts, this is a moral bankruptcy, although I’d rather call it ethic bankruptcy. And it’s too often a reaction to wrong decisions taken in the past which were fueled by particular interests and didn’t come along with a major and sustainable strategy.  

These young people in Paris are misled by an instrumentalized religion, are too often full of hate and frustrated by their own lives. So the roots of the problem go down deep. And we have to look at it. Even if we might not like what we’ll see.

I hope that these attacks will not be used by certain people in Germany to argue against refugees and their religion. But this is probably hopeless. They will do so. But I hope and even pray that Germany will not be hit by such actions. But Germany is neither an island, nor am I naive.

So each of us in Europe is called to act: talk to people, discuss, be clear and strict, stay open-minded, explain, listen, understand, embrace. Help to heal. This is also a way to fight for your values and your democracy. But of course, illegal and criminal actions have to be sentenced and punished in a democracy, too.

It’s a long way and it requires patience, a cool mind and a warm heart. 

My thoughts are with the victims, their families and all the helpers who have had to face this horror. I hope you will get over this some day.

My thoughts are also with those people who lately lost their lives in Beirut and other locations. 

So like Gandhi said, be the change that you want to see in the world!