Lying in a pool of blood, surrounded by hundreds of bodies, approximately 80 of which had ceased to have a heart beat, hundreds of innocent concert-goers hid or played dead in sheer terror for 10-minutes as unmasked gunmen mercilessly slaughtered those inside the Bataclan concert center at one of six terrorist attack sites in Paris on Nov. 13. The blood from those Americans, Mexicans, Spaniards, Chileans, English and many more now runs together as one united in a blue, white and red stream in support of France and everyone involved in the Paris shootings and bombings.

The dozens of stories that have been shared from these victims reveal the surreality and hypnagogic experiences of those involved and have united the world in what is the largest attack on France since World War II. The damaged, disturbed and dimly lit city that is currently victim of an “act of war,” according to President Francois Hollande, has only been energized, surcharged and illuminated by billions worldwide.

On a small scale, whether it be the simple act of changing a profile picture on Facebook or using #prayforparis, the world has done more than modestly stand aside its fellow nation, but rather held them up and given them a voice in this time of silence and mourning. Worldwide landmarks such as the Christ the Redeemer statue in Rio de Janiero, the Empire State Building in New York, the London Eye ferris wheel in London, the sails of the Sydney Opera House and many more were irradiated through the Friday night and Saturday morning of the attacks, donning the blissful colors that France represents on its nation’s banner.

Every little piece of recognition and step towards combating this horrendous attack on innocent civilians and countries makes a difference. Regardless of how some may allege the narcissistic qualities of those changing their Facebook profile pictures to embed the blue, white and red stripes in sustentation of victims, it is miraculous that one can scroll through one’s feed and see roughly every other friend of theirs mirroring the global reinforcement that we as a humanity demand cooperation for.

While seven of eight attackers were identified as dead, the hunt is developing for the last. Now, on a broader scope, not only allies, but almost all world leaders and countries have rallied in the reinforcement for this massacre-stricken nation by releasing statements about the attacks.

In a time when the effects of extremist groups such as ISIS are traumatic, as seen on that fateful night, these acts of support show more than the backing of France, but also the forward mentality of defiance and confrontation towards these terrorist organizations. Similar to the 9/11 attacks on the United States, President Barack Obama promises he will do whatever to bring perpetrators “to justice” in light of these “sickening” acts. Leaders such as Iranian President Hassan Rouhani, British Prime Minister David Cameron and Russian President Vladimir Putin have all triggered a revival in relations in order to combat these tragic events despite current strained relations between their respective nations.

While adolescents around the United States that cannot vote, cannot get their voice out to a large audience and cannot have a direct impact on this issue, they are doing as much as they can do: raising consciousness and displaying their genuine sympathy and union towards the families and friends of all casualties. This, alongside the national efforts of leaders, is such an encompassing way of involving the greater public into the picture. Although those close to the victims can fully recoup from the loss of their loved ones, every single stride towards withstanding and battling past this onslaught gives them closure that not only political leaders and celebrities support, but also billions of workaday commoners who figuratively stand alongside the 129 concert-goers, the street-walkers and the bar patrons whose lives were appallingly thieved.

Staff Vote: 26-0