I stand with France

After the horrific attacks on Paris, France, Nov. 13, I felt the need to write my blog about it. Not to give any added attention to these monsters who carried out attacks that killed at least 129 and injured hundreds more, but to give support to the people of France and humanity around the world.

How it all unfolded…

• There were seven coordinated attacks by three different groups of terrorists, the first at Stade de France, where a soccer match between Germany and France was taking place and the French president was in attendance. There were two explosions outside the arena around 9:20pm. A third explosion went off half an hour later at a nearby McDonalds.
• The next attack came at 9:25 p.m., where another group of terrorists drove to a restaurant and bar that stood on opposite corners and began spraying both venues with bullets, killing 15. I watched a video on the morning news that showed people running for cover. Two women stood out – they came face to face with a gunman but his gun jammed and their lives were spared. Then these terrorists drove to a pizzeria nearby where 20 more people were wounded and five people lost their lives.
• The next attack came at 9:40 p.m. when terrorists launched an attack at another bar, killing at least 18 people and injuring many more.
• The deadliest attack came at 9:40 p.m., when terrorists launched an attack at a concert hall where 89 people were killed. I watched on the news as a pregnant woman was hanging from the building to save her life before help arrived.

After the attacks on Paris, France struck back by launching 20 airstrikes on the Syrian town of Raqqa. They are also calling for joint forces with the U.S. and Russia, who have already launched airstrikes, and other countries to form a global attack against ISIS. I was so happy to see the French people come out Sunday night, two days after the attack on their country, and memorialize the ones who were lost. This is how we defeat them: by standing strong and standing together, so today I stand with France.

Matthew Maggit is a sophomore in accounting in the College of Business Administration. Matthew decided to come to UIC because of the business program’s reputation and because he wanted to study at a campus with a diverse atmosphere. He likes how close the campus is to downtown Chicago and the Willis Tower. In his free time, he loves to surround myself with loved ones, and he enjoys sports and going to the gym.