French Flag Overlay

All over Facebook I see people like myself that have temporarily changed their profile picture with an overlay of the French flag.  The way I see it, it's an acknowledgement of those that have suffered and continue to suffer from the terrorist attacks in Paris last Friday.  It's a visual communication expressing sympathy and solidarity to the French.  It says, "I am as you are." 

As predicable as night following day, the cynics have arrived; those people so much more savvy with their more advanced point of view to publicly school me and others on Facebook on what they consider The French Flag Social Media Faux Pas.  They tell me that my gesture is meaningless.  That it doesn't "do" anything.  They say that unless I'm giving cash or blood or guns or something tangible, it's just a bunch of worthless posturing.

I disagree with these people.  And I think that theirs is a short-sighted, ignorant point of view. 

After 9/11, citizens of the free world took it upon themselves to express the same sort of visual communications of emotional support to Americans.  2001 was was long before Facebook, Instagram and Tumblr and yet these strangers half a world away waved American flags.  They made posters expressing sympathy for America.  They gathered together to send America a message: "We're with you."  And all of this "public gesturing" was done with little hope of being seen by actual Americans. 

But they did it anyway.  

After 9/11 France said, "We are all Americans."  I suppose I could have pointed out that legally, they were in error what with them being citizens of France.  And I could have suggested that unless they were sending cash, blood, guns, or were willing to adopt my personal thoughts of retribution for the 9/11 attacks that they could just shut up and stay home.

But doing that would make me a first class a-hole, don'tcha think?

You have to be able to understand the implied meaning of, "We are all Americans;" the one beyond the literal interpretation to grasp the tender thought.

That tender thought is the purpose.

I hope it isn't lost on you.