I’m still ‘in Paris’. Can’t get away. Its all I read, all people speak about, its everywhere.

More details have emerged, none of them particularly pretty or nice, but as always, this kind of horrific event will always bring people together. The world, well, the civilised world, has aligned with France. Minutes of silence preceded every sporting event over the weekend, except the Brazilian Grand Prix. For some reason, even though Christ the Redeemer had been bathed in a tricoleur light show, those boys at F1 can’t add a minute anywhere. Impossible. The world would end if the race started 1 second late, let alone 60.

But generally, we’re all in shock.

Paris was ‘selected’ because the French are bombing Syria. But really that’s not the real reason. The real reason is that Paris epitomises our cherished values of a happy, liberal, affluent and free society. People sit and drink there all day. Coffee, wine, beer, water, whatever they want. And they sit beautifully. Parisiennes do everything beautifully. Even mourn.So an attack on a Friday night; party night, is the one that hits hardest. Because people were out having fun. Watching football, eating in restaurants, listening to a band. Attacks at work (9/11) or on the way to work (7/7) are horrendous. But attacking folks enjoying their leisure time, although the same tragedy in human terms, is a much more potent cultural attack.

I took this photo on the way to work this morning, outside the High Court. Because its funny, its eye-catching (as intended) and it kind of defines life in a free environment. Protesters. Moaning about euthanasia. Not whether we should allow it; I think we’re all agreed on that. But whether to amend our ‘assisted suicide’ bill to provide a little more ‘assistance’ than may have first been on offer. In the Dutch mode in which the actual decision can be made by a judge or a doctor, rather than just by the… the… errrrr… the victim/volunteer/suicidee him or herself.

No-one gave the poor 120 in Paris the choice on Friday night. Nor the 200-odd injured. Nor the thousands who’ll live with ‘survivor guilt’ or just the nightmare of the tragedy probably forever.

Death has many faces. Most of them really fucking ugly.

Happy monday

A xxxx