As tragic as the terrorist attacks were in Brussels on March 22, 2016, with the world offering its assistance and sympathy to the Belgian people, the difference in outrage and sympathy has been written about in terms of where these attacks happen.
Terrorist attacks in the heart of Europe in Belgium and France prompted worldwide anger and sorrow for their people, however those same kinds attacks in places like Lebanon, Nigeria, Mali, and others are mentioned and reported on but do not generate the similar levels of anger and sorrow. Many in diverse media thought pieces and news stories pointed to a Euro-centric bias for outrage and sympathy for terror attacks. They point out this is backed by the amount of news stories devoted to terrorist attacks outside of Europe and America. Even the level of sympathy and outrage on social media is examined on this issue.
Recently, the Atlanta Black Star published an article titled Selective Outcry: The World Came Together After Paris and Brussels Terrorist Attacks, But Who Will #PrayForNigeria about the issue. This isn’t the first time the issue was brought up; a day before the terrorist attacks happened in France, it was reported 41 people were killed in Beirut when suicide bombers attacked. The hashtag #PrayForLebanon was quickly overtaken by #PrayForParis and it was people of France that received all the attention.
The New York Times even covered this trend in their article Beirut, Also the Site of Deadly Terrorist Attacks Feels Forgotten. Recently, it was reported Boko Haram, a terrorist organization based in Africa, killed people and burned the bodies of children in Nigeria. That also did not generate the level of sympathy or media coverage the attacks in Brussels did. Last weekend on Easter Sunday, over 60 people were reportedly killed and more than 300 people were injured in Pakistan when terrorist attacked a park where families gathered to celebrate the holiday. Both Christians and Muslims were said to be among the injured and dead.
