Students React to Paris Attacks

Sara Harb and her father, Adeeb Harb, in Beirut, Lebanon. Courtesy of Sara Harb.

Ellen Lambert of Lexington, Kentucky, spent three years of her childhood with her family in Paris, France, immersed in the culture and attending French school. Lambert, who fell in love with the city and its people, looks back on her time in Europe overwhelmed with love and gratitude. But there is one moment in particular that stands out to her, one that brings on feelings of dark and devastating familiarity.

“The first thing that came to my mind when I heard about the news of the attacks this past weekend in Paris was my memory of 9/11 while we were still living there,” Lambert said. “We have never seen or experienced such an outpour of compassion as we did from our French friends for weeks after 9/11. Flowers and notes were brought to our home. I will never forget that my French school cried as they talked to me to make sure I knew my family was loved.”

A drawing by Ellen Lambert in French school, 2001. Courtesy of Ellen Lambert

Lambert, who is a senior biology major at Ole Miss, is an ordinary student with extraordinary ties to the devastating attacks that occurred this past weekend in Paris. With over one hundred dead and many more injured in the attacks conducted by the Islamic State, she hopes that she and other Americans can return the love she and her family received during their dark days years ago.

“I only hope that we, as Americans, despite our sometimes stereotypical view of French people, can wrap our arms around them and show them half as much compassion as they showed my family and me during that traumatizing event,” Lambert said.

Junior Ole Miss student and business major Sara Harb, like Lambert, is another example of just how close to home these attacks truly are. Harb, who was born and raised in Long Beach, Mississippi, has her extended family living in Beirut, Lebanon. Only two days prior to the massacres in France, Beirut was rocked by Islamic State suicide bombers, leaving dozens dead and injured.

“I’ve communicated with my family through Facebook,” Harb said. “I wasn’t surprised about the bombing because this is just something my family and I are used to considering where they live. They’re always caught in the crossfire.”

Ellen Lambert and brothers Ben, Sam, and Adam in front of Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris in 2001. The Lambert family lived in Paris for three years. Courtesy of Ellen Lambert.

Harb, who has visited Lebanon, explains her stance on the Syrian refugee crisis and what she believes needs to be done to help.

“Obviously, because I am personally tied to it, I think that we need to help get the Syrian refugees out of Syria as soon as we can,” Harb said. “It is a desperate situation and they’re in need of help.”

There are multiple funds that go to French and Lebanese aid, such as French Red Cross, which aids in medical assistance, and the Mercy Corps, which provides aid to Lebanese refugees and victims.

Allyson Arrigo is a senior print journalism major at the Meek School of Journalism and New Media. She can be reached at alarrigo@go.olemiss.edu.