there isn't anything wrong with changing your facebook profile picture to support france. there isn't.
but, there is.
i know that every single person who has changed his or her profile picture to the red, white, and blue of the french flag has done so with nothing but the sincerest, most compassionate, most grieved, most loving intentions. i do not doubt that for one split second. and i appreciate it.
but, i think it's wrong.
color has become such a big deal. too big a deal. we have ribbons in every color of the rainbow. including the one in the color of the rainbow.
women (and men) wear pink wigs. because.......pink wigs cure breast cancer.
changing your colors makes you feel empowered. lulls you into feeling like you're doing something, when in fact, what you are doing is nothing more than what you should be doing every day - being loving and supportive. why broadcast that you're a loving and supportive person only in the aftermath of a tragedy?
and if red, white, and blue is loving today, then don't ever change it back to your regular profile pic. change it to reflect the next tragedy.
on the other hand, if your kid was killed in paris last night, and if seeing your friends bathed in red, white, and blue today (and for the next 3 or 4 days) doesn't seem like it's gonna do much to prevent somebody else's kid from being blown up here in the united states tomorrow, then writing a letter to barack obama, blasting him for being a traitor to all of western civilization, might.
(don't forget to cc: your congressman or woman.)
