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Dear all, I also agree that it would be good to make such a statement. It might not change much and I am no friend of "activism", but unfortunately "no statement" is also a statement (and: It always the sum not the parts). So thank you all for pushing this and thank you Wander for initiating it. I also think that Ozges suggestions and all the other ones are good, including this last one (below) except that I'd opt to not include "justice". Justice is a difficult concept and depends, in my humble opinion, very much on culture. The softer "love, respect, tolerance" are less ambiguous. But well, independent of this, I'd like to support this statement. - Frederik -----Ursprüngliche Nachricht----- Von: News and discussion about computer simulation in the social sciences [mailto:[log in to unmask]] Im Auftrag von Mario Paolucci Gesendet: Montag, 16. November 2015 10:21 An: [log in to unmask] Betreff: Re: [SIMSOC] Statement on behalf of our community on the Paris attacks Wander and all, count me among the supporters. The text sounds good, but if there would be something to add, I would go in the direction of what Ozge suggested. In fact, in the text there is no reference to the interests that have fuelled, and are currently fuelling, the confrontation. If we all agree about love, respect and tolerance (by the way, um, justice anyone?) we should not forget that forces stronger than intolerance are at work. The politics of international powers had been dictated by internal groups of power - if the US politics failed, the US weapons industry politics didn't fail at all. And this is not the place to mention the great game around Russia. On this line, especially in the perspective of a scientific endeavour, we also need to consider the cui prodest of the current situation. Here's the last version as edited by Patrick with some modification under that line. I'm sure it can be still improved. Best Mario --------- Our flourishing global community is based on the human values of love, respect, justice and tolerance, embracing diversity rather than to fight and opress it. Terrorist attacks carried out by extremist minorities have destroyed the lives of thousands of innocent citizens around the world, and on top of that, they have also been undermining these values by fuelling a polarisation process, setting up groups of people against each other. Responding with fear and violence would undermine our own values and ultimately lead to repressive governance structures. Instead, we want to support the development of critical thinking worldwide, both in areas of the world that are dominated by dogmatic and repressive powers, and inside democracies whose flaws get routinely exploited by internal groups with vested interests. We say "drones for internet access not packed with explosives”, we say "bombardment with laptops not with rockets”, we say "lead for printing not for bullets” We call for more money to be invested in food, health, education, technology, research, work, peace, and social justice rather than more violence and death.