France represents a pivotal time in the history of this endagered planet.

France has been deeply affected by the events of the last few days. The murder of the employees from the magazine and of other hostages taken as terrorists 'make their point,' is not going to cower the French people. Whether their reactions are totally based on a just cause will no doubt be debated, in many countries, most of whom are watching closely as the French respond to the attack on their country. France sees itself as being at war. They see their cause as just and will push aside some of the contributing factors as to why things have come to this sad state. French Muslims will be feeling particularly uncomfortable as they hide away, in the vast suburbs they inhabit, ones full of despair---one reason for the tension that France feels. However most the 'underlying causes will be put aside as France unites, to try to understand, but above all, rally to a clarion call from the very base from which their 'Republic' was formed. 'Freedom, Fraternity and Liberty,' will be the cries, albeit in French. The terrorist have not gathered support they would have hoped for, for their cause; indeed they have 'pricked' something very basic in the French Psyche, something just as powerful as any dogma promoted by the killers of innocent people. That is not how the terrorists and their supporters see things of course. They hark back to the 'insult to the prophet,' and to the murder of innocent peoples in the countries from whence they arose; countries or parts of countries equally under the collective 'yoke' of despots, criminals, clerical fools and big corrupt business and Royal families. Sadly, we are going to witness more, not less, war or peace, more destruction, retribution and the lessening of freedom within the countries under attack, as Governments try to find a away forward, to identify the terrorists, using means that affect the freedom of other dissent voices. We are all the losers in this epic battle. It is about greed, control, perverted religious dogma, capitalist underpinnings and human failings---the biggest of which is the 'lack of tolerance---on both sides. Is this a negative and overly pessimistic posting?---YES IT IS! I fear for the future of human kind and that does not even bring other environmental battles that are being lost. It seems that humans are concentrating their failings in massive ways; violence,repression and ignorance being the weapons of choice! If there was ever a more pivotal time in our collective history, then this must be right up there. www.authorneilcoleman.com