We each hold the power to defeat ISIS.
The world stands united in mourning for our beloved Paris. The City of Lights embodies love and romance in our hearts and minds and now the violent acts of extremists have stained its streets with blood and death.
And yet, Parisians have already taken back their city. They have united in the streets and sent a message to ISIS and all other violent extremists who feed off of the terror, hatred and fear in the world that Parisians will not bow to the few with black seeds of hatred in their heart.
In the wake of unimaginable devastation on the very streets traversed by lovers of every race, religion and creed, Parisians are combatting hatred not only with force and military means, but also with love. Love, community, connection, compassion, unity and strength are all bullets that strike directly into the heart of hatred.
World leaders react by sending more bombs, more bullets and more troops to strike down ISIS, attempting to obliterate the hatred that is the very heart of ISIS with the blood, sweat and tears of the few. But bombs, bullets and more troops will not defeat ISIS alone because ISIS is not a target, but rather a belief. ISIS is the very belief that hatred, destruction and fear will triumph over freedom and beliefs do not have a beating heart that can be taken out by a sniper's bullet or a body that can be blown to shreds by a missile.
Beliefs can only be silenced by other, more powerful beliefs, and there is none more powerful than love. Love unites us all in community, connection, grief and hope. Love does not see a difference in the color of our skin or our religion or our nationality. Love connects every single one of us across this globe and everyone single one of us can choose love, can turn to love each day.
Every single one of us can strike at the heart of ISIS by choosing love in our life. We can defeat ISIS by choosing love. We can smile at a stranger, fiercely love our children, give back to others in ways that bring us joy. We can make a difference. We can defeat ISIS - together.
If everyone in this world turned to love there would be no more room for hatred, no more seeds for destructive extremists to grow their corrupted version of the ideal society.
ISIS is brilliant at using social media to prey off the anger of youth, gathering strength by spreading its tentacles of hatred around the globe. Together, let's use these same social media tools to highlight the love we see around us in our everyday life. #lovewins Let's show the world that we are turning to love today and everyday. #lovewins Let's slowly, but surely, drown out the bitter voices of the few and replace them with a chorus of love from every corner of the globe, every walk of life street corner in every city. Because love wins. Everytime. #lovewins
ISIS simply cannot exist in a world that unites in love. And the hope and possibility of defeating ISIS lies with our very hearts. #lovewins