By the time of this article’s posting, most people will be aware of the attacks that happened in Paris on Friday, Nov. 13, and because of this, I will refrain from discussing the numbers of the attacks.

Almost immediately after the attacks, Paris received an overwhelming outpour of love and support in the wake of the tragedy. Through social media, people shared their thoughts, condolences and prayers for the City of Love.

Mark Ruffalo expressed his support tweeting: “Devastating to see the loss of life in Paris. Love and hope to all, family and friends there. In solidarity with the good kind people there.”

Amongst the support, many negative comments also surfaced subsequent the attacks. Rob Lowe has been heavily criticized for his tweets criticizing the French President Francois Hollande: “Oh, NOW France closes its borders. #Hollande”

Presidential hopefuls also responded to the attacks, but did not abstain from the opportunity to push their politics.

Donald Trump tweeted: “Isn’t it interesting that the tragedy in Paris took place in one of the toughest gun control countries in the world?”

On the Sunday after the attacks, I read numerous articles and stories regarding the attacks in Paris. Upon reading all this material, I could not help having mixed emotions about how both people and governments were handling the situation.

Yes, I completely despise those who carried out these attacks. Like most others, I believe they should be punished.

Yes, I understand politics is politics (especially during the presidential race), but it is disheartening to see politicians using others’ tragedy and loss to push their political ideologies.

Yes, I believe that, at this point (sadly), war with the perpetrators is practically inevitable.

But, I keep reminding myself there were people behind those guns and strapped to those bombs. People, humans, that thought and felt things just like the victims thought and felt things. Obviously, these people have a pretty skewed philosophy of how the world works (or should work), but the second we dehumanize the people who carried out these attacks, we bring ourselves down to their level.

I understand President Hollande’s want to lead a “war which will be pitiless” against those behind the attacks, but I hope that the governments that will join him in this war will put much thought into this. As I stated earlier, I believe this war is inevitable, but I do not think it should be rushed in. Innocent people, people who will be in the wrong place at the wrong time, are going to die because of this war. I believe that it is imperative that France contemplates its next move in order to curtail that innocent death toll.

The people who carried out the attacks on Paris deserve to be punished, but we must look towards compassion for those affected before we look towards hate for those who did the affecting, for fighting fire with fire is only sufficient when the end goal is more fire.

I would also like to make note that Paris was not the only place that experienced tragedy. Beirut, Lebanon was also the scene of deadly attacks and they deserve as much love and support as Paris.