Dad, Son Talk Paris Attacks: Flowers and Candles ‘Here to Protect'
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A young child's struggle to understand the violence wrought by terrorists in Paris — and his father's teaching that humanity prevails — is shining light into a world overcome by grief and fear in the days since 129 were killed and 352 wounded in France's capital city.
"Do you understand what happened?" the television reporter asks a small boy propped on his father's knee, in French.
Yes, the boy says, he does. "They're really, really mean. Bad guys are not very nice."
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Nepalese people participate in the candle light vigil for the victims of the Paris terrorist attacks in Kathmandu, Nepal on Nov. 15, 2015.
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A New York City police officer adjusts parts of a make shift memorial left as a sign of support to France near the door of the French consulate in New York, Saturday, Nov. 14, 2015.
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Candles are placed outside the French Embassy to form "Paris" in Berlin on November 14, 2015, a day after deadly attacks in Paris.
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With the Brandenburg Gate, illuminated in the French national colors, in the background, people lay down flowers and light candles on Nov. 14, 2015 for the victims killed in in Paris, France.
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A mourner holds a candle during a vigil at the Alliance Francaise in the Thai capital Bangkok on November 14, 2015, following coordinated terror attacks in the French capital Paris.
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Members of the French community in South Korea light candles outside the French embassy in Seoul on November 14, 2015.
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A "Pray for Paris" signs lies on the floor next to candles during a memorial event for victims of the Paris terror attacks on November 14, 2015 in Hong Kong.
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An Indian child pays floral tribute at a sand sculpture created in remembrance of victims of Friday's attacks in Paris, in Bhubaneswar, India, Nov. 14, 2015.
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Flowers laid near French Embassy on November 14, 2015 in Moscow, Russia.
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Flowers and a peace sign in the shape of the Parisian landmark the Eiffel Tower, are seen outside the French embassy in Minsk on November 14, 2015, a day after deadly attacks in Paris.
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Flowers in the colors of the French flag are displayed on the gate of the French Embassy in Madrid, Spain, Saturday, Nov. 14, 2015.
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A woman lights a candle outside the French consulate in Istanbul, Turkey, Saturday, Nov. 14, 2015, after the Paris attacks on Friday. French President Francois Hollande vowed to attack the Islamic State group without mercy as the jihadist group admitted responsibility Saturday for orchestrating the deadliest attacks inflicted on France since World War II.
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A man looks out the bullet ridden windows of the Carillon cafe in Paris Saturday Nov. 14, 2015, a day after a series of shooting and explosions shocked France and the world.
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People hold a France national flag as others hold signs, that read in French "Rio is Paris," during a demonstration promoted by the NGO Rio de Paz, in solidarity with the victims of the attacks in Paris, in front of Christ the Redeemer statue, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Saturday, Nov. 14, 2015.
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A mourner signs a makeshift memorial for the victim of the attacks in Paris in New York's Washington Square park, Saturday, Nov. 14, 2015. Multiple attacks across Paris on Friday night have left scores dead and hundreds injured.
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Palestinians security forces and French citizens hold French flags in solidarity with the French people and denouncing the terrorist attacks on Friday, at the French Cultural Center in the West Bank city of Ramallah, Saturday, Nov. 14, 2015. The Islamic State group on Saturday claimed responsibility for a wave of attacks in Paris that killed at least 130 people and said France would remain at the "top of the list" of its targets.
A sign in French reads, "I am Paris" next to flowers for the victims of the Paris terrorist attacks, in front of the French Embassy, Tehran, Iran, Saturday, Nov. 14, 2015. The Islamic State group on Saturday claimed responsibility for a wave of attacks in Paris that killed at least 127 people and said France would remain at the "top of the list" of its targets.
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People place flowers in front of the French Embassy in Copenhagen, Denmark, Saturday, Nov. 14, 2015, as people gathered with condolences for the victims of Friday's attacks in Paris.
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Consulate General of France in Hong Kong & Macau Eric Berti speaks as people gather in Hong Kong, Saturday, Nov. 14, 2015, to mourn for the victims killed in Friday's attacks in Paris.
The child says he fears his family now will have to "change houses" and flee, but his father reassures him they won't have to move.
"But Daddy," the boy persists, "there's bad guys."
His father, softly, tells him "there's bad guys everywhere."
"They might have guns, but we have flowers," he says.
Flowers — the boy furrows his brow, confused. "But flowers don't do anything..."
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The Eiffel Tower is illuminated in the French colors Monday, Nov. 16, 2015. Multiple attacks across Paris on Friday night left scores dead and hundreds injured.
Christ the Redeemer statue is lit with the colors of France's flag, in solidarity with France after attacks in Paris, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Saturday, Nov. 14, 2015.
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The sails of the Sydney Opera House are illuminated in the colors of the French flag on Nov. 14, 2015 in Sydney, Australia.
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The Great Pyramid of Giza is illuminated with the Egyptian and French Flags in solidarity with victims of attacks in Paris, on the outskirts of Cairo, Egypt, Sunday, Nov. 15, 2015. French reads, "Solidarity with France." The Islamic State group have claimed responsibility for Friday night's attacks in Paris, Thursdays's twin powerful suicide bombings that tore through a crowded Shiite neighborhood of Beirut, and bringing down a Russian jetliner over Egypt's Sinai region earlier this month.
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Two Ultra-Orthodox Jews look at Jerusalem's Old City walls illuminated by the colors of the French national flag in solidarity with France after attacks in Paris, in Jerusalem, Sunday, Nov. 15, 2015.
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The Ericsson Globe Arena in Stockholm is lit up in the colors of the French flag in solidarity with France after the deadly attacks in Paris, Saturday, Nov. 14, 2015.
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The High Roller at The LINQ Promenade on the Las Vegas Strip is lit up with the blue, white and red colors of the French flag in a show of solidarity with France on Nov. 13, 2015 in Las Vegas, Nevada.
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San Francisco City Hall lights up in blue, white and red on Nov. 13, 2015 as San Francisco mourns people killed in Paris attacks.
Jim Friedman
The Lit Brothers building on 8th and Market streets lights up for Paris.
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People walk near the Three Crosses in Vilnius, Lithuania, Sunday, Nov. 15, 2015, illuminated by the colors of the French national flag in solidarity with France after the attacks in Paris.
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Kings Avenue Bridge, Parliamentary Triangle is illuminated with the colors of the French flag on Nov. 14, 2015 in Canberra, Australia.
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The One World Trade Center spire in New York City is lit blue, white and red on Friday night in honor of those killed in the Paris attacks.
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The Omni Hotel in Dallas, Texas on Nov. 13, 2015.
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The National Gallery is lit up in the colors of the French flag in solidarity with France after the deadly attacks in Paris, in London, Saturday, Nov. 14, 2015.
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Angel of Independence is seen with the colors of France in Mexico City, Mexico, Nov. 14, 2015.
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The London Eye is illuminated in blue, white and red lights, resembling the colors of the French national flag, in London on Nov. 14, 2015.
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The Government building is lit up in the colors of the French flag in solidarity with France after the deadly attacks in Paris, in western Bosnian town of Banja Luka, on Saturday, Nov. 14, 2015.
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Lights in the colors of the French flag, light up the Auckland Museum to remember victims of the Paris attacks on Nov. 14, 2015 in Auckland, New Zealand.
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People attend a gathering to honor the victims of the Paris attacks in front of the Tel Aviv city hall, that is lit with the colors of the French national flag, in Rabin Square in the Israeli coastal city of Tel Aviv on Nov. 14, 2015.
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Palace Albania lit in the colors of the French flag, in Belgrade, Serbia, Saturday, Nov. 14, 2015, following the attacks in Paris on Friday, which included shootings at Paris cafes, suicide bombings near France's national stadium and a hostage-taking slaughter inside a concert hall.
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One of Malaysia's landmark buildings, Kuala Lumpur Tower, is lit with the colors of the French flag in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Saturday, Nov. 14, 2015. French police are hunting for possible accomplices of assailants who terrorized Paris concert-goers, cafe diners and soccer fans in the countryu2019s deadliest peacetime attacks, a succession of explosions and shootings that cast a dark shadow over this luminous tourist destination.
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Los Angeles International Airport lit up its pylons in solidarity with Paris after Friday's terror attacks.
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Archeological museum is illuminated with the colors of the French national flag in Skopje on Nov. 14, 2015, in tribute to the victims of deadly attacks in Paris.
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People walk past parts of the National Theatre in London, Great Britain lit up in the colors of the French flag in solidarity with France after the deadly attacks in Paris on Saturday, Nov. 14, 2015.
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An electronic billboard on a canal in Milan, Italy, reads in French "I am Paris," Nov. 14, 2015.
Catherine Barde Leventhal
Denver City and County Building lit up to support Paris.
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London landmark Tower Bridge is lit up in the colors of the French flag in solidarity with France after the deadly attacks in Paris, Saturday, Nov. 14, 2015.
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The Oriental Pearl Tower is lit up in red, white and blue colors of French national flag to mourn the victims in French terror attack on Nov. 14, 2015 in Shanghai, China.
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With the Brandenburg Gate, illuminated in the French national colors, in the background, people lay down flowers and light candles on Nov. 14, 2015 for the victims killed in in Paris, France.
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Albaniau2019s government building is lit up in the colors of the French flag in solidarity with France after the deadly attacks in Paris, in Tirana, Saturday, Nov. 14, 2015.
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The Friends Arena in Solna, outside Stockholm, Sweden, is lit up in the colors of the French flag in solidarity with France after the deadly attacks in Paris, Saturday, Nov. 14, 2015.
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The Planalto Presidential Palace is seen illuminated with the colors of the flag of France in tribute to the victims of Paris attacks, in Brasilia, Brazil, Sunday, Nov. 15, 2015.
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Sarajevo city hall is seen illuminated in the colors of French national flag in solidarity with France after the deadly attacks in Paris, in Sarajevo, Bosnia Monday, Nov. 16, 2015.
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The colors of France's flag are projected onto the ice as the national anthem of France is played before an NHL hockey game between the New York Rangers and the Toronto Maple Leafs, Sunday, Nov. 15, 2015, in New York. Multiple attacks across Paris on Friday night left scores dead and hundreds injured.
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People look at a ferris wheel illuminated with the colours of the French national flag in Budapest, Hungary, Sunday, Nov. 15, 2015, to pay tribute to the victims of the Paris attacks.
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Mumbaiu2019s Chhatrapati Shivaji train station building is illuminated by the colors of the French national flag in solidarity with France following Fridayu2019s Paris terror attacks, Mumbai, India, Sunday, Nov. 15, 2015. This Mumbai landmark was one of the major targets of the 2008 terror attacks that killed 166 people.
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The Tokyo Skytree, the tallest tower in Japan, is illuminated with the colors of the French tricolor, as Tokyo joins other cities in lighting landmarks to show solidarity with the victims of the terror attacks in Paris, in Tokyo Sunday, Nov. 15, 2015.
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The International Peace Bridge, which connects Canada and the United States, glows with the colors of the French flag in honor of the victims of the Paris attacks, Saturday, Nov. 14, 2015, in Buffalo, N.Y.
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The Palace of Culture and the modern highrise "sail" skyscraper by U.S. architect Daniel Liebeskind, in Warsaw, Poland, Sunday, Nov. 15, 2015, are lit up in the colors of the French flag in solidarity with France after the deadly attacks in Paris.
"Of course they do," his father explains. "Look, everyone is putting flowers. It's to fight against guns."
"To protect?" the boy asks.
"Exactly," his father says.
"And the candles too?"
"It's to remember the people who are gone yesterday."
The father's words seem to bring comfort. His son smiles and looks toward the Bataclan memorial, where mourners gather to remember.
He turns back to the reporter.
"The flowers and the candles are here to protect us," he asserts.
The reporter, now a quiet observer, asks the boy if he feels better. Yes, he says, he does.
