From Troubles to trauma

A chara, – I have to agree with your Editorial (“Paris terrorism trial: France’s trauma”, December 18th). France today is living through an ongoing trauma. The threat of Islamist terrorism has become normalised, people are resigned to news at any moment of the next attack. Not unlike the normalised terrorism we knew in Ireland during the Troubles.

In fact it’s ironic for Irish people living here in France, who remember the normality of troops patrolling the streets in the North, to now find this normality has switched to France. But with a stark and chilling difference, something that was never normal during the Troubles, armed soldiers protecting churches on Sunday mornings. This is now the new normal throughout France. To paraphrase Françoise Sagan, Bonjour Trauma. – Is mise,

CIARÁN Mac GUILL,

Clichy,

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An Fhrainc.