The Sikh Islamic apologist Simran Jeet Singh sums up the way that the political and media elites in France and all over the West are trying to spin this episode: “This Muslim man from Mali helped save a child’s life in Paris. Everyone is now calling him ‘The Muslim Spider-Man.’ For once, Muslims are receiving positive press in France. Hopefully this will help resolve some people’s disdain for Muslims and Islam.”
In a similar vein, SOS Racisme said: “Mamoudou Gassama serves as a useful reminder to us that people without papers are human beings with…great bravery that many have shown in their perilous journey to Europe – bravery that they often continue to display here.”
Who has denied that “people without papers” are human beings? This is another example of the kind of straw man the Leftists frequently construct in order to try to intimidate people into fearing to oppose the massive Muslim migrant influx into Europe.
And however grand a fellow Mamoudou Gassama may be, what does his action show us about Islam? Absolutely nothing, unless it can be shown that he acted upon Islamic teachings calling for acts of kindness toward unbelievers. But there are no such teachings; on the contrary, the Qur’an tells Muslims: “Muhammad is the apostle of Allah. Those who follow him are merciful to one another, ruthless to unbelievers” (48:29). So if this toddler is not a Muslim, Gassama acted against Islam in saving his or her life.
Finally, many people have suggested that the whole thing is staged, pointing out that there is a man standing within inches of the child. The story below says that he was unable to rescue the child, but from the video there is no obvious reason why he couldn’t do so. Did the French authorities and/or media put on this whole thing in order to soften the attitudes of the French public toward Muslim migrants? Would they be so cynical and depraved as to risk the life of a child in order to further their political agenda? The massive and unjustified generalizations being made about Muslims, Islam, and migrants in the wake of this incident certain make that a possibility.
“France grants honorary citizenship to hero ‘spiderman’ migrant who scaled Paris building to save four-year old,” by Henry Samuel, Telegraph, May 28, 2018:
A Malian migrant hailed a national hero for scaling a building to save a four-year old dangling from a fourth-floor balcony in Paris is to be granted French nationality and given a job as a fireman.
A video of Mamoudou Gassama’s spectacular rescue went viral on social media and has been viewed millions of times.
With a crowd below cheering him on from the street, the migrant pulled himself from balcony to balcony at risk of life and limb, and managed to grab the four-year-old as a neighbour unsuccessfully tried to reach the boy from the nearest flat.
President Emmanuel Macron invited Mr Gassama to the Elysee Palace on Monday morning to personally thank him. During their filmed conversation, Mr Gassama said that he was trembling like a leaf after his courageous act.
Afterwards, Mr Macron announced that he would be granted French citizenship and join the French fire brigade.
Paris mayor Anne Hidalgo also lauded the 22-year-old’s heroism, and said she had called him to thank him in person.
She hailed him as the “Spiderman of the 18th”, a reference to the Paris district where the rescue took place.
“Congratulations to Mamoudou Gassama for his act of bravery that saved the life of a child,” Ms Hidalgo tweeted.
“He explained to me that he had arrived from Mali a few months ago dreaming of building his life here.
“I replied that his heroic gesture was an example for all citizens and that the City of Paris will obviously be keen to support him in his efforts to settle in France.”
Hinting that he could expect a fast track to residency, government spokesman Benjamin Griveaux tweeted: “This huge act of bravery, faithful to the values of solidarity of our Republic, must open the doors to our national community.”
A petition has been launched online.
Rights group SOS Racisme said: “Mamoudou Gassama serves as a useful reminder to us that people without papers are human beings with…great bravery that many have shown in their perilous journey to Europe – bravery that they often continue to display here.”…