If you haven’t turned on the news, or picked up a newspaper lately, you might want to consider it. “France is at war,” declared President Francois Hollande on Monday, November 16th. After the six attacks on Friday, France, specifically Paris, is left grieving for those wounded and dead. At least 128 deaths have been reported, and many severely injured. While many are trying to decipher who it is that France declared war with, I’m trying to understand how people can blame an entire group of Islamic followers—or Muslims.

There have been accusations that this war will be fought against ISIS, and France proved their power after striking ISIS in Syria. I can agree that these attacks are frightening, heartbreaking and relentlessly terrifying. France is not safe, and many argue that America is a new focus target for ISIS. ISIS also said, “We swear that we will strike America at its center in Washington.”  Though the safety of many countries is very uncertain at this time, it’s important to realize that no individual group of people can be at fault.

Many are speculating that Muslims are to blame for these attacks. Apparently, all Muslims are represented by this atrocious, torturous carnage. For those who haven’t learned what Muslim is quite yet, it’s a follower of the Islamic faith. Muslims, when defined in a dictionary, have absolutely no association to any sort of terrorism. We cannot blatantly characterize a mass group by what a great few have chosen to associate with. That is, though some Muslims have been associated with ISIS, not all Muslims can be equated with terrorism.

There is mass confusion on the link between Syria, Paris and ISIS. ISIS is an Islamic group with strongholds in Iraq and Syria, also referred to as ISIL. Their goals in Syria are many, but ultimately, focus on eliminating Christianity, and martyring thousands of Christian people. Syrians, specifically, are fleeing by the thousands, scared for their lives and almost 4 million are considered refugees. What the media fails to focus on is ISIS executing mass genocide through terror in Syria. In reaction, more than half of the U.S. governors have irrationally denied Syrian refugees. However, factually, it is not within governors’ authority to decide these things, it is up to the Federal U.S. Government.  In response, Obama mocked, “We don’t make good decisions if it’s based on an exaggeration of risks. Apparently, they are scared of widows and orphans coming into the United States”.

The terrorist attacks in Paris are undeniably intimidating and agonizing. ISIS is threatening and daunting. However, it’s time that we stop accusing an entire group of people for these killings. Those involved with ISIS are Muslim Extremists meaning they vow to do anything to uphold their religion. Know the facts, not the fabrications. We need to immediately stop blaming all Muslims and Syrians. Obama couldn’t have said it better, “The values that we’re fighting against ISIL for are precisely that we don’t discriminate against people because of their faith. We don’t kill people because they’re different than us. That’s what separates us from them.” This is a wakeup call—stop blaming Muslims for these atrocities, start blaming ISIS.