OF THE
TIMES

Who is Mamoudou Gassama, the young Malian immigrant who scaled the facade of a building in Paris to save a toddler's life, earning him praise, a meeting with the president and French citizenship.
Who is he? Mamoudou Gassama is a 22-year-old undocumented immigrant who carried out a spectacular rescue of a four-year-old who was dangling from a balcony in Paris. His act of bravery which took place at around 8 pm on Saturday in northern Paris, was captured on film and viewed millions of times on social networks. [...]
Where's he from? The actions were undoubtedly a staggering feat of courage but it was perhaps nothing compared to what he previously endured on his journey from his home country of Mali to France which saw him pass through war-torn Libya. "I left Mali a long time ago, passing through Burkina-Faso and Nigeria," he told French news channel BFM TV. "It was very difficult." Eventually Gassama arrived in Italy after taking a boat from Libya. "It was terrible on the boat," he said. "There were many of us, a lot of people." Gassama arrived in France in September 2017. He lives in a hostel in Montreuil, a suburb to the south west of Paris. He had travelled to the 18th arrondissement of Paris on Saturday and just happened to be by the building by chance after hearing all the commotion and people shouting. [...]
What has the reaction been in France? Apart from the reaction on Twitter, where people have hailed his bravery, Paris mayor Anne Hidalgo praised the young migrant on Twitter for his "act of bravery" as well as phoning him personally to "thank him warmly". "He explained to me that he had arrived from Mali a few months ago dreaming of building his life here. "I told him that his heroic act is an example to all citizens and that the city of Paris will obviously be very keen to support him in his efforts to settle in France," she added. The young Malian will next be honoured for his brave rescue by French President Emmanuel Macron who invited him to the Elysee Palace on Monday morning (see below). Diaby, Mamoudou's brother who was also interviewed on BFM TV said that they would bring up the subject of their status in France during their meeting with Macron. "We would like to have a proper status here, to work in good conditions in France. Then as soon as you have a job you need housing, to have a good life," he said. "Today he lives in a foyer (hostel), it is a very serious situation because there is no space, but we make do. Anyway, we make the most of the situation and ask." The act of bravery by an immigrant has also provoked a political row about immigration in France. Plenty of people have been quick to point out to the likes of Marine Le Pen and those in her far right National Front party, exactly what immigrants can bring to France. Those on the far right however have rubbished the idea that his Gassama's act of bravery should be used to distract from the migrant crisis in France.
Those who point out that one act of bravery does not every migrant a hero make have a point. In the same way that a naturalised citizen who commits a heroic act does not make the whole society brave.
What next for Gassama? There has been growing pressure for he French government to legalise his status in France, whether by granting him French citizenship or simply granting him the right to stay legally. An online petition has been launched on Change.org in a bid to galvanise support for Gassama to get official status in France. The petition states, "At the risk of his own life, [Mamoudou Gassama] climbed a three-storey building to save a dangling child. "Thanks to the courage and determination of Mamoudou, the child is alive. Faced with this act, the Minister of the Interior has the power to offer another life to Mamoudou. "Mr. Gassama must be naturalized and decorated by the French Republic. He who saves a life, saves all humanity." In an interview with BFM TV Ian Brossat the capital's deputy mayor for housing said that "Paris would be on his side in assisting him to get his papers". "I do not imagine that Gerard Collomb (France's interior minister) would put [the rescuer] in a detention center," said Brossat, a guest of BFMTV.
What did Macron do? In his meeting with Macron on Monday, Gassama told the French president of his experience. "I was trembling, I couldn't believe it," he said. Macron asked what condition the child had been in once he'd been rescued. "He was crying, his feet were hurt" said Gassama, adding that he had seen the toddler since the incident. "Bravo," replied the president.
"Reality doesn't care about winning arguments; survival is what matters." - Nassim Nicholas Taleb, Skin in the Game: Hidden Asymmetries in Daily Life (page 13). [1]In his latest book, Skin in the Game, Nassim Taleb offers an approach to social and political philosophy that he believes will encourage socially constructive change and increased freedom. He starts with "double-negative utilitarianism," which means to minimize harm. This leads to a focus on the proper management of risk.

Comment: See also: