Boston

A week ago, I was alerted to the terrorist bombings at the legendary Boston Marathon by a phone call from a friend.  By the time I got the news, the whole thing was over.  The pictures being shown were old and replayed many times over.  I was a little impressed by the fact that NBC--the network I was watching--was being very judicious in what they aired, both in pictures and in speculation of casualties.  (I'll talk more about that later.)  I did, however, internally declare that finding the culprits that caused that mayhem could only happen as an act of God.  I mean, all those people!  The trite phrase "trying to find a needle in a haystack" came to mind.

I was wrong.  I had already determined for myself that the bombing was domestic terrorism.  (Like I would know!)  What I failed to understand is that, in this world of surveillance cameras and cameras on every cell phone, a series of dots are created that, when connected, paint a picture.  Authorities were asking for images from any source, and apparently many showed up.  Within a day or two of the bombing, there was a manhunt for two suspects whose pictures appeared everywhere on the news.  The hunt was on.

Then, the actual bombers got desperate and revealed themselves in a carjacking and a shootout.  One was killed.  The other was on the loose, but people in Boston and certain suburbs were advised to stay at home behind locked doors while the search went on.  Last night, it was over.  The second suspect, brother to the first, was wounded and hiding in a boat in someone's back yard.  The boat's owner noticed that the tarp was flapping and that the strap holding it down had been cut...and there was blood.  He called authorities.  In short order, the word went out.  "Suspect in custody."  All of Massachusetts and the entire rest of the country let out a collective cheer.

The bombers were kids.  The dead one was 24; the one in custody is 19.  Nineteen???  What does anyone know about life at age 19--or even 24?  The human brain doesn't even become fully mature until about age 25.  But this CHILD decided that he was old enough and brave enough to kill and maim innocent Americans, because....uh...because of what?  The story will unfold in the coming weeks and months, but this good-looking young man has ruined his life--and the lives of hundreds of others--senselessly.  I don't get it. 

Slowly, I have come to realize that there are a lot of malcontents in this country, some of whom are my "friends".  The conspiracists among us have already decided that the whole bombing thing was an inside government job.  Sorry.  I don't believe that for a second.  Just like I don't believe those who say 9/11 was an inside government job during President Bush's administration or that President Obama set this one up.  (Oops!  I just saw Elvis!)  So, some of these malcontents have also foist upon us the notion that some news networks were filtering information for some kind of cover-up.  (See first paragraph, above.)  Not at all!  Responsible networks have begun to react to the backlash that would-be felons are going for the glory of notoriety that comes from media coverage.  Networks are becoming sensitive to that.  They also comprehend that, with social media abounding, sometimes people see images on TV before they have been alerted to the condition of their loved ones.  (Happens over and over these days.)  MOST networks did not publish the picture of the man being rushed down the street in a wheelchair with only exposed bones for legs.  Guess where that one came from?  Right-wing networks.  It wasn't pleasant to see.  It occurred to me that my father--and countless tens of thousands of others--fought wars to protect their loved ones from having to see the realities of this sort of stuff.  I don't hide my head in the sand about it.  I just don't need to see it to understand how bad it is.  I saw the picture because it just appeared on Facebook.  I hope to God my grandchildren didn't see it.  I'm not a fragile person, but I am thankful for those who consider my mental well-being in deciding what they will publish...and what they won't.

I am both amazed and proud of how quickly the whole Boston Marathon bombing thing was resolved.  I fear that this is only the beginning.  I have heard from several sources with overseas information that America has been spared what Europe already endures on a regular basis.  I think it's time for us to wake up.  The time has come to unite, in fact and in theory.  Otherwise, we are doomed.