What a terrible tragedy this was! Not only was a day of rejoicing reduced to death and mourning, but a blow was struck at the very embodiments of Patriots Day: the Marathon runners who sought to raise thousands, if not millions, of dollars for worthy causes, including those related to the recent Sandy Hook tragedy.
As to the perpetrators of the tragedy, what could be more despicable than
to launch such an attack on such a day and transform it to a living hell?
The tragedy also directly affected people who neither attended nor participated in the Marathon. Many who sought assurance that family members involved in the event were safe could not get through to them by phone, as cell phones at the scene had gone dead.
Similar frustrations confronted First Responders who rushed in to tend to the injured. Patients with severed limbs and children with severe burns had to be treated in a temporary medical tent.
The entire situation could be described by the single word: mayhem. Or in two words: Complete chaos. What had been a bustling scene of cheers, hope, victory, and rejoicing had suddenly turned into a war zone:Imagine the fear of those at the scene. The anxiety of their loved ones. The desperation of those trying to contact them.
In reality, there was no need to imagine all this. Images projected round -the-clock on TV screens showed the unimaginable horror
and tragedy in stark, literal, and graphic detail. As I watched, I felt as if I was actually a part of the event. I've suffered
tragedy and fear myself, so the whole scene became especially personal and palpable for me.
Don't Those Who Suffer Elsewhere Also Deserve Compassion?
I was glued to the TV until well past midnight. When I finally dozed off, I had a very disturbed sleep and was back watching TV as soon as I got up.
One of the things I greatly appreciated was
that President Obama lost no time in going on the air and telling the
nation that the authorities did not yet know who was behind the bombings. He urged caution in assigning blame. "We still do not know who
did this, or why, and people shouldn't jump to conclusions before we have all
the facts," he said.
Yet, I was also struck by the contrast
between what had happened in Boston and what happens in other parts of the
world.
In fact, just a few days before the Boston bombings, a
NATO air attack in the Shigal district of Afghanistan's embattled Kunar province killed at least 18 people, including as many as 11 innocent children. There was
no ambiguity as to who had killed them and how. They were killed by a NATO
air strike.
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