By Daniel J Perin
Following the tragedy of the
Boston Marathon bombing, it seemed all of Boston, all of the state and indeed,
all of the country came together as one—Boston Strong! The senseless killing and maiming of
innocents was something we could not fathom.
In the moments of shock and disbelief bewilderment set in. But as quickly as we were shocked, we also
rose as ONE in support of each other in this country of freedom, opportunity
and justice.
It seemed we were all on the same
page and thus began the amazing process of identifying and tracking the two
young men responsible for this tragedy.
In less than a week the perpetrators were found, one killed in a shoot
out and the other seriously wounded, but alive; alive to ultimately begin the
process of our coming to terms with what had happened. At this writing we do not have all the
answers, but we will have them and we will better understand how these young
men became radicals striking out at the society they had apparently adopted as
their own.
I was, like so many others, one
with the Boston Strong! I was shocked,
saddened and filled with grief for and with the Boston community.
Then, today, I read the editorial
by Leonard Pitts Jr. [1]
in the Oregonian drawn from the Miami Herald.
It appears that we were not ALL joining in the Boston Strong! Yes, I had heard some of the ridiculous
statements made by members of Congress about refusing to admit Muslim students
into the U.S. and the generalizing of hate for all Muslims, the vast majority
of whom living in this country have found an harmonious blending of their faith
with the freedom of religion and freedom of opportunity this country affords
all who land upon its shores.
The article by Mr. Pitts is a
must read as far as I am concerned because he deals with the much broader
issues of hate that are currently dividing our country and bringing us to the
brink of anarchy and chaos. I do not
believe this is over stated. I believe
we will overcome this hatred, but not until we clear our eyes enough to
acknowledge it and take personal action to reverse the trend that is separating
us politically, philosophically and spiritually.
Being Boston Strong, bonding with
our citizens, feeling the distress of the fallout from the bombing, is
something more than sympathy. It is the
comprehension that whatever happens to one of us in this free country is
happening to all of us. We can no
longer allow ourselves remain aloof from the tensions that have been
building. We must reclaim the prudent
practice of sensibility, of practicing democracy, taking part in the discussion
and action that can bring about a greater harmony and the resolution of the
issues that challenge us all. Voices of
reason must speak out. This is one of
the reasons I write for this blog.
While this blog is not a major market production, still it represents a
voice speaking out. I neither over
estimate nor under estimate the value of one voice. It is what it is. Your
voice is important as well.
I urge you to read Leonard Pitts
Jr’s article, referenced below: “Even
In Tragedy, a Nation Divided.”
1 comment:
I will definitely give this a read Dan. Thak you.
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