Lessons from Boston

It’s been a week now since the bombings in Boston.  I guess the entire tragic episode has unfolded pretty much as expected:  disgruntled “Islamists” angry about US involvement in Iraq and Afghanistan; a chase, shootout, death of one suspect and an intense 24-hour manhunt for the surviving alleged perpetrator.  Victims sharing stories of heroism in the face of unspeakable senselessness. 

My extreme frustration comes from the continuing drivel about these two wayward brothers’ motivations, histories, slights and, well, plain idiocy.  There is the occasional “soft story” about some of the casualties, but it is shameful that we continue to emphasize the plight of the criminals and not that of the victims.  Really?  Has this “train wreck” mentality so completely engulfed our 24-hour news cycle?

And what about the shock to Boston as a community?  Yes, Bostonians have stepped up and consoled, comforted and supported one another.  But there are a couple of other issues at play here.  First, Patriot’s Day is nearly sacred in Boston.  It’s a Monday holiday that is the celebration of spring, warmer weather, the renewal after a long winter’s nap.  The Boston Marathon is the traditional start of All Things Good – life, liberty, pursuit of happiness.  To have the spirit of Patriot’s Day shattered in such a violent and, well, evil manner is tectonic in its impact.  Downtown Boston on “lockdown” in April is not the way things are supposed to work.  And while the absolute destruction was nowhere near that of 9/11, the psychological stress felt by the Boston community has been similar.  Simply put, things will never be the same on Patriot’s Day.  Ever.

So, yes, these two idiots who are alleged to have wrought this havoc on Boylston Street will have a lasting impact, but not because they are smart – their activities are clearly those of convenience.  Based on their actions following the bombing, their playbook wasn’t exactly stellar.  Clear visibility to surveillance cameras, a botched robbery, a carjacking (including a self-aggrandizing confession to the victim), a shootout (including the younger brother fleeing the scene in the stolen SUV, dragging his brother underneath for a couple of blocks), and an ultimate capture – these are not the telltale signs of anything but a couple of numbskulls who think that everything in America happens just like in the movies.  And I guess that is the good news – evil is stupid.  And vain.  Even Osama bin Laden couldn’t get enough of himself on TV, to the point where he had videotapes of news feeds of himself from around the world.  Delusional.

Now, while my immediate reaction to the news of terror in Boston was one of immense sadness – even despair – it certainly helps to comprehend the heroism and kindness and compassion that flooded that scene at the finish line last week.  No, this is not the America that we expected.  We didn’t learn about bombs detonating in public places in the name of religion or politics or philosophy in Miss Romine’s Grade Six class at John S. Irwin School in Fort Wayne, Indiana in 1964. 

But we did learn about how America celebrates its resilience, its resolve, its devotion to the ideals of compassion, charity and, yes, comeuppance.  Despite the seemingly ubiquitous leading stories about what the Brothers Tsarnaev had up their fraternal sleeves, the Real Story here is that America abides.  Little Brother will have his day in court.  But the stories concerning heroism, persistence, courage and strength will continue to be played out by the victims of this tragedy long after the culprits are forgotten. 

So, at the end of the day, while this is not the way it’s supposed to work, this is the way it is: This kind of senselessness is a fool’s errand.