The Morning After The Boston Atrocity

In the aftermath of the unthinkable, dastardly attack on the Boston Marathon and our nation, my heart goes out to the good people of that city and to the myriad individuals that were affected by the actions of one or more savage beasts.

Without regard to who or what group is ultimately charged with responsibility for targeting innocent men, women, and children for death and maiming, we recognize anew that there are barbarians that walk among us every day, whether they be foreign or domestic terrorists, or urban, gun-toting  thugs, and that our lives and the lives of others may be shattered anywhere and at any time, when we least expect it.  Our free and open society is used against us by those that despise us for it.

The goal of terror, of course, is to secure worldwide publicity and to instill fear which causes us to change our lives and routines in response. Unfortunately, the goal of achieving spectacular media coverage is always met after such incidents, no doubt delighting the mass murderers, but so far as altering our lives, we must not acquiesce to their wishes.  Naturally, we must take reasonable precautions, but not be deterred in going about our daily lives.  To cower in the face of the challenges of this era of violence and hatred would be to grant the terrorists the victory they seek.