There is no way to make sense of what happened today in Boston. It seems impossible to believe that someone could want to kill and injure so many people, from toddlers to senior citizens, but that is the way with each senseless, violent crime that takes our breath away with its terrible cruelty.
The first instinct of many seems to be to find someone to blame. Of course someone (or several some ones) is responsible but this thing just happened hours ago. Have we been so conditioned by the 24 hour "noose" cycle that we expect/demand answers instantly and when we don't have them, we let our basest prejudices convince us that whoever did this must be foreign, different, not like us? Or is it the 24 hour "noose" cycle itself that perpetuates these prejudices? Salacious and extreme headlines designed to garner attention not to help uncover the truth.
Here's what I know: this was a tragedy and my thoughts and prayers are with the victims and their families. What gives me hope though is the amount of people rushing toward the blast to do whatever they could to help whoever needed it. I firmly believe that while there is surely evil in this world, it is far outweighed by the good.
With that, I must turn off the news and the Interwebz as seeing another conspiracy theory or more hate-filled insanity designed to inflame tensions will not right this terrible wrong. Heartfelt prayers and acts of kindness are far better ways to show that though there are some twisted souls who want to cause destruction and death, there are more brave, steadfast and caring people who will help rebuild.
Here's one inspiring story before bedtime: “After you've run 26 miles you're not going to stop." 78-yr old, knocked down by blast, finished race.
P.S. A few orgs are already posting ways to help: NBC blog, Huffington Post.
