Yesterday was a horrible day for Boston, America and anyone who believes in a more peaceful world. Violence and ugliness, for whatever the reason, arise from hate. And hate is the source of nearly all evil in this world. Be kind, be safe. Remember, sometimes tiny humans can be unspeakably cruel. But even more of us can be kind and do beautiful things. Be that light.
p.s. I apologize, but I was not in the mood to discuss fake mayhem when real mayhem was unfolding yesterday. So the "Lost Girl" season finale recap will be one day late. Thank you for your patience.
Hi Dorothy. I'm an American expat living in Oz (Australia). I only got this news when I went to work this morning. The client and I agreed, that as tragic as this was, and it was tragic, there was also news of a bombing in Iraq that killed 20 and injured 200.
ReplyDeleteWe also talked about how this level of violence is something that happens all over the world, all of the time. Unfortunately, because Australia is an Anglo country, our news will re-play, over and over, the Boston Marathon footage all day long. While the Iraq bombing won't make TV news, and will buried far back in the print papers.
In the end we agreed that, essentially, humans only seem capable of empathizing with people who look/seem roughly like ourselves. And this, to a great degree, is what drives this cycle of injury and retribution.
"As tragic as this was, and it was tragic, there was also news of a bombing in Iraq that killed 20 and injured 200."
ReplyDeleteYes, I noticed that story too, despite it languishing near the foot of the BBC website.
"Australia is an Anglo country, our news will re-play, over and over, the Boston Marathon footage all day long."
Not only Anglo-American countries! From what I could glean last night most of the European state broadcasters led with the story.
I fear there may be a political agenda at play?
PD
PS Did you here the authorities were running a bomb drill BEFORE the explosions went off? Quite the coincidence, eh?
ReplyDeletehttp://www.infowars.com/eyewitness-authorities-announced-drill-before-boston-explosions/
Thank you for this.
ReplyDeleteAh, Mumfords. YOU first turned me on to the Mumfords, Dot. :) I love this song and it does soothe a bit in the face of such vile hatred.
ReplyDeletePeace, please.
Thank you for that. And thank you for putting off your recap for a day. Seems right.
ReplyDeletePatton Oswalt's little bit on Facebook is just great. It's true, for as many bad people there are who do rotten things to other people, there hundreds, thousands, millions who would run to the helpless and offer themselves to be of service. That good must surely weigh more than the destruction wrought yesterday, even if it's no solace to whose who've lost loved ones, or for those whose lives changed for the worse.
To the first commenter, when a tragedy such as this hits so physically close to home, it's hard not to put it at the forefront of our minds.
ReplyDeleteThat was a lovely video Ms. Snarker.
"To the first commenter, when a tragedy such as this hits so physically close to home, it's hard not to put it at the forefront of our minds."
ReplyDeleteYes it is hard, I agree. (I was living in London at the time of the Admiral Duncan nail bomber (Google it). And still had loads of friends in London on 7/7.
"You never let a serious crisis go to waste. And what I mean by that it's an opportunity to do things you think you could not do before." -Rahm Emanuel
In other words people like Emanuel *reply* on the public remaining emotional and irrational during times like these in order to push through their plans.
Don't let them talk you into anything!
PS
I am a regular reader and I am from Boston. I have to disagree with the 1st poster's assertion that human beings can only empathize with people who look like themselves. We, as a country and a city, have an enormously long history of not only emathizing, but also providing meaningful assistance to people all around the world. We've sent doctors to war zones, student groups to earthquake hit regions, soldiers to tragedy hit regions all around the world and dollars & aid to virtually every part of the world. I am part of a group of Red Sox fans that paid for a truck to deliver medical supplies in Africa.
ReplyDeleteSo I take great exception to your assertion...