Monday, April 22, 2013

After The Boston Marathon Bombings The Healing Begins


Monday, April 22nd, 2013



My Dear America:

Today is exactly a week after the horrific Boston Marathon Bombings in Boston, Massachusetts last Monday.  It is only a week after the bombings but it seems as though we have been dealing with this horror for much longer. 

Many questions remain as to why two people who seemed to genuinely take advantage of the American Dream would turn their attention to trying to destroy that dream.  The suspects in the bombing were brothers who did not flee Boston immediately after the bombs went off but instead seemed to go about their business as usual until Thursday of last week when the FBI singled out their pictures and videos for broadcast and asked for the cooperation of the public in identifying them. 

Judging by the events of Thursday night the brothers became spooked by the fact that they were probably going to be identified by someone who knew them and started on a night of killing and gunfighting that left one MIT Policemen dead and another Policeman badly wounded and hanging onto his life at this point.  They carjacked an individual prior to having a gun battle with Boston Authorities but did not kill that person.  Reportedly the younger brother ran over his seemingly dead older brother in his effort to get away from the authorities. 

The younger brother was eventually captured in a blood spattered boat in a Watertown, Massachussetts backyard and was arrested to the cheers of neighbors and other Bostonites and to the relief of Federal State and local Boston Law Enforcement Agencies after a virtual lockdown of Boston for most of the day on Friday.

Certainly it is easy for me to second guess authorities in a situaltion like this since I didn't have any responsibility for anything that happened in Boston.  I think that the powers that be (Federal, State and Local) showed a courage that was admirable and a willingness and even an eagerness to work together that eventually led to the death of the older brother and the capture of the younger brother.  This unity in the face of extreme danger was and is admirable and is something that our Congress could and should learn from as we continue to waste time on petty BS instead of dealing with the monstrous challenges and problems that our country faces day after day, week after week and year after year.  

The shutting down of Boston on Friday might be debated but the truth was that no one was sure if the man on the run had other explosive devices he was planning to use.  In my opinion the shutting down of Boston was, if not a necessay step, at least a wise step. 

My only real problem with this whole situation is that seemingly age old problem of giving too much Television and other media attention to people who should not be given any attention at all.

Why these nice looking average seeming young guys became monsters a week ago is something we will probably learn about in time.  Why they killed three people and blew the limbs off many more will also probably be revealed.  Hopefully the dastardly deeds of these two men will not lead other lunatics to try and outdo them but the speed in which social media and technology helped to kill and capture the duo will certainly give pause to others who might feel as though they can get away with acts of terror in a city like Boston.

Certainly Boston, its residents, its law enforcement representatives and the State Police, FBI and The Massachussetts Governor, Deval Patrick and President Obama must be commended for their swift, decisive and effective action in bringing this terrible episode to a swift conclusion.

Boston has many reasons to be proud.



Sincerely Yours

Jerry Gallagher