Boston Bombings

It's weeks like this that make you wonder what kind of world we live in.  April 15th, two bombs exploded at the finish line of the Boston Marathon.  An event that was supposed to celebrate the strength of human physical endurance and pride exploded into terror, panic and confusion.  Three people were killed and more than a hundred injured, some horribly.  I heard it on the radio moments after it happened and now watching the video of the bombs exploding I can't imagine the horror of it.

Violence still shocks us as Americans.  I don't think the average citizen realizes how lucky we are that bombs do not explode on our streets regularly.  That type of violence is not a part of our every day lives.  And I think that we take that for granted.  Until something happens and shakes our safe world.  I think that it is important for us to remember that we are lucky to enjoy safe streets.

However, instead of focusing on how vulnerable we are, we need to focus on how strong we are.  Instead of focusing on a few evil individuals we need to remember the good in people.  When those bombs exploded we need to remember those people who rushed in to help the wounded without understanding what was happening and with little regard for their safety.  Also, Boston residents opened their homes and did everything they could to help anyone stranded or in need of it.  Runners finished the race and continued to area hospitals to donate blood until the blood banks were full and had to turn people away.  Horrible things happen.  It shocks us.  It hurts us.  But it also brings out the best of the human race.  We are a race that can hurt each other greatly but we are also capable of great compassion and love.  When a stranger rushes in to help a stranger in the darkest times, we see the light of the human race.  And that gives me hope.

Stories of Kindness
Boston Heros

A man mostly known for his comedy, Patton Oswalt, said it so well:
Boston. Fucking horrible. 

I remember, when 9/11 went down, my reaction was, "Well, I've had it with humanity."

But I was wrong. I don't know what's going to be revealed to be behind all of this mayhem. One human insect or a poisonous mass of broken sociopaths. 

But here's what I DO know. If it's one person or a HUNDRED people, that number is not even a fraction of a fraction of a fraction of a percent of the population on this planet. You watch the videos of the carnage and there are people running TOWARDS the destruction to help out. (Thanks FAKE Gallery founder and owner Paul Kozlowski for pointing this out to me). This is a giant planet and we're lucky to live on it but there are prices and penalties incurred for the daily miracle of existence. One of them is, every once in awhile, the wiring of a tiny sliver of the species gets snarled and they're pointed towards darkness.

But the vast majority stands against that darkness and, like white blood cells attacking a virus, they dilute and weaken and eventually wash away the evil doers and, more importantly, the damage they wreak. This is beyond religion or creed or nation. We would not be here if humanity were inherently evil. We'd have eaten ourselves alive long ago.

So when you spot violence, or bigotry, or intolerance or fear or just garden-variety misogyny, hatred or ignorance, just look it in the eye and think, "The good outnumber you, and we always will."

"The good outnumber you, and always will."  Remember that.  Always remember that.