Where are we? Why are we there, unendingly?
It seems we have to endure pain and suffering frequently and to the fullest extent as a result of actions taking place right in front of all of us. Such was the case with the Boston Bombing.
It’s not bad enough all of our television stations have to shift to headline news mode when a disaster strikes, they flood their channels with continuous coverage. It doesn’t matter if reports are accurate, they just keep delivering the updates.
After three days of chaos, each TV station had a different point of view, second guessing what had taken place. Once they actually received the suspect’s names, the broadcast really escalated. Information was presented with no verification or relevance to what was taking place. Some reporters indicated the manhunt was for a group while others were aware that there were only two suspects. Later, it was reported the person whose car was highjacked was released by the suspects. We learned later he saved himself by running away as they pumped gas.
The reporters told us about both brothers being outstanding athletes; one a wrestler the other a golden glove boxer. How was that relevant to the facts of the event?
Reporters interviewed relatives and allowed them to vent about how our government is “framing their loved ones.” Friends and distant acquaintances were tracked down and their statements accepted as truth when they simply may have been voicing opinions.
An example was the interview of the aunt of the Tsarnaev brothers. She discussed her thoughts regarding older brother Tamerlan’s radical Muslim activities. She stated, “He goes to pray five times a day, he don’t smoke, drink or take drugs.” (Perhaps he went straight to heaven, he was such a “good boy.”)
It seems to me anyone familiar with our customs, especially Tamerlan’s wife ,would have wondered how someone could find the opportunity to go to prayers that often.
At one point it was discovered that Russian authorities had told our FBI officials that Tamerlan was involved with an undesirable, radical Muslim group overseas. This warning had caused the FBI to check on him but they found nothing of interest and closed the case. Perhaps checking procedures will change.
After the shootout that killed one of the fugitives, and the killing of the MIT Policeman, the collective mass of enforcement personnel cordoned off and shut down an entire town. Heavy equipment and body heat-seeking helicopters to scan overhead were brought in. Various news stations reporters were assigned to oversee and report on the actions taking place from several different locations.
A week of terror was visited on the city’s residents, until the end of day five, when both fugitives were accounted for; one dead and the other captured and under guard at the hospital.
As I see it, there are questions unanswered. Of utmost urgency, “Why can’t we stop radical Muslim activities?” “Why can’t we enforce our laws on these radicals?” And “Will our government ever again represent the people?”