Boston Reprint

The Days Boston Stood Still

 B.D. Adams

© 2013

This is a reprint of my feelings about the Bombing at the Boston Marathon finish in 2013.

 

May 15, 2015

Today, the Death Penalty was made known for the Boston Bomber, Dzhokhar Tsarnaev. His penalty was for four deaths -- three at the marathon, a policeman when they were chased -- and numerous maimed because of his actions. I never wish bad for people I do not know, however, in this case, I am glad for this decision. Mostly for the survivors who deserve closure for what they were forced to go through.

I salute the folks who made this decision.

 

I am a sports enthusiast! I love to watch football, some basketball, car races and tennis. Before I had my stroke, I played tennis and I had been a runner. Not a marathoner, more like to a miler.

My former husband was a marathoner. I would ride my bicycle with him while he would train.

In fact, he qualified for the Boston Marathon one year! We were so excited!

Any person who has participated in that marathon (or any marathon, for that matter) can understand what it means to just finish that kind of race!! Forget the idea about winning ... just to finish without throwing up at the finish in front of the cameras is no small feat!

On April 15, 2013, like many other folks, I watched the Boston Marathon from the beginning to the finish of the top runners. So happy, I was for the winners and the finishers I saw! Afterwards, my boyfriend and I opted to watch other television programs (a movie). Then, we decided we wanted an early supper of Chinese, so he went to pick up our meal. I continued to watch a TV program on cable. This was around four o’clock.

When he came back home, he left the food in his SUV as he hurried inside and frantically asked, “Have you seen the News?!”

I switched to CNN ... and then, saw the horrifying scenes of unthinkable mayhem!!

Why would someone set off bombs at a marathon finish? The Boston had always been an “ambassador event” ... so many nations were in this race. That was obvious by all the flags at the finish line!

Like most everyone, I stayed glued to the News stations. It was so unbelievable that two young men could turn a city like Boston into a zone of terror, made in fear!

When the “persons of interest” were made known, I was amazed that these young men ... brothers, Tamerlan (the older) and Dzhokhar Tsarnaev ... were not seemingly part of terror factions; like Iran, Iraq, Afghanistan or Ireland (of all places).

Their national home was Chechnya!! It’s a small country in the southwest section of Russia. This country has dealt with wars and discontent for centuries! Of late, however, they hadn’t seemed angry with the US. Unless you figure in the Islamic factor.

As more was made known of the brothers, the older one stated on a social media

venue that he “didn’t understand Americans,” he couldn’t “make friends” with them. My words to him would have been, “Then, move ... go some place else, go back to Chechnya.” Perhaps others had made that suggestion, as well, which did not please him.

He had a wife and a three year old child. Why do this to a child? As it is known, he did not survive his attempt to out-run-the-law.

The younger brother was evidently an aspiring medical student. This would please most any mother ... for her son to be a doctor!

He did survive, but with his brother’s death, he should have given up! This is not going to be like Osama bin Laden’s event. This boy is in the United States with the full determination of our judicial system and all the fame seekers with their own itineraries!

I’m sure the younger brother was a likable fellow. Everyone who was interviewed said this. However, whether the older brother instigated this change in his younger brother’s personality or not, the fact remains he made his choices! They both did.

Personally, I am so glad and relieved that both bombers were found and put away without the added mayhem of more huge explosions, more blood and death! The killing of the MIT policeman was so unnecessary, just so senseless, as everything they had done!! They went to the lengths to make fairly sophisticated bombs ... was that all they thought they would need to do? Didn’t they think beyond the bombing? Did they think they would not be found out! Their lack of reasoning escapes any rational thought!

Were they going to pull a “Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid” shoot-out? Well, they failed at that. Were they more involved in terrorism than the FBI/CIA had informed?

My thoughts are with the injured people (dead and still healing) and their families. Also, my hopes are with the families of the bombers/killers. Hopefully, they will understand that Americans, born here or legally immigrated, will not tolerate killings, no matter how flowery their families and friends speak of the killers or how indignant they feel of how Dzhokhar was hunted! He is a killer!!

And now, let’s hope we are not inundated with copy-cat bombers at other sporting events!!

I am a Texan, an Ohioan, a New Yorker, a bit of a German, and a New Hampshire-ite (for 11 years)! And, as of April 15, 2013, I am a Bostonian!!!

 

Boston Strong --- Forever!!!