Sorry for the harsh language. I try to keep this blog as curse free as possible (for the childrens!), but every once in a while my filter gets stuck. Every now and then I'm mesmerized by the news, entranced by the drama of it all, overcome with a macabre fascination of the happenings in the world. Base, crude language is sometimes all I got left.
I don't want to make any false claims; I don't know anyone who was there and injured. All my friends who were in Boston are home with their families tonight. I'm not a witness, other than through TV and the Internet. I'm not a victim, other than the feeling of "I've been there. I've walked that street."
My father worked in the Prudential Tower, which is right across the street from the bombings, for most of my childhood. I'd gone into see him or other events in that complex many times, at least once a year. Recently, I've been there for Boston ComicCon, which is held at the Hynes Convention Center two or three blocks west of the bombings. I've walked down that side of the street more than a few times, and I'm familiar with that area.
It's all surreal to see it in the aftermath; blasted out, litter everywhere, stained concrete sidewalks. I want to say "this doesn't happen here, this is Boston"; but it did.
In the weeks ahead I'll remember the attack, but I'll remember the courtesies. I'll remember the news cameraman who was filing as the bombs went off, who ran to the first blast site and kept his camera aimed just above the injured. We didn't see the injured, their grievous wounds. He wasn't overcome with the sensationalism of news media today; he was covering an important story in a respectable manner. I'm thankful for the producers and editors of the Boston news outlets who showed the human toll by focusing on the injured who were going to be okay. The ones wheeled away with injuries, but comparatively minor ones. I know there were victims who lost limbs, and their lives, but I didn't see them. Nor did I have to in order to "understand the grave nature of the attack". I salute the Governor, Mayor, and Commissioner of Boston who I'm sure wanted to throttle every single news reporter at the press conference who wanted "their quote", their "buzz word", their moment of "State Officials said to panic, so keep it here or you might get killed!". They kept their cool, refused to give in, and barely acknowledged any reporter with an agenda.
In the coming weeks we will find out more about this attack; who's responsible, and the steps necessary to bring them to justice. We'll see the power of technology, and the thousands of cameras and camera-phones that were recording the event helping investigators find those responsible. We'll see the depravity of today's fear-based news media, but also the power of the human condition and the compassion of humanity. We'll see the opportunists, and the philanthropists. We'll see the villains and the heroes.
I'm glad my Jedi got approved this week.
I'm glad I get to be a hero, even if it's only a costume.
It means I have another reason to head out to events and do what I can to support the real heroes in this world.
See you Thursday, where we'll return to our previously scheduled blog on Star Wars Gaming and Costuming.
Until then, keep being heroes.
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