Like so many others around the world, I have a heavy heart today, saddened by the news of what looks to be another act of terrorism on American soil. Two devastating explosions near the finish line of the Boston Marathon race have killed three people, and badly injured many more. One of the dead was an 8-year-old boy.
As I found out about the attack and listened to a live news stream via Reuters, people began to post things on Facebook in response. Some were news links, but many more were short, poignant expressions of sadness, saying that thoughts and prayers were with the victims and their families. But a few posts were markedly different, and are as predictable as the expressions of sorrow; they are angry at what seems to be hypocritical hand-wringing from Americans who cry only for themselves and no one else in the face of terrorism. I can understand this point of view, especially from those who live outside the U.S. I can see where someone might think we have no right to grieve when we condone drone strikes that kill innocent people, when we have started wars for dubious cause, when we seem so ruthless and uncaring in the face of the suffering of others. I can see where the anger and the bitterness comes from. But this kind of blanket indictment of all Americans is a particularly immature (if common) view; it is lazy, cynical, and heartless.
I am reminded of my trips to England, when just via my American accent, I was accosted by pub-goers, shop owners, and even new acquaintances, complaining about how awful my president(s) were, how horrible my government was, how useless and stupid my fellow citizens were. Keep in mind, this is all before I said anything more than, "I'll have a draft cider, please." I was stunned by the vitriol, not used to such a one-sided political discourse. Just because I was identifiable as one of a group of 200 million plus, I was the enemy. No one asked me my opinion. No one asked me who I voted for. No one asked me about my own political activism. I was used as a dumping ground for anti-American rage, and not one of those people cared one bit about who I was and what I thought. Talk about hypocrisy.
People react in different ways to large-scale tragedies such as the one that took place in Boston today...sadness, confusion, anger. Some people will listen to the news non-stop; some will tune out and redirect their minds to something that numbs out the reality of the event. Blame and speculation will be flying everywhere, shards of virtual glass that can wound as well.
Hatred of an entire group of human beings was likely the beginning to what formed the mindset in those responsible for today's attack. We have an absolute responsibility to humanity to reject this kind of thinking. We must, or nothing can or ever will get better.
© Copyright 2008- Marianne Spellman