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?”