Words 4/15

Words seem inadequate in the wake of incidents such as today's in Boston. Emotions swirl and collide: Anger, disgust, resignation - this is the world we live in - revenge. I imagine a bomb going off in downtown Tehran during rush hour - let's see how you like it. Will our leaders call it what it is - Terrorism - or will they use a phony euphemism? "Workplace violence," the tag they put on the attack at Fort Hood, won't cut it for this. And if the perpetrators are captured will they be tried instead of being sent right where they belong - to Gitmo? How I hate them. We have a duty to stiffen our backbone and carry on, show the scum we cannot be defeated. But it's not easy. It's different than coping with the suffering of an unfortunate few I see on the street each day, which I shrug off fairly easily. Carrying on after a terror event seems disrespect to the dead. I feel guilty promoting my work at such times, even though it is my business and I believe that all businesses should remain open as usual. I want all stores to keep selling their wares, all financial exchanges to trade, all sports leagues to continue playing, all schools to conduct classes without more than a moment's pause. In short, I want America to give the collective finger to our enemies.