For A Safer America, We, As Citizens, Must Keep Our Eyes And Ears Open - But We Must Not Live In Fear

     We, as a nation - and as individual Americans - must not surrender to the threat of terrorism.  We cannot live our lives in fear.

     What happened at the Boston Marathon on Monday, April 15th 2013 - during the city's Patriot Day celebration - was painfully tragic.  As I - and many of you - watched on television, we heard the screams and cries for help from the bloody bombing victims.  It was a horror.

     All that being said, it is so very important that we continue with such events.  Moving forward, we cannot cancel community functions; nor can we be scared that a terrorist is going to attack when the public gathers for a civic occasion.  We need to be vigilant, but not afraid.

     Americans have learned a lot - the hard way - since 9/11...and our education to fight terrorism has been applied to nearly everything we do since September 11th, 2001.  But we cannot become obsessed and pre-occupied with terrorism or else the terrorists win.

     There are sick people in the world and they are not just individuals from foreign lands, nor are they necessarily people involved with large, organized terrorist groups.  There are so-called "lone wolves."  And there are psychotic radicals, who are homegrown here in the U.S.  They are Americans - whether born in this country or naturalized citizens - who, for whatever reason in their deranged minds, want to hurt and murder others.  And it may not be that they want to kill thousands - as with 9/11 - but there is the potential of smaller attacks - and the targets may not be in big cities or at huge events.  Whether we live in or visit a major metropolis...or reside or are merely passing through a suburban township or village...we - as citizens of this great country - need to keep our eyes and ears open and we need to advise police when we see or hear something that could be a possible threat to people's lives.  Each and everyone of us needs to pitch in...and be aware of anything that seems to be out of the ordinary.  We need to be observant, perceptive and alert, but - at the same time - we need to be cautious.

     We live in a world where technology has provided "Big Brother" not only with the opportunity to watch us, but for us to watch each other.  There are millions of surveillance cameras focused on everything and everyone.  But the cell phones that most of us carry enable us to take videos and photographs when we witness something that is disturbing...or we detect or discover someone who appears to be leary or questionable. 

     The nationwide campaign - IF YOU SEE SOMETHING, SAY SOMETHING - is a simple and effective program to raise public awareness of indicators of terrorism and terrorism-related crimes.  The campaign focuses on emphasizing the importance of reporting suspicious activity to law enforcement authorities.

     On Sunday, April 21st, 2013, Senator Dick Durbin, Democrat from Illinois and the Assistant Majority Leader of the United States Senate told NBC News correspondent David Gregory on Meet The Press, "We've got to make sure that we give to the intelligence and law enforcement agencies - federal, state and local - the resources they need to keep America safe.  We live in a dangerous world.  We live also in a free and open society, which we value very much.  In order to keep Americans safe at every public event, we need to invest the resources that are necessary for law enforcement."

     It took less than a week - with extraordinary efforts by national law enforcement officials and police throughout Massachusetts - to quickly capture the two men - two brothers - who are apparently responsible for the devastation of human lives and property in Boston.  The older brother, 26-year old Tamerlan Tsarnaev was killed on Friday, April 19th, but fortunately, the younger sibling, 19-year old Dzhokhar Tsarnaev is alive, yet hospitalized with serious wounds.  I say he is "fortunately" alive because we want - and need the answer to the question - "Why did you do this?"  What would prompt two young men to come to America - become U.S. citizens - but have the desire to be so destructive?

     Beyond the capture of the Tsarnaev brothers, there is a silver lining, as a result of the gruesome and cataclysmic bombings that rocked Boston.  And that is the beauty of the Boston people and the magnanimity of citizens all throughout Massachusetts and elsewhere across America.  When the bombs exploded, people ran towards the blasts to help those in need.  There were acts of kindness to overpower the acts of violence.  And when the younger Tsarnaev brother was arrested on Friday night, April 19th and taken by ambulance to a hospital, the streets of Watertown, Massachusetts were lined with residents as they applauded every FBI, ATF and police officer who walked or drove passed the crowd of onlookers.  Their corner of the country was now safe - at least for now - and these quaint communities of New England would no longer be locked down.

     What is normal today?  After 9/11, we were all in shock.  We had never suffered or experienced such a national catastrophe.  How can we go back to life prior to 9/11?  Will any generation ever be able to live life in a normal way again?  Or is how we live today - the new normal?

     The death of anyone - especially when unexpected and at the hands of criminal activity - is heartwrenching.  But when the life of an adorable and angelic child is stolen from his parents, the calamity is even more disastrous.

     About a year ago, a photograph was taken of Martin Richard, the 8-year old boy from Dorchester, Massachusetts, who was killed when the bombs detonated at the finish line of the Boston Marathon.  In the photo, Martin is holding a picture that he drew.  Surrounded by two hearts are the words, "No more hurting people.  Peace."

     It is mindboggling to imagine and perplexing to think that a child would make such a profound statement in a schoolroom drawing...and then be killed by an act of violence.

     Let us hope that this is NOT the new normal.  Let us hope that the innocence of young Martin Richard becomes the reality for us all.  "No more hurting people.  Peace."

     And that's The Controversy for today.

     I'm Gary B. Duglin.

 

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