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Boston: In Other’s Words

Boston Marathon l 4-15-2013 3-27-31 PMWarning:  The words in italics are not my own, but I agree with all of them.  I’ve removed the f-bomb to keep my G rating.

Tragedy…and hope.  The world is still a good place.  Plant flowers, hug your children, pet your cat and love the ones you’re with.  And yes, grieve.

To read the post in its entirety, please link to Oswalt’s facebook page.

Please join the conversation in the comments section, below:

by Patton Oswalt

Boston. F**ng horrible.

I remember, when 9/11 went down, my reaction was, “Well, I’ve had it with humanity.”

But I was wrong. I don’t know what’s going to be revealed to be behind all of this mayhem. One human insect or a poisonous mass of broken sociopaths.

But here’s what I DO know. If it’s one person or a HUNDRED people, that number is not even a fraction of a fraction of a fraction of a percent of the population on this planet. You watch the videos of the carnage and there are people running TOWARDS the destruction to help out. (Thanks FAKE Gallery founder and owner Paul Kozlowski for pointing this out to me). This is a giant planet and we’re lucky to live on it but there are prices and penalties incurred for the daily miracle of existence. One of them is, every once in a while, the wiring of a tiny sliver of the species gets snarled and they’re pointed towards darkness.

But the vast majority stands against that darkness and, like white blood cells attacking a virus, they dilute and weaken and eventually wash away the evil doers and, more importantly, the damage they wreak. This is beyond religion or creed or nation. We would not be here if humanity were inherently evil. We’d have eaten ourselves alive long ago.

So when you spot violence, or bigotry, or intolerance or fear or just garden-variety misogyny, hatred or ignorance, just look it in the eye and think, “The good outnumber you, and we always will.”

My heart goes out to the people of Boston, the families and victims of the attack, and yes, to the heartless soul or souls who are behind this violence. I’m trying hard to understand your heart of darkness.

18 thoughts on “Boston: In Other’s Words”

  2. Thanks for sharing Mr Oswald’s comments, very well said. Even though the good guys outnumber the bad, still somehow these things make me feel less safe. I suppose that is their ploy. We are in shock and as you’ve said disbelief. Our friend Kevin’s girlfriend is a serious athlete, currently training for a marathon. They know a number of runners participating today and confirmed they are safe. I’m very sorry for the families who’ve been victim’s of the violence. It all makes me want to scream.

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    • It is unfathomable why anyone would do such a thing. I remember my shock when the Oklahoma City building news first broke. Then the first World Trade Center bombing and then 9/11. Every time it feels like a punch to the gut. And you’re right, the idea behind terrorism is to instill fear.

      I had an upsetting peeping-tom experience once, and it changed the way I feel safe in my home. To this day, I’m extremely uncomfortable with the blinds open once the sun sets. I can’t image living through something as huge as Boston or New York and not being forever changed.

      It’s a dark day for everyone. I’m glad to hear your friends are safe. I just can’t imagine what it behind this terrible act.

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      • I can’t imagine how someone is so callus and evil but I guess that’s a narcissist…..there’s no conscience or even guilt, they can justify it only in their own twisted minds. With any luck their hatred devours their own existence. I won’t say ‘lives’ since they have no humanity.

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        • You are right: they lack humanity. That is the problem. They don’t operate with the same moral compass as the majority of the world so guilt, remorse, sorrow, etc. don’t factor in. They also seem brainwashed into believing their actions are justified.

          I thought for sure they would have some real leads by now but as of this writing, nothing.

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  3. I also wanted to say how sorry I am about the invasion of your privacy in your own home Alys but not in the same breath of contempt I have for the Boston situation. I can only imagine the loss of feeling safe was mind numbing. Did they catch the guy?

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    • I don’t think they ever found the guy. It took me a long time to move past it. He propped something up against my bathroom window late at night. I was getting into the shower when I thought I saw a face at the window. I pulled back the shower curtain and saw a glimpse of eye glasses and a mustache. I jumped out of the shower onto a wet tile floor and fell. I screamed and screamed a blue streak. I pulled myself up by the door knob, than ran naked down the hall (here is the only funny part) into my roommates boyfriend. He late said he thought I saw a spider. (Oh pul-eeze!!!)

      Police arrived twenty minutes later, the guy was long gone, and when I asked if they thought he might come back the cop said (and I’m not kidding here), it depends on if he likes what he saw. I should have reported him then and there, but I was so scared, tired and worried.

      Thanks for thinking of me. Women experience far worse, so I remind myself of that.

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      • That’s so friggin scary Alys. I’m glad you weren’t alone and had someone there. You just never know. There was a freak in Ontario Canada, The HEAD of a Military base, was charged with several rapes and also murdered a peer. He peeped on them, then he’d break in a steal things and it escalated from there. Of course he’s in prison for a long time (he was married and respected in the community). What a ridiculous thing to say to a scared young woman. I wish you had reported him too, but when you’re so shaken, how can you even think. It used to be such a boys club, I hope attitudes have changed.

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