Boston Tragedy- A general discussion

[BrotherShamus]

First of all I hope that any Boston Dudes are safe.

Second, I'd like to take a sec to hold those unfortunate souls in our thoughts

Third, what are y'alls opinions on this? obviously negative, but I mean the future implications. While some people immediately go to terrorists of the Muslim persuasion, a lot of folks are think its a domestic issue.

There seems not to be much we can do to prevent stuff like this, and if there is, would it begin that ever looming slippery slope?

Just a thought

[Boston Rockbury]

I'm adding to my original comments because it was wrong of me not to express my empathy and condolences towards the victims and their families. I launched into contentious political stuff without due respect for the pain of the human tragedy that occured at Boston.

A wiser fella than me once said something like:

Don't believe them.
Don't believe them.
Don't be bitten twice.
We got a su' su' su' su' suspect
Suspect deviiiiiiiiice!

They take away our freedom
In the name of Liberty
Why can't they all just leave us
And let us be

'Stiff Little Fingers' I think.

SLF (an Irish 70s punk band) were critical both of IRA terrorism and also of the government's myopic response. Sometimes in the conflict between waring factions the families of the victims who had been murdered (perhaps as recently as earlier that day) would appear on TV and say "We do not want retaliations of any kind. Don't feel you represent us if you use violence as a respose to this." They often had to fight through the tears and the emotions to get the message out. Sometimes our governments feel they have to strike back - somebody has to pay - in Afghanistan, Iraq, Guantanamo or a nameless torture 'facility' of some distant 'ally'. It doesn't work. Violence is tragic. More violence doesn't make it less so.

[Caesar dude]

I'd like to start by offering my sympathy to those that were killed or injured in these bombings and just to make it clear that I am not supporting terrorism in any way shape or form!

we tend to demonise regimes when it suits our government to do so and support ones which are seriously dodgy at the same time. The CIA has actively supported groups that could easily be considered terrorists when they feel the US is 'threatened by democratically elected left-wing governments in Central America.

This is a post from a fellow ex-serviceman on FB

OK, some might find this a bit harsh, but? The Boston killings are a tragedy, and if terrorism is suspected, hunt down the terrorists and their financial support. Unlike the USA when Boston was having fund raising events and sending tons of cash to the IRA to kill British troops and British and Irish civilians!! And the American Government said that it was their right to do so and refused to stop them!! I honestly feel sympathy for the injured and dead, after all they are victims, but find it a bit ironic and with hindsight, a bit hypocritical.

And my response:

Totally agree Jim. PIRA were bombing and shooting the shit out of our comrades while we were in Germany and loads of that was funded from "collections" in the states....so many...killed or injured when we were there...Heidi Hazel, Rheindahlen, Osnabruck..bombed and the guys shot, Roermond..Oz tourists and Wilders Rocks...and the closest for me, Mick Islahnia (everyone at Wilders knew him as Sikhs are hard to miss!!) at Wildenrath...the night before I was posted back to UK...I heard the shots as I was loading my car. XX was in LV on Paddy's day 1986....they were full of it collecting for the "freedom fighters" I was dragged from a fight that night by Bob..well we both had to leave...Bob was calmer than me but not much! Yeah I have sympathy and it is awful but the irony isn't lost on me at all that it happened in Boston.

I am truly sorry that this bombing happened at all. But maybe just maybe it will have hit home to the residents of Boston the devastation that "freedom fighters" cause.

Peace. Truly.

[DigitalBuddha]

DB's head is bowed for the dudely departed and for those who were injured.