Get Well Boston...

Bombing of the Boston Marathon raises emotions ranging from fear to empathy, anger to insecurity. It's easy to be tempted . . . to succumb to the lure of hatred.

Who did this horrific act?

We don’t know so far. Yet, I already recognize the single most important trait about this killer. Hatred. Somebody’s core being contains so much hate that he, or she, is capable of murder with cold-blooded planning and single-minded lethality.

But, this blog is not about the killer. It is about the survivors. Families have lost loved ones. Others have been wounded, from minor injuries to life-changing amputations. They are also survivors. But, it doesn’t stop there. I care about the event participants and fans that were traumatized. They, too, are survivors.

Ultimately, televisions and the internet spread emotional trauma across my country. We all share pain and suffering with those people in Boston who were directly targeted. Should we be angry? Sure. Should we demand justice? Of course.

What about fear? Should this experience make us fear future terrorist attacks? Not me.

Fear is the goal of terrorism. If we succumb to fear, then terrorism wins. Hatred is their lesser goal. If they can get us to hate and retaliate, then they bring us down to their level and our generalized response breeds the next generation of terrorists.

Reject fear. Personally, I will never bow to the threats of terrorism. Likewise, I will not let my anger over this attack in Boston prejudice me toward any religious, cultural or political group. This attack was the final outcome of hate, nothing more. To prevent such events in the future, we must defeat hatred. That war begins in our own minds. It’s our choice.

Sorry this blog is not about writing, but I thought this needed to be said. Please, my friends, demand justice, but resist hate. If we hate, they win.