The Art of Terror

I have always believed that our lives are in many ways performance art or if not art certainly, performance design. Many would disagree with that until they have to deal with a bureaucrat, their doctor or just how to turn on and program their DVR. Remember putting that black tape over the flashing 12:00 on your VCR so you wouldn't have to look at it flashing, like forever?

Our lives for the most part are designed by our fellow humans. Even something as simple (internally complicated) as your car was designed by someone and usually someones.

The Boston Marathon seconds after the bomb went off.

Is TERROR any different? It is an act created by humans to intimidate other humans. The cause can be noble or not, but it is not a natural act. A Natural act, like an earthquake or tornado is something we definitely have no control over.

In a sense, a bombing, such as what happened in Boston yesterday during the annual Boston Marathon, is an act of cowardice. The intent of course is to intimidate. Watching an interview with Matt Lauer last night on NBC who was interviewing three locals, not one of them was intimidated and several were literally seconds away from being where either of the bombs went off. When asked if they would return next year, all three said yes. One of the three said, "We Bostonians are pretty tough. This isn't going to stop us."

Scenes seconds after the first explosion certainly seemed to emphasize that emotion. Rather than running away, runners, paramedics and cops all ran towards the explosions and may well have saved more lives because they put caution to the wind to help their fellow human beings. If anything, the bomber or bombers rather than intimidating instead created a form of solidarity I am sure they did not intend.

There are many legitimate things to protest but they need to be out in the open. They need to be discussed and here in America we have the right to the protest and have free speech. To hide behind a mask, a backpack, to create an event with objects sure to harm is being, well, a coward. They do not have the courage to protest openly so, like Timothy McVay in Oklahoma City or just like Al Qaida they kill anyone that happens to be around...men, women and children. Is there any difference between the Taliban and some of the right wing groups in the United States? That means woman and children who really have no reason to be assaulted, are.

Like Newtown, those people, those parents have a design as well and it is to create a society where this kind of behavior is never again tolerated. I would guess that our politicians need to listen a little more closely. Just like Senator Portman, a staunch anti-gay advocate, who suddenly had to face the reality that his son, whom he loved dearly, was gay. Does a staunch NRA advocate need to lose a loved one to an assault rifle for him to see the light? We are entitled to our opinions, and we have guaranteed rights but have we twisted intent to become the law rather than the spirit of the law? Wasn't that the message of Jesus...and many other holy men?  As a God fearing nation, we are entitled to pray to whomever we please. We are not entitled to murder those we disagree with.

So I ask you, is our life a design created by ourselves or possibly one that is created by a higher being? Only you can decide the answer to that but man has the power to craft a better world  and violence is not the answer.