Bond of community can overpower acts of terror
The strength of community and the tenacious nature of the human spirit are perhaps best reflected by a marathon, where strangers from around the world cheer on other strangers who have expended so much effort to accomplish a feat they probably initially considered impossible. By targeting such an event, the perpetrators of the explosions at the Boston Marathon have shown themselves to be the enemies of good, wholly rejecting our society’s most valuable tenets — love of life, tolerance and individualism — and using fear to paralyze human progress. While it is terrifying to know such evil exists, it is much more reassuring to know the vast majority of people have responded to the tragedy with an outpouring of sympathy and aid.
It took only seconds for the policemen, firemen and National Guard members to realize what was happening and begin tearing down barricades to get to the wounded and help people escape the carnage. Local residents brought food and drinks to victims and invited them into their homes to rest. Armies of citizens are donating blood and thousands are expressing sympathy on social media. These actions illustrate the power of community. The goal of terrorism is to break the community’s spirit. Thus, the best way to fight it is to remain strong.
Whenever you are tempted to despair over the evil of some people, look instead to how the good respond. There is a quote from Mr. Rogers that captures the sentiment particularly well: “When I was a boy and I would see scary things in the news, my mother would say to me, ‘Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping.’”