Today We Are All Bostonians

 

Our thoughts and prayers go out to the victims of the Boston Marathon today.  Speaker Boehner ordered flags at the Capitol flown half-staff out of respect for the victims. 

Words cannot begin to express our sorrow for the families who are grieving so suddenly right now.  The House of Representatives offers its prayers to the victims and the city of Boston.   We also give thanks for the professionals and Good Samaritans who prevented further loss of life.  This is a terrible day for all Americans, but we will carry on in the American spirit, and come together with grace and strength.

While the focus is rightly on the victims and as President Obama said the effort to find who did this:

But make no mistake -- we will get to the bottom of this.  America will find out who did this; we'll find out why they did this.  Any responsible individuals, any responsible groups will feel the full weight of justice.

While they are focusing on the victims and the person or persons who performed this horrible act of terrorism, it is worth noting another image on those videos we have seen over and over and over again: people running toward the explosions and marathoners running to the hospital to give blood after crossing the finish line.  The American people’s desire to help is overwhelming.  The article entitled Boston Marathon explosions attract an outpouring of help from city's residents  details Bostonians lining up to help.  It closes with a true statement of an American.

"There's more good people out there than bad people," Zuker says. "And it's way more. The scales aren't even close."

He's right. There were perhaps one or two evildoers on Monday. And the list of good people goes on and on, growing by the minute, lined up in rows, ready to do anything to help.