THOUGHTS FROM BESERKASTAN

Unabashedly stealing from the Beatles, this particular blog already feels like a long and winding road.  Try and stick with me--I am not sure what to say, how to say it, or how long I might need to say whatever it is.

This is what I know for sure:  I was on vacation when the bombs exploded in Copley Square.  I felt personally (yet obviously only psychologically) injured.  Stuck in the Miami airport, we watched as the various police forces moved ahead with the investigation.  Upon returning we were "sheltered in" (terrific-- a new word to describe a new world) and spent virtually all day in front of the TV watching the hunt for the remaining killer.  And then he was caught. Those are the facts.

(Item:  The famine in Somalia may have killed as many as 260,000 Somalis). 

The next day we went to a birthday party for someone turning 70.  During the event, discussion turned to what we had all experienced during the week.  It felt as if I was watching the talking heads on TV who really knew nothing but kept talking anyway.  Chris Matthews, for one, must have told us 100 times that he went to Holy Cross and managed to speak over all musical interludes during the service at the Cathedral in the South End.  But back to the party--second guessing about the overwhelming police reaction and presence was the appetizer.  But what did we know even then?  My amateur opinion was that there was no down side to over reacting.  An under reaction, which might have lead to further death or injury, would have been a mega disaster.  So, for a change, count me on the side of the gendarmes.  Plus I thought what they did in less than a week was kind of excellent. The folks at this party, the talking heads, anyone else who acted like an expert--we fucking did not know enough to even have an opinion. 

(Item:  A fire engulfs a psychiatric hospital in Russia killing 35-40 patients.)

I do believe there is something "we" do to young men in this and other countries which leads to their disaffection to the point that they become violent.  Newtown, Columbine, Aurora, Gabby Gifford, Oklahoma City--all atrocities committed by young(ish) white guys.  Now these brothers from Chechnya--young, very disaffected though tied into some sort of jihadist movement which even now is not so clear.  This has something to do with the family life of all these men (which if you have heard some of the relatives of the two brothers, you know they are a few cards short of a full deck--the mother believing it was red paint not blood); but it also has to do with how we misjudge people (everyone loved the younger brother).  But a lot of people are disaffected and do not commit such atrocities--what clicks on in their heads and turns them into these killers. 

(Item:  A bus crash kills 45 in Afghanistan)

I end up feeling very lucky and wondering what if the medical tent was not right at the end of the marathon route.  Despite feeling health care costs are unconscionable, I feel lucky that the hospitals in the city are so good during these traumatic events.  I heard one trauma surgeon (who must have been 13 years old) say the injuries were not "otherworldly"--he had seen them before.  It was the number of patients that was difficult not the severity of their injuries.  Can you imagine? I feel unimaginable empathy for the victims who have lost family members and may have also lost body parts.  I continue to have no clue what it means or how to prevent the next one.

(Item:  an earthquake in rural China and a building collapse in Bangladesh kill hundreds of people.)

I don't think the end of the road is in sight but I have no clue where I am on it.  There more questions than answers. So I will stop.

OTHER SNIPPETS:
--Connecticut passed sweeping gun legislation something Congress managed to bail out on to its everlasting disgrace.  But then again Newtown is in Connecticut.
--But alas and alack, Connecticut is also considering legislation which wold give pets the right to an attorney--I kid you not.
--I would have felt worse if Meryl Streep had passed away than when I learned Margaret Thatcher did.
--The state of North Carolina has passed a law making Christianity the state religion.
--A town in Georgia passed a local ordinance requiring residents to own guns.
--The NRA obviously continues to push Congress around.

(Item:  An explosion near the Charles bridge in Prague injures almost 60)

--You can get "organic cucumber vodka" in Florida and I saw people order it.  What the fuck is that?
--John Oliver from the Jon Stewart show had a terrific 3 part series on Australia's gun laws passed with the leadership of Conservatives there. They are the most restrictive in the world.
--While stuck at Miami International, we sat in an area where most flights were going to Central or South America.  It seemed like every passenger going to those countries had 8 suitcases each of which got shrink wrapped by guys who work there--not the airline people.  What is that about?
--Will the Arkansas oil spill kill the proposed Keystone pipeline?

(Item:  The men incarcerated at Guantanamo are on a major hunger strike and some are being fed by tube.  No trials/just cells.)

--Richie Havens passed away--loved him and will miss him.  But the Monkees are going on tour--I just saved about $100 abstaining from that.

SPORTS TALK

Jason Collins--A gutsy hurrah to him.  Nuf said?

Sayonara