By Duke Staff
Monday we witnessed another terrorist attack on American soil. As we did 11 years ago on Sept. 11, the nation is coming together, no matter our differences, to support those whose lives have been forever changed due to the bombing of the Boston Marathon.
Monday should have been a day for celebration. All those who trained for months to run should have been able to cross the finish line in joyful victory. Their loved ones should have been able to greet them at the line with cheers. The entire city of Boston should have been celebrating Patriot’s Day, its own holiday that celebrates the first battle of the American Revolutionary War which took place in Lexington and Concord.
The blasts killed three so far – including an 8-year-old boy – and have injured more than 180 people. Many people lost limbs and were critically injured as a result.
We will keep Boston in our hearts and hope that
everyone continues to do what they love in life.
We’ve witnessed other terrorist attacks on American soil, but what hits so close to home with this particular one was that it was a sporting event. Sports bring people of all ages and backgrounds together, if even for just a few hours. On Monday, thousands of people came together to cheer on the athletes who were running in America’s oldest marathon. American sports events are the last of the public spaces to be tainted by violence over the past decade. Just as we have learned how to better protect our country in the air and in our schools, we will learn from the Boston Marathon to protect our citizens from any future terror.
As with any tragedy, there are always stories of heroism on the part of citizens. Boston saw no shortage of these heroes. Many athletes who participated in the marathon who were uninjured ran past the finish line and straight to the hospitals to donate blood to their fellow runners and spectators who endured injuries. Instead of audience member’s following their instincts to run in the opposite direction, many people ran into the scene of the blast to help the participants.
This tragedy has caused fear in other people as marathon season is now. The London Marathon is taking place on April 21 and runners promise to participate in the marathon. Fear should never hold us back from doing the things that we want to do.
On May 5, Pittsburgh will host its own marathon, a tradition in the city. If you have been training for it, run in the Pittsburgh Marathon for the people in Boston. Run for you and don’t let what happened in Boston scare you. We will keep Boston in our hearts and hope that everyone continues to do what they love in life.