A sense of urgency, a sense of need

President Barack H. Obama, three days after the explosions killed four people and injured more than 180 persons during the running of the Boston Marathon on April 15, told a worldwide audience: “You will run again,” as applause rained down at an interfaith service at the Cathedral of the Holy Cross in Boston.

In a cadence – a modulation or inflection of the voice – that is unusual protocol for the president of United States, he said: “When the Sox, the Celtics, the Patriots, the Bruins are champions again – to the chagrin of New York and Chicago fans – the crowds will gather and watch a parade go down Boylston Street.

“…And this time next year, on the third Monday in April, the world will return to this great American city to run harder than ever and to cheer even louder for the 118th Boston Marathon.

“…Bet on it!’’ he thundered.

And based on the aftermath of destruction by two brothers – one dead and his brother under arrest in a Boston hospital, the people in Boston celebrated Patriots’ Day on Saturday with a fanfare of excitement throughout Boston with a salute to the police, the victims and to themselves with a passionate rendition of “Sweet Caroline” by Neil Diamond in Fenway Park before a crowd of 37,000.

This is America, resolute in its goals and appreciative of its freedoms. We salute our law enforcement officers and those first responders who came to the aid of the injured without a second thought for their own safety and residual effects of seeing war-torn injuries from the homemade pressure cooker bombs on Boylston Street in the heart of  Boston.

Our Patriots’ Day was marred; but as the president noted: Next year will be a better year, and for New Englanders, it will be a day of “recognition and infancy” for not only the runners and the spectators, but for our celebration to behold the honor of a civic holiday commemorating the anniversary of the Battles of Lexington and Concord.

Posted by George C. Jordan III on April 25, 2013. Filed under Editorials,Opinion. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry