UPDATE: What a cowardly, cowardly act of terrorism unleashed on our country once again. Thoughts and prayers to all those impacted. And may the Perp who did it burn in Hell.
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ORIGINAL POST (pre bombing)The town has broken out the really b-i-g flag that flies on special days the 29 commemorative flags are allowed to fly in the downtown. Those of us here in Massachusetts (or any long distance runner) needs no reminder about the importance of today.
As military battles go Lexington and Concord was hardly a crippling blow to the enemy, but it set in motion an unstoppable force: the power of freedom.
Larry from 7:00am Thursday, April 11th until 7:00am Monday, April 15th AFD responded to 92 emergencies. That is 96 hours or 4 days. 23 calls per day. That is the workload of a big city fire department.
ReplyDeleteLarry (et al), doesn't this put things in a slightly different perspective?
ReplyDeleteWoken up by a loud party versus BEING DEAD (and reports are that at least two people are).
Having to pick up some broken glass on your lawn in the morning versus BEING SLICED APART BY FLYING GLASS (reports are over 60 in hospitals, and if the blast was where I think it was, there are a lot of upper-story plate glass windows to come falling down as deadly shapranel -- the injury and death toll likely will still increase dramatically.
The thing that told me the most was when I saw police departments who really don't like each other -- the Boston Police, the State Police and the MBTA Police (aka "Transit" Police) working together, that alone is enough to tell me just how serious this was. One picture with a BPD & MBTA officer lugging the same stretcher told me all I needed to see.
And I had wondered why the Commuter Rail trains were going into the city but not coming back out -- like on 9-11 when I processed the fact that there wasn't any music on the music station -- I kinda knew something wasn't right. But like on 9-11, I had work to do this afternoon, and I did it.
BUT FOLKS, DOESN'T THIS GIVE YOU A PERSPECTIVE ABOUT YOUR PETTY COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE UMASS STUDENTS?!?!?!?!?!?
Throw in the very real likelyhood that some of the 9-11 terrorists had visited the UM campus in the weeks before that terrible day, and all of the stuff that is going on at UM now in terms of anti-Americanism, and, well...
Folks, broken beer bottle or sliced apart by flying glass. I somehow thing the latter is worse.
Two wrongs don't make a right.
ReplyDeleteNo Larry, two wrongs don't make a right, but I said "perspective."
ReplyDeleteAnd what we will never know is if the MSP hadn't been tied up in Amherst last night, if they had instead been tasked with the Marathon, what they might have seen/heard/suspected in time to do some good.
As I write this, rumors are that someone (MSP, FBI, ATF, someone) has defused three bombs that didn't go off -- one under the bleachers. There are reports of people finding body parts inside their living rooms and such, really gristly stuff.
Larry, you can't possibly seek to consider this in the same dimension as a loud party. A bunch of legs blown through your front door versus a loud stereo -- Larry, there is a difference here....
And to the C*nthead who wanted to call me a nasty name, let me say this. I write this 9 miles outside the city -- the same distance Amherst is from Northampton. The MBTA Commuter Rail trains are running, but each is preceded by a pickup truck riding the rails -- withOUT the yellow light flashing -- and I wondered for a minute why the truck didn';t lower the gates and realized, these trucks haven't lowered the special wheels that allow them to stay on the railroad tracks -- apparently they are worried about being blown up themselves....
LEO and EMS are scared -- I don't know if realistically or not, but these aren't cowardly people and I'm guessing that they have a realistic reason to be scared. No one knows how many more bombs are out there.
There are three confirmed dead, one an 8-year-old boy. Another adult male who may have been his father -- imagine if both were waiting to see the wife/mother cross the finish line. These bombs were timed for that -- to kill the locals who were there to cheer on loved ones at the finish line.
Mass General alone has 8 "CRITICALLY INJURED" -- you really kinda have to expect that at least a third of them aren't going to make it -- it's what "critically injured" means. And that is the best case outcome, with a lot of luck.
There are a LOT of traumatic amputations and such. Enough said?
And you want to compare this to a party at Townhouse Apartments?
You are the assholes....
Self-centered assholes....
I am not now nor have I at any point today said the two "compare".
ReplyDeleteI simply said terrorism is wrong, and I've been saying that for a very long time.
As is loud, obnoxious, selfish, don't-give-a damn-about-your-neighbors type partying.
But they are certainly not equal.
Ed seems to be saying that because there are worse incidents happening in the world, even sadly in our own state, we should not try to make our community a better place to live by dealing with the "students with bad behavior" problem. A truly untenable position, Ed. It's not that two wrongs don't make a right. It's that "students with bad behavior" need to be held accountable for their actions. Not they are not terroists blowing up the town but they are causing problems in the town and they need to be held accountable. They are acting like small children. What's up with them damaging signs along the road as they walk from Sunderland to UMASS. Those are the actions of children. And, if they are not held accountable now, they will continue to go through life thinking they can do whatever they damn well please without consequence. It's a lesson little children are, for the most part, taught. And that helps them become better, more responsible adults. Clearly, these "students with bad behavior" were not taught this lesson as small children. So now it's up to the powers that be in Amherst to do the teaching.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Larry Kelley on absolutely NOTHING! But I do agree with him on this topic. Things have gotten out of control and these students need to be held accountable.
Thanks (I think).
ReplyDeleteEd, seriously, will you please stop commenting for a while? I'm asking as a favor: would you please stop commenting for a while.
ReplyDeleteThe USAF have a saying -- the reason why they are shooting at you is because you are over the target.
ReplyDeleteAmherst has been treating UMass student like shite for a quarter century and now the students are responding in kind. And I have no problem pointing out (a) that your complaints are petty compared to what happens elsewhere (not just the bombings) and (b) had you not dragged the MSP out there over the weekend, who knows what they might have been able to prevent from happening.
Fact: There are a finite number of state troopers.
Fact: Any MSP resources in Amherst weren't available for marathon work. Or if they were, working double shifts means folk aren't at their best.
Fact: We will never know what could have been prevented had the MSP been able to use the resources (people, equipment, etc) that Amherst demanded (and got) for the marathon instead.
Fact: I really don't care about the Town of Amherst and I hope that the state chops the UM budget out of spite. Either way, Walter is right, you are going to see enrollment tank and you are going to get to live in the cesspool that you have created. And all contracts -- including union contracts -- become null & void in the case of bankruptcy....
Fact: people also target Mosquitos because they are ANNOYING.
ReplyDeleteFact: the amount of MSP detailed to work the marathon had nothing to do with those detailed to Amherst, or even the pike that day for that matter.
Fact: people that don't care about something, or a town, don't constantly discuss it.
Fact: OCD and many mental issues can be successfully treated and controlled with medicaton and therapy.
The USAF have a saying -- the reason why they are shooting at you is because you are over the target.
ReplyDeleteLet me make sure I understand your conception of yourself and the world, Ed. You're saying that if people attack you, it must be because you're right.
Of course, if they agree with you, you must also be right.
Finally, if they don't respond to your ranting, they're tacitly agreeing with you. Right again!
Is there any other possibility, something I've missed? If not, maybe you should ask yourself one simple question: How would you ever know if you were not quite right... in all senses of that word? (Hint: Certain kinds of mental illness are seldom self-diagnosed.)
Ed, which bar do you drink at downtown? When will you be there? I wanna meet you, bro!
ReplyDeleteEd said, re the bombs at the marathon: BUT FOLKS, DOESN'T THIS GIVE YOU A PERSPECTIVE ABOUT YOUR PETTY COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE UMASS STUDENTS?!?!?!?!?!?
ReplyDeleteEd, I'm wondering, does it give you any perspective about your petty complaints about everything Amherst and UMass?
How would you ever know if you were not quite right... in all senses of that word? (Hint: Certain kinds of mental illness are seldom self-diagnosed.)
ReplyDeleteHans Christian Anderson addressed this issue quite well in his story about the emperor who had a new suit of clothes -- and while all the adults clearly saw that the emperor was stark naked -- as one must presume the emperor himself observed as well -- no one dared say anything lest their mental health be challenged.
Has the Gulag of Amherst and the Purgatorial Cesspool of UMass become so truly TRULY fascist that anyone who "doesn't trim [his] conscience to fit this season's fashions" is deemed mentally ill? And for those of you who don't recognize that quote, it was Lillian Hellman who said it -- about Joe McCarthy and similar fascism, only this time from the other end of the political spectrum.
Has Amherst officially adopted the concept of vyalotekushchaya Shizofreniya -- have you, like the Soviets, officially defined political dissent as insanity?
Is that why there has been a 733% INCREASE in CCPH's Involuntary Psych Commitments calendar-year-to-date as compared to last year?
Anyone who disagrees with you must be insane. How simplistic. How sad....
And how asinine. You are the people who would have burnt Galileo Galilei at the stake....
I really do feel sorry for you.
I will ask my question as bluntly as I possibly can, Ed: How will you know when you are wrong?
ReplyDeleteAnon 2:11. Don't you get it? Ed is NEVER wrong!
ReplyDeleteYeah, anon 2:11, you would have burnt Galileo at the stake.
ReplyDelete