Bombs exploded at the Boston Marathon

This is Patriot’s Day, Marathon Monday; it is also Tax Day — but otherwise insignificant.

There were at least three explosive devices in Boston; two detonated near the Marathon’s finish line. The police disarmed the third.

At this moment the perpetrators have not been identified. Their grievances remain private. They targeted no one person in particular. The Marathon enjoys worldwide fame; it lacks political significance, however. Mercifully, the death count seems low. But these killings and maiming are intolerable.

One point is clear, however: The extensive security-surveillance apparatus which emerged after the 9.11 attacks failed to deter this attack. Trillions of dollars were spent, allegedly to secure the nation against attacks like this one.. The apparatus thus constructed impinges upon civil life every single day. Americans now lack a reasonable expectation of privacy in their personal affairs. Yet this effort and expense failed to save those now dead or maimed.

A secure peace originates only from a just and reasonable kind of human solidarity.

Related articles

• 2 killed as 2 bombs explode at Boston Marathon (sacbee.com)
• Boston Marathon explosions: two dead, 64 injured as ‘bombs’ hit race finish line (telegraph.co.uk)
• Alex Jones: Boston explosion a government conspiracy (salon.com)
• Boston Blasts Prompt UK Review of London Marathon (abcnews.go.com)