We Americans Love Our Classifications

One suspect is dead, and the other is forever in custody.  Soon we will start to learn the who's, what's, when's, and most importantly, the why's.  What we will learn about ourselves?  We know we are resilient, we know we are inquisitive, we know we are steadfast in our resolve to live as Americans no matter what.  

One thing is for certain, these two cowards have already been labeled as Chechens, and will likely keep that designation forever.  Here's an article focusing on the Russian/Chechen struggle, something not reported on in the main stream media for years if not decades.  The problem is they were born in Khazakstan, and the country they've lived in the longest is America.  Shortly, the anti-immigrationists will come forth and claim essentially no one should be allowed to immigrate.  The anti-Islamists will ratchet up their rhetoric, and the conspiracy theorists will claim it was all staged by either the left or the right or both.  

Will we grasp that these two became Americans, who learned to hate America at some point?  How will we classify them since they don't look North Korean, or Middle Eastern, or African?  Only time will tell how we decide to categorize, and thus maybe understand or misunderstand, their motivations.

Suddenly Reminded of Our New Reality

Allow this post to join the cacophony of voices sure to erupt in the blogosphere in the next few days, weeks, months.  When next the Boston Marathon is run (hopefully mid-April, 2014), it will be marked with moments of silence, dedications to fallen runners and braver first-responders, tributes to ordinary citizens who became accidental heroes.  How many more festive gatherings will become first deadly, and then solemn?  This article is just one of hundreds being updated as information, credible and not, is beamed around the world.

Tragically, these scenes play out on media in countries the world over on a weekly (if not more often) basis, with casualty rates far higher than today's.  Terrorists make sure no one feels immune, and the tragedy today has all the hallmarks of terrorism, but for better or worse, I fear it is not the work of the usual mid-East thuggery.  

This feels home-grown, smaller scale, and intended to send a clear statement.  It happened on Tax day, in the city of the actual Tea Party, on Patriot's Day.  Hopefully arrests will be made, as this was not the work of suicide bombers.  Hopefully justice will be swift and lasting.  Most of all, I hope we can gain insight into the minds of those looking to destroy so we can all (the world over) manage to live. 

(What) Can We Learn From North Korea?

Is North Korea really run by a crazy despot who believes his country (or any country) can really win a nuclear war?  Probably not.  In fact, he may have more sense than most of us give him credit for.  Remember, he is a rich spoiled young man running one of the poorest and most isolated countries on earth, and he has gained the world's attention with its military.  This article provides excellent insight into this isolated nation.

Importantly, North Korea's bellicose rhetoric gives us a rare glimpse into a regime that is terrified of itself, its people, and the rest of the world.  As the article mentions, Kim Jung-un, until recently a spoiled kid running around his grandfather's estate, is likely flexing strength but displaying his weakness.  No one (aside from possibly David Cameron) truly believes that North Korea can strike the United States with a missile, much less a nuclear missile.   Thus, one side must eventually back down, and it probably won't be the one with the nuclear-capable bombers and a missile-defense system.  Though, maybe it should be to a certain extent.
  
Unfortunately, no one knows exactly what North Korea is capable of.  Hopefully a lesson we won't learn from North Korea is that ignorance and arrogance (both on display to varying degrees in America's response) may be deadly.