An iconic piece of Americana bloodied ... again

 

An explosion behind the crowd near the finish line.
Boston police poised over a prone runner.
National Guardsmen ripping out a storm fence to reach the injured.
Weeping, dazed runners.
Sidewalks smeared with blood.
Images of the Boston Marathon tragedy.
Images that conjure past images of terrorism's ugly handiwork in America.
Images that make us say, dear God, not again.
That it should happen at this iconic event is not only horrific but profane.
I've never run the Boston Marathon or ever attended it.
But it's something that's always on our national consciousness.
It's Patriots Day, a celebration of the American Revolution.
A celebration of us.
I've known numerous acquaintances over the years who have run this historic race.
None ever came close to winning it, but that's not the point.
They experienced it, a piece of Americana.
A piece of Americana that was bloodied by Monday's bombings.