Names to Remember, Faces Not to Forget

If there’s a downside to the capture of the Boston Marathon bomber, it’s that the world will be forced to endure hearing his name and seeing his face over and over again.

But not here.

Each time his name gets mentioned or his image is shown, we’re forced to relive the horrors.  We become captives of a twisted biography.  We’re given no other option but to surrender the most precious commodity we have, which is our time, and bestow it upon someone so utterly undeserving — someone who caused so much senseless pain, misery, and death.

We all become his victims, by the millions.  By making us bear witness to his unfathomable acts which are certain to garner news headlines over the next several months, we’re robbed again and again.  He steals away moments when instead we should be living and enjoying life.  He’ll distract us from very real problems and issues that demand our attention.  Perhaps worse of all, his lasting presence in media coverage forces the victims who suffered the most to relive the most horrible moments of their lives.

There are other victims, too.  While a motive still remains unclear, if indeed these bombings were motivated by political or religious ideology, his actions most certainly damage whatever cause he believed in.  Yes, some causes are worth fighting for.  Some might even justify the use of violence.  But it’s difficult to think of any cause, no matter how noble, worthy of the murder of an eight-year-old boy.  Someone, please justify that.

We’ve also come to learn something about the bombers’ family.  Based on comments widely reported throughout the day on Friday, the father and mother appear to be far beyond simple bereavement.  In fact, they are disgraceful people, worthy of our universal repudiation.  Any potential for a public outpouring of sympathy for the parents of the two bombers was shattered when the mother launched into a baffling verbal attack on the F.B.I. while authorities were in the midst of a manhunt for her son.  She even alleged her two sons were “set up.”  It turns out the father was a real prince too, calling his boys “angels.”

Listening to the two parents speak and try to explain themselves was nauseating.  They don’t deserve any sympathy.  They don’t even deserve our pity.  Based on their comments, they’re way beyond any capacity to feel shame.  So let’s just call them both out for what they are — worthless pieces of shit who bred and raised two turds.

The bombers’ names will not be listed.  The parents’ names will not be listed.  They do not deserve any recognition.  Instead of posting their names, or the surname of that disgusting family, instead, let’s use this space more constructively to remember some other names.

Ladies and gentlemen, those who follow are names worth remembering.  By all accounts, these are the names of four wonderful people, each with bright futures and full lives ahead of them, cut short in a senseless and selfish act of horror.  These are the names deserving of remembrance and celebration, along with more than 180 innocent victims who were seriously injured — some who lost arms and legs all because of two dysfunctional losers whose names deserve to be forgotten forever.

Here are four people with names worth remembering, and faces we should not forget:

 Krystle Campbell

 Martin Richard

Lingzi Lu

Sean Collier