April is the cruelest month

A couple of days ago, right after the bombing of the Boston Marathon, Feminist Peace Network tweeted "Thinking abt how we prioritize terror,what horrifies us,what doesn't but should,how many deaths go unnoticed,others are endless news cycles."

I think I know what she means. There is a certain vulture-like feeding on tragedy that seems to go on among the mainstream media, and endless stream of inconsequential "breaking news" details whenever something like the Boston Marathon bombing happens. And there are so many other situations of great horror that are ignored, maybe because these situations aren't happening in the United States.

Nevertheless, the situation in Boston was sad, and horrifying.

And what I found very helpful in trying to understand the sadness and horror were the following stories on Democracy Now:

• Boston Marathon a "Horrifying Scene" After Twin Blasts Kill 3 and Leave Scores Maimed, Wounded
• Peace Activist Carlos Arredondo Hailed as Hero for Aid to Boston Marathon Bombing Victims
• "Like a War Scene": From the Streets to Hospitals, Witnesses & Medics Rushed to Help Bombing Victims
• Sportswriter Dave Zirin: Prayers For the People in Boston, Baghdad and Mogadishu