24 April 2013

Note to Visitors


I made my way down Boylston Street today.  I'm not sure what I wanted to find there - just that on the first day the street was re-opened, it seemed important to bear witness.

I did not take pictures.

I did not take pictures because when I arrived at a place where windows remained blown out; where construction was under way; while workers were rebuilding and repainting; at a place where blood was still visible on the sidewalk - tourists were taking pictures.  more than that, tourists were taking pictures of each other at the site. 

how do you caption that picture? Hey - this is me standing in a place where 8 days earlier people were maimed and killed while gathering to watch an international sporting event?

i kept thinking about my sister when visited Auschwitz many years ago - she was baffled by the tourist telling his (very young) child - "see honey, that's where they burned people"

i don't know what to what to say.  obviously, i also was a tourist of sorts today - i was visiting the site of a brutal act. but i was nauseated by the proximity; not inspired to photograph...

also, while I only have 7 readers, I still want to put a link to the one fund - please give if you can.

also (again) here's a tee shirt that was designed by a friend of the elf. if you were looking for a #bostonpride shirt, I recommend that one.

1 comment:

ANI said...

Just disgusting. You are braver than I am. Just walking past the barricades on Newbury on Tue night made me dissolve into tears. I am not sure I can go past the Forum for a while...