Inured When in Iraq

Some people have noted—certainly my friend Montag on his blog yesterday (link)—that terrorist events in Iraq yesterday killed 61 people (per this morning’s Wall Street Journal). We cannot help ourselves. We become hardened and eventually ignore that which relentlessly recurs. Disasters closer to us are another matter—until they become frequent enough so that we are hardened to them in turn and just roll our eyes. Boston. Yes. Strong feelings and heartfelt prayers, here in Detroit, as we witness the loss and suffering that concluded this year’s marathon—whatever its motive, most likely some mad personal grudge. Deliver us from evil. Amen.