For the family of Martin Richard, the eight-year-old boy killed by the terrorist attack in Boston on Monday, the tragic loss is everything. It must be the same for the family of Krystle Campbell, 29, who died as she waited at the finishing line for her boyfriend to complete the race, and for the Chinese citizen, whose family wishes to remain anonymous, who was also killed.
Such tragedies will never be undone and the wounds will never heal. Recognising that terrible truth has to be the starting point of anyone who wishes to discuss the attacks from the point of view of civilised society.
However, from a political point of view there are other factors, which were immediately raised after the bombing itself. Would the Margaret Thatcher funeral require more security? Could the London marathon, to be held a week later, go ahead? Should the media continue to focus on the incident and how should it report it? Doesn’t this play into the terrorists’ hands, who live off the publicity and the public fear?
My own perspective is informed by three sources. Let me begin with one that has been mentioned by some British commentators already.
Thatcher died last week but she almost died 29 years...
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