Boston aftermath

About a week ago there was the horrible event of bombings at the Boston Marathon start line, that was followed by at least as horrible shootings and bombings during the rest of the week. Lives were lost, and we should reflect on what happened to be able to prevent such events from happening again. What I'm more worried about is the aftermath around the possible attackers and the responses that the chase and apprehension have evoked.

Situations like this should not be taken lightly. Bombings and random shootings are horrible and should be taken with all the seriousness. But what I was really taken aback by was the public and political response after the alleged still living attacker was caught (the highlighting there is important, so keep that in mind.)

I'm not taking a stand about whether or not Tsarnaev is guilty, there are professionals and such that will find out and decide that later, hopefully without bias or rancor. What was wrong, almost inhuman, to me, was the way people and the Republican party have reacted. People practically paraded out on the streets when the alleged attacker was caught - sure, he might have been guilty, but it's not yet sure, and there are some shady parts there. People all but whooped with bloodlust when he had been savagely beaten and was in a critical state, because it was felt that he deserved it.

A person that might have done horrible things deserved every imaginable deed of violence directed towards him. A person, a human being, that might have done something. Yes, what happened was horrible and yes, if he did it he should be convicted for it - convicted, not dragged through the streets like a rabid animal. The Republican party is calling for him to be treated as a non-American combatant - basically denying him all the basic human rights.

I understand that people, as a normal response to being in fear for a week, feel relief after they're told that the situation has been resolved. I understand that the relief might bubble out as joy, anger or other strong feelings that are directed in rather random directions. I refuse to understand the bloodlust and rancor people feel towards an alleged attacker. Even if he was the confirmed attacker, my god, would be butcher him like the Archbishop of Paris?

I understand the anger, the frustration of inaction and inability, the rage and sadness. I don't want to trod on anyone's loss. What happened was horrible, it was a tragedy beyond scope. But oh, humanity, a person - even after possibly committing horrid deeds - is a person, a human being, and should be treated as such. We are no longer savages, so let there be some humanity in how we act.