Most of the explosions took place in the city of Austin, just 100 miles from my home, with another taking place in Schertz, TX. Given that this area is home to my family and friends and I still receive news coverage in this general area, it did not take long for me to learn about this. I was deeply saddened to hear about the lives that were being lost.
When I heard about the death of Draylen Mason, my heart just shattered given that he shared a passion for music and played the bass just as I had played the violin in high school. He was a bright young mind with so much potential. This young man was getting ready to begin a new life in college just as I had this fall and his death just hit way too close to home for me. Of course I am also deeply saddened by the loss of Anthony House who was husband and father to two young children and all others injured and affected.
After learning about the bombings, I just wanted to understand why. Why would someone do this? Given that the first three victims were all POC, there is reason to believe that these were possibly
the targets. Many individuals and community members did their best to warn their friends and families to be skeptical of any received packages, but this could only do so much. Lives were being lost, families, were being destroyed, and the only preventative measures were individual awareness. These bombing got little to no media coverage and no words from our president as events unfolded.
We may no longer live in a time of slavery and mandated segregation but it's clear racism still prevails. To think that it could've easily been my family that was targeted is gut wrenching. I cannot believe I still live in a time when something I cannot change, my heritage, my skin color, and my race matters more than the person that I am. It didn't matter that House had a family to provide for or that Mason could've easily been another intellectual, the perpetrator felt that they had to die.
I could never understand why people still feel this hatred against POC's and this sense of superiority for being a white male. Racism is something that is taught and instilled and all I can hope is that people will no longer pass down this cruel and insensitive mindset to others.
I was not only disappoint to see just another display of racism take place so close to home, but disappointed in the disregard for the events. I can't help but wonder that just maybe if there were stories and national coverage taking place from the start of these chain of events, some of the other victims might not have been victims.
The news and media is such a powerful tool that can be so effective with the right timing. Although Trump did not address these bombings as they took place. He did finally decide to tweet about these bombing saying "AUSTIN BOMBING SUSPECT IS DEAD. Great job by law enforcement and all concerned." Not only is this response about 20 days late from the start of this tragedy, but it can't possibly have the same effect now that the perpetrator is deceased. I'm happy to know that another bomb will not be created by this individual to harm another POC, but if there had been sooner acknowledgement perhaps this could've ended sooner. Regardless, I'm glad that there is now a sense of relief for the community of Austin.
It's terrifying to live in a world were tragedies as such take place over something ridiculous as race and skin color. I can only hope that as we continue to progress as a society, we can one day eradicate the hatred and demise for people of other races.
