Wednesday, April 17, 2013

Richard Jewell

Does anyone remember my post about Richard Jewell?  I wish that there had been someone like Richard Jewell there at the Boston Marathon, someone who might have suspected a bag lying about and thought to alert the authorities.  (Please understand I am not blaming anyone! Such a tragedy and my heart goes out to all who are suffering from these bombings.)  Richard Jewell spotted the bag underneath the bench in Atlanta at the 1996 Olympics and moved people away from it. Had he not done this I believe that more people would have died or been injured in Atlanta.  (One woman died from her injuries from the bombing and a man died from a heart attack.)  The story of how Richard Jewell was treated is a very sad one and one that he did not deserve. You may read my post from last year by clicking on this title post: Richard Jewell-Unsung Hero

I hope that the flowers are blooming wherever you are in the world. Sending flowers to you all, even if these are from last year!


 
 

Amaryllis from last April, very late blooming this year!

 
 
 
 


30 comments:

  1. Kay, what a sad story about Richard Jewell.

    It sounds as though there were tons of bags and backpacks lying around in Boston ... if I heard the story correctly ... and how very sad that such a sign of trust on the part of many was taken advantage of by some sick person or persons.

    I hope that whoever did it is absolutely horrified and sickened at the result.

    This little passage has been in my mind:

    "Do you know, Mrs. Blythe, what I would like to do to the Kaiser if I could?.... I would like to turn the Kaiser into a good man–a very good man–all at once if I could. That is what I would do. Don't you think, Mrs. Blythe, that would be the very worstest punishment of all?"
    "Bless the child," said Susan, "how do you make out that would be any kind of a punishment for that wicked fiend?"
    "Don't you see," said Bruce, looking levelly at Susan, out of his blackly blue eyes, "if he was turned into a good man he would understand how
    dreadful the things he has done are, and he would feel so terrible about it that he would be more unhappy and miserable than he could ever be
    in any other way. He would feel just awful–and he would go on feeling like that forever. Yes"–Bruce clenched his hands and nodded his head emphatically, "yes, I would make the Kaiser a good man–that is what I would do–it would serve him 'zackly right.”

    ― L.M.Montgomery, "Rilla of Ingleside"

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    1. Dear Sue,
      It's true, guilt and remorse SHOULD be felt by whoever was responsible. Like the child in the story, I wish I could make them feel so (whoever planted the bombs.) "Zackly right" is right!
      Thanks for leaving this as a comment.

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  2. I remember your story about Richard Jewell.

    Thanks for the flowers - much appreciated!

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    1. I saw his name mentioned on another blog and one of the comments on there said that they still suspected Richard Jewell of having something to do with the bomb in Atlanta. Well, I just felt I had to call attention to his name again, and let people know that he was CLEARED completely and not only that should have been declared a hero (as the reports first reported correctly.)
      Glad you liked your flowers! The red ones were poinsettias from Christmas, Richard can keep them alive for the longest!

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  3. What happened to Richard Jewell is exactly the kind of thing that makes people not wanting to get involved when they actually COULD help, and I understand that.
    Amaryllis are so beautiful, aren't they! My cherry tree is closer to blooming by the hour - can't be more than a few days now until I'll see the first white blossoms in front of my kitchen window!

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    1. I suppose so but here's the thing, I DON'T understand that. I think that if you see something or someone acting in a suspicious manner then you should do or say something! Of course, I know that at a happy celebration like the Boston Marathon, no one was thinking of someone doing evil.

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  4. I remember what happened to Richard Jewell. That was pretty awful. I am heartened by all the people who came to help after the bombs went off. I feel proud for all the people who tried to help and sorrow for those who are suffering.

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    1. It certainly brought tears to my eyes to see everyone running to help those who were hurt. I have since heard of the people of Boston doing all they can for those who are suffering.
      Richard Jewell's name is still not cleared completely, and since he is a fellow Georgian, I wish something could be done about it.

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  5. US folk are not mentally prepared for such outrages. The UK has suffered them for many years and folks are prepared when they see bags oddly lying around, sometime neurotically so! No-one could expect the Boston explosion however.

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    1. You are correct. I remember my bags being searched when I lived in England in 1985. A man was blown up by a car bomb in Brighton while I was there.
      Maybe not expect it, but I still wish that just ONE person could have seen or suspected someone in order to have stopped this tragedy.
      (I also wish someone could have questioned why the terrorist in Lawrenceville, GA wanted to learn to fly a plane without wanting to know how to land it. He went on to fly into the World Trade Center. Just ONE little question MIGHT have stopped that attack.)

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  6. Yes, I remember that post! What a sad story that was. Love the photos, Kay. Nothing like pretty flowers to brighten up your day.

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    1. Yes, Martha, I just saw Richard Jewell's name on another blog and since it wasn't a very nice comment, I felt I had to mention his name again.

      Glad you like the flowers, I knew YOU would! xx

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  7. You must love L.M. Montgomery's works as much as i do!

    Yes, i remember poor Richard, and his case always reminds me of all the people i've heard of who were falsely accused. It's why we need to be so careful not to jump to conclusions based just on the news.

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    1. Oh, guess what?! Look at the comment below by Fundy Blue, she is RELATED to L.M. Montgomery! Isn't that the neatest thing!!

      As you see from my previous post, I met Richard Jewell and it left me with such a strong sense of injustice, I can never forget him.

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  8. Oh yes Kay, I remember your post about Mr Jewell. He was treated very unfairly and his life went downhill afterwards. People just seem to have a need to apportion blame as quickly as possible when something terrible happens. And the truth can sometimes be the first casualty.

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    1. After I had read some things about Richard Jewell yesteday (and not all of them were good) I felt I had to mention him again.
      Truth suffers a great deal, doesn't it?

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  9. His story is a truly heartbreaking one. It should never have happened.

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    1. I so much agree. The video I have him on my last post just breaks my heart.

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  10. Hi Kay! I was thinking of Richard Jewell last night. His was such a sad story. I'm afraid that more people may remember him as a suspect than as a hero. We're so quick to jump to conclusions, and we're impatient when it comes to letting the process work. We want everything NOW! I am thinking of the Saudi who was first questioned in the Boston tragedy. Would they even have looked at him twice if he hadn't been a Saudi? Spring is lying under a new blanket of snow this morning in my corner of the world. Your Amaryllis is lovely ~ it's an indoor plant here. Have a good one!

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    1. I want the police to do their jobs and hopefully, the media will be a help rather than a hindrance. I just saw on the news that the FBI are releasing photos and asking the public to identify the suspected men in Boston.

      Our Amaryllis lives in the garage during the winter and only comes out on the porch after the danger of frost is over, it usually in full bloom just in time for my birthday, but not this year! Hope your snow melts soon.xxx
      (Hey, about that quote by L.M. Montgomery!!)

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  11. Yes- I wish we had more people like that in the world. It is just sad that we feel safe in places where there is no safety at all really.

    Wish we had some flowers here. We still have snow. I'll enjoy the pictures you posted instead. xo Diana

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    1. I am sure your flowers will come soon. You must be getting very tired of snow!

      A place where it is safe, where there isn't any trouble, somewhere over the rainbow, I guess.

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  12. I remember your post, Kay. I've thought a lot about that the last few days ~ didn't someone see one of these men drop a bag and then walk away? Of course not, they were totally focused on the marathon and all of the excitement. Gosh, it makes me so sad. The heartbreak is rather unbearable.

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    1. I am like you, the photos and the film of the bombings are just too sad for words. That little boy's face! And his sweet sign saying "No more hurting people". God, it makes me cry!
      Let's hope that someone will come forward now, and perhaps identify the two suspects that the FBI have shown us.

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    2. Yes, I know! My brother-in-law has run marathons before and I know the excitement of waiting at the finish line! Everyone is so happy and looking for his or her loved one to run across the line, that is what everyone is focused on!!
      It is so sad, I can hardly stand it. Let's hope someone will come forward now and identify the two suspects that the FBI have given us.

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  13. He certainly was a hero! Extremely sad to think someone cares so little about innocent people's lives! Hope spring gets springing for you!

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    1. Read my reply to Audrey above, I certainly know that YOU know the feeling of loved ones waiting at the finish line.
      Hard to believe that someone would leave a bomb to kill and to seriously injure innocent people. I hope they get caught.

      Our Spring is here, it is just a bit late!

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  14. I do remember the story of Richard Jewell and I think it was such a tragedy that he was blamed for something he didn't do...I'm glad it did get cleared up but still, sometimes we rush to find somebody to blame before getting all the facts. I hope they do catch the cowards who are responsible for Boston's bombing. It's easy to focus on the bad stuff but I'm trying to realize that really good people rushethat doesn't make the papers.d in to help and there are many more good things happening in the world Our Spring flowers are finally making a debut..yours look just as lovely today as they did last year!

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    1. Thanks, I just reading this comment on Sunday, April 21st and we now know who was responsbile for the Boston Bombing. I feel a certain pride in how it was all handled. My hat is off to those who worked so hard to make sure people were safe during the capture in Boston, but of course, I feel sorrow for those who were killed and injured.
      That photo of my Amaryllis is from last year, mine is just pushing up from the ground for this year, but it's getting there! :-)

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