Boston Marathon: A Short Summary And Analysis

“It was a such pretty day that day, it was a really picture perfect sky, blue skies, the marathon feeling is that everybody is really upbeat and excited,” said Melinda Arredondo, when describing the 117th Boston Marathon on April 15th of 2013. Carlos and Melinda Arredondo stood at the finish line of the marathon with 400 small American flags to hand out to finished runners in honor of their two sons, Alex and Brian, who had passed away. Alex Arredondo was killed in a sniper attack in Iraq at 20 years old while serving for the United States in 2004 and just a few years later, Brian Arredondo, committed suicide from his struggle with grief. To Carlos and Melinda not only did these flags represented their national pride, but also the love and strength of their family, which they wanted to see spread all over the finish line of the Boston Marathon. But, just as Carlos stood fidgeting with his last flag, contemplating how to best honor his country and sons with this flag, he heard a thunderous boom, and the beaming spirits of Boston were instantaneously camouflaged with smoke. …show more content…
After moving to America, the Tsarnaevs felt like a targeted minority because of their faith, causing them to become more devout Muslims. In the US, social media and internet access allowed them to have close contact with members and groups of Islamic fundamentalism, and it played a deep role in their radicalization. The terrorism committed was not just for religious beliefs, but it was targeted at the U.S. because they harmed the lives of so many Muslims in the War in Afghanistan and the Iraq War. The Boston Marathon Bombings established a new type of terrorism, influenced by exposure to jihad and Islamic fundamentalists abroad, the marginalization of the Tsarnaevs in the US, and the ability of social media to aid