Renxkyoko Iglesias here, hello !
.Today is the day we finally breathe a collective sigh of relief. One of the perpetrators of the Boston Marathon massacre has been captured.
I hope he survives. We want to know why he did what he did. What has the US done to his former country that made him so angry it drove him to kill innocent people? What was his motive? Was it political or, heaven forbid, religious?
. ? I highly doubt Americans know of Chechnya, or even if they know, they are indifferent, or don’t care. So, did they want Chechnya to be put in the map? If lone wolves like these two could actually cause this degree of anxiety , destruction, and mayhem in a powerful country, then they had definitely achieved it. Now people know of Chechnya, albeit in the most horrible way. They have also affirmed people’s belief in what religious fanaticism can do. And most importantly, they have again put a certain group of people who live in an open, free scociety, in an untenable position in that society. Because you know what? let’s not fool ourselves. This has nothing to do with the politics of Chechnya. Anyone with the least modicum of intelligence knows this is not about that.
What’s even more saddening is that this older brother had sucked an apparently normal , happy , seemingly assimilated younger brother into his world. Sure, this older brother took care of his 9 year old brother …. most probably the kid adored his brother. To an impressionable teenager, he was someone who who would never do him harm.
*ponders*
Opium is addictive and killing the innocents is one heck of an effed up resume to go to heaven.
You may hate me for saying this, but for some reason, I consider the younger brother one of the victims. The older one expected to die for his cause. The younger wanted to live. I’m including him in my prayers.
Just my thoughts. PEACE.
Am a Molecular Microbiology student, love to read books, and I play the violin. 
dreamsending
renxkyoko
renxkyoko's space 
Posted by greenembers on April 21, 2013 at 3:32 am
Hmm, thoughts to ponder…
Posted by renxkyoko on April 21, 2013 at 3:43 am
I’m conflicted.
Posted by apollo on April 21, 2013 at 5:31 am
Chechnya and the surrounding areas in the Caucasus region are predominantly Muslims. Like much of the jihadists, they are fighting for a separate and independent Islamic state from mother Russia. I was just surprised that they brought their terror on USA who accepted them and not to Russia. One prominent example was the Beslan Massacre a few years back. Oh well, a silly question. As long as you’re an infidel (whether you’re in Mindanao, Israel, Russia or USA), you’re an enemy of Islam. just my two cents. 🙂
Posted by renxkyoko on April 21, 2013 at 5:40 am
Ironic, isn’t it? The US was actually sympathizing with Chechnya.
Posted by TWWK on April 21, 2013 at 6:49 am
Thanks for sharing your thoughts – it was nice to read your post on this tragedy.
About Chechnya – there has definitely been less and less media coverage over events there as the years have gone by. It was always on the evening news broadcasts when major violence first occurred, but has certainly been relegated to the background, and often ignored entirely, as the years have wore on.
Posted by renxkyoko on April 21, 2013 at 7:33 am
Even 9/11 seems to have been relegated to some distant memory.
Posted by 35andupcynicismonhold on April 21, 2013 at 6:50 am
hello, Ren… by mid 90s, i was back in college. one of the hot topics in the academe then (along with transmigration made possible by porous borders) was ethnicity. they were saying that ethnic problems within developed countries were going to take the world’s center stage in the coming decades… why? some of the possible reasons raised were failure of affirmative action programs of governments, little success in assimilation and integration projects and intense alienation among youths in protest against uniformity, digital age and remoteness of governance (amidst abundance of programs geared to make immigrants participate). sociologically speaking, they were saying that not many (both immigrants and natives) would be able to adapt to the phase and scale of modernity, changed lifestyles and new mode of social interactions. ^^
i don’t know if you’ve read my december poem, In the Fields of Hate I Wandered, re: Connecticut shooting. there, i tried to probe the depths of alienation in the modern age, hehe. btw, sent you an email about two-weeks back. wonder if it reached you, hehe. warm regards, dear. 🙂
Posted by renxkyoko on April 21, 2013 at 7:44 am
Immigrants of same ethnicity tend to flock together. It’s not rocket science. However, there are numerous articles that have been written about immigrants from the Philippines. they easily assimilate and in fact, they stay as far away as possible from their countrymen. that’s why, Filipinos are called ” Invisible immigrants.” This is true. When we were looking for a house, my parents asked the realtor about the neighbors. Mom just wanted to know if there were Filipinos in the neighborhood. She dodn’t want to have Filipino neighbors. Do you know why it’s like that? Filipinos are too competitive and nosy. And every Filipino thinks that way.
Posted by 35andupcynicismonhold on April 22, 2013 at 6:38 am
hahaha, natawa ako sa it’s not a rocket science, ang taray lang, lol. ang ale talaga, ang strong ng opinions nya, hehe. 😉
yes, i’ve heard that Filipinos there stay away from each other to prevent them from bitching one another, hahaha. sabi, lumalabas daw ang kulay ng mga Pinoy pag andyan na. ba’t nga? ^^
anyway, to go back to the ethnicity question, you’re saying that Filipinos have no problem assimilating in America. and Filipinos aren’t likely to go the way of the Boston-born and raised Chechnyan, is that right, dear?
so, why do you think accidents like that happen? is such catastrophe a function of ethnicity or not at all? may maliligalig lang talagang American youths? hehe.
as an aside, what do you think of immigrants in America who do not adapt and adjust easily, Ren. i’ve heard that US really has lots of opportunities but the scene could also be very competitive and cut-throat, so to speak…
just picking on your thoughts, kapatid. hope you won’t mind. have a good week ahead. 🙂 ~ ate san
Posted by renxkyoko on April 22, 2013 at 7:04 am
Waaah ! I didn’t mean it that way. T.T Rocket science, indeed. he he eh
Hay, naku, Ate San. with Filipinos, you have to be wealthy, drive a BMW, have a child going to Harvard, Stanford, etc. My parents say it can get really annoying and tiring. Have a 52″ TV? They’ll buy a wall to wall one. Of course you’lk say, we don’;t need to keep up with the Joneses, but it can get tiring.
Once, my dad was invited to a party. Dad was a new immigrant. One guy asked where he used to live in the Philippines. Dad told him , and then that guy asked Is that a GATED SUBDIVISION ? What the ! !
Posted by 35andupcynicismonhold on April 22, 2013 at 9:48 am
hahaha, you just described my rich relative, hehe. exactly that – lives in a posh, gated village, has two bmws and a 52 inches tv, aside from the theater, haha. and the rich relative lives in the Phils, haha. anyway, am going to go to their place tomorrow so, am gonna shut up now. 😉
Posted by renxkyoko on April 21, 2013 at 8:41 pm
No, I haven’t reached that part on my email f0lder. I have 7,000 unread emails. I’m frantically reading , ha ha ha, I read all, and do not delete unread emails.
Posted by 35andupcynicismonhold on April 22, 2013 at 6:41 am
hey, nakita ko na, that email is dated april 10 (phil. time). bother to look for it ahead of the other mails (ahem). it’s no good langusihing among the rest of the thousands of unread posts, huh? basta, basahin mo agad. magagalit si ate (haha) pag hindi. 😉 warm regards, Ren…
Posted by renxkyoko on April 22, 2013 at 7:05 am
Okidoc… I’ll go to April 10.
Posted by Ang Tambay na si MyR on April 21, 2013 at 8:32 am
what ever they motives and reason is, i do hope this will be the last….a very sad tragedy…
Posted by renxkyoko on April 21, 2013 at 4:23 pm
Alas, Ang Tambay, I don’t think this will be the last. They now know it’s so easy to target Americans . All they need is a terrorist willing to die.
Posted by countingducks on April 21, 2013 at 10:14 am
Its been an awful event, even viewed from half way across the world. The seeming normality of the two kids for much of their life at least, seems to make the whole thing more puzzling and horrific. Most of all, of course, I think of the families affected by this horror, and a town shaken out of itself. Horror Indeed
Posted by renxkyoko on April 21, 2013 at 4:29 pm
I guess I’ve created quite a ruckus by even thinking kindly of one mass murderer. This is just a gut feeling, countingducks.
In fact, I could have ranted and raged. I did that, but as events unfolded, my rage turned to something… I guess it’s hopelessness.
Posted by andy1076 on April 21, 2013 at 1:41 pm
I hope he survives, to answer for his crimes. No matter belief or whether or not he felt he needed to do it, there’s no justification for taking lives and especially that of the 8 year old boy who was just barely starting out in life.
Posted by renxkyoko on April 21, 2013 at 4:32 pm
Andy, I consider him a Dead Man Walking. He has to answer for his crimes.
Posted by andy1076 on April 21, 2013 at 4:37 pm
Absolutely, Not letting him get away THAT easy. Only cowards die quick deaths after unspeakable crimes have been committed.
Posted by renxkyoko on April 21, 2013 at 8:44 pm
He died when he joined his brother.
Posted by Sam Leung on April 21, 2013 at 2:17 pm
Even though I don’t live in the US, I think the shockwaves from this tragedy have been felt around the world. It truly is terrible.
It’s an interesting point you make. Maybe it’s because I studied law and in particular, I did my Master’s in human rights law (which is essentially a study of monsters), but to me, if you get right down to it, you could think of anyone who commits a crime as a victim in a way – whether it’s of their environment, their upbringing or not receiving proper medical help. People are people. Sometimes they become monsters, but when you get right down to it, most of them are incredibly tortured individuals. Of course, I’m not saying that means we should forgive all of them, in fact quite the opposite. These two committed a horrible crime that destroyed so many innocent people’s lives and some way or another they have to face the consequences. I just mean that I think hatred and blame gets us nowhere. Justice is important, but I think if people are blinded by rage (which is perfectly understandable) and we don’t try to see the culprits as people (because monsters don’t have motives that can be understood) we get blinded to the real solutions that will help us prevent this from happening again in the future. Anyways, those are just my thoughts on it! I’m sorry about the rambling, but I guess what I’m trying to say is that no, I don’t think you’re wrong for feeling the way you do!
Posted by renxkyoko on April 21, 2013 at 9:20 pm
Hello, Sam !
On the day of bombing, I ranted and raged, but as events unfolded, I suddenly felt compassion for the younger guy. I visualized him as an innocent 9 year old boy when he came to this country, and apparently, he managed to adjust. the fact that he was even enrolled as a pre-med student proved that he had dreams, and he;s here for the long haul. I don’t know what happened.
Posted by kenthinksaloud on April 21, 2013 at 4:36 pm
The trajedy in Boston was a terrible thing and I was deeply saddened to follow it all. What brings anyone to a point where they can think killing others and wounding many more is a right thing to do? I think everyone involved, one way or another, needs our prayers…
Posted by renxkyoko on April 22, 2013 at 2:17 am
I feel I’m already deeply scarred.
Posted by Tatsat on April 21, 2013 at 6:55 pm
I like it when you put forth your views on the issues of the day. I gave a cautious read to what you have written here- do not have much background knowledge on the issue. But in any case, killing innocent people is not justified.
Posted by renxkyoko on April 22, 2013 at 2:23 am
Ah, tatsat, the truth is, I had been very cautious with the words I used. If I had let it all out, it would turn out like this…. what the bleep… bleep, bleep, DIE, bleep, bleep, bleep !
seriously, I don’t know I suddenly felt compassion for the younger brother. maybe I thought of him as a 9 year old that came from a deeply troubled country. I couldn’t imagine him not savoring the freedom and relative peace of the US. What happened ?
Posted by Ky Bedard on April 21, 2013 at 9:04 pm
Everyone here in Boston, especially myself is trying to draw a connection between Chechnya and Tsarnaevs. It might be pointless. They were raised here in the US., and their attitudes and beliefs were developed here from a young age.
It seems, that it’s necessary to seek the roots of this evil in America FIRST! Where is it coming from? Who’s responsible? Who’s influencing?
I like what “Sam” said, we don’t try to see the culprits as people (because monsters don’t have motives that can be understood) we get blinded to the real solutions that will help us prevent this from happening again in the future.
But, 99% of the Bostonians (including myself) were thing only a few things
1) Please capture this guy ASAP
2) what is going on in our city. We are not used to this
3) Feeling sympathy for the victims
Although yesterday was a pretty liberating day for all of us..we mostly watched TV, ate, slept etc…and wanted normalcy.
We can’t be afraid, go back to normalcy and expect better, safer, results.
Posted by renxkyoko on April 22, 2013 at 2:44 am
Nobody’s responsible for what happened to the yoiunger brother …. just his immediate family. He came here as a 9 year old boy, without pre-conceived notions of what’s it’s like to be in the US or to be an American. They came here to be free. I blame his family. Maybe , they didn’t do well here, and it made them bitter and resentful. I think the Uncle was somewhat right. He called them losers. What is sad is that the younger brother was a pre-med student at the U of Mass. He had dreams . What happened?
Posted by Smaktakula on April 21, 2013 at 10:01 pm
A very thought-provoking piece. I don’t think of the younger brother as an innocent, but I do feel sorry for him (which is not to say I don’t feel he should be punished to the full extent of the law). How much pain must he have been in BEFORE this happened? He killed several innocents and, apparently, accidentally killed his own brother attempting to flee. That’s his legacy right there.
Posted by renxkyoko on April 22, 2013 at 2:46 am
Smaktakula, I raged and cursed. But as events unfolded, I sudden;y and strangely felt compassion for the younger brother. he was a 2nd year Pre-med student. He had dreams.
Posted by nepaliaustralian on April 22, 2013 at 4:26 am
Definitely something to think about. This world is becoming a unsafe place because of incidents like this.
Posted by renxkyoko on April 22, 2013 at 7:10 am
Sadly, yes. In elementary school, we always had a practice lockdown …. to prevent something like a newtown massacre from happening. Sad. We’ve lost our innocence at such an early age.
Posted by cheesecake on April 22, 2013 at 8:26 am
“You may hate me for saying this, but for some reason, I consider the younger brother one of the victims.”
same thoughts here. he could have been just dragged along the crime. too much love for the brother that he forgot the evil of what they are about to do (that time).
Posted by renxkyoko on April 24, 2013 at 2:16 am
He made a choice. He had decided on his own free will. He has to accept his lot, his fate. Right now, I consider him a dead man walking.
They should just have gone back to where they came from, like what his parents did.
Posted by cheesecake on April 25, 2013 at 2:24 am
true. whatever they did, they have to pay for it.
Posted by renxkyoko on April 25, 2013 at 4:47 am
Sad to say, it’s capital punishment for him. he should be happy. Now he’s going to Paradise.
Posted by fluffymocchi on May 9, 2013 at 1:32 pm
Sorry I’m a bit late on this post… but I agree with you as well.
Posted by Wendell A. Brown on April 22, 2013 at 9:54 am
Ren, your heart is a relfection of what is inside of you…wise, kind, merciful! If more people in the world was like that, it could be easily a much better place to be! Your post was enjoyable and I enjoyed reading your thoughts! We may never know the real reason why, so we pray for better days! God bless!
Posted by renxkyoko on April 24, 2013 at 2:12 am
Maybe so, wendell A. Brown, maybe I have compassion. But this younger brother made a choice, and he should be responsible for the choice he had made. Justice needs to be served, justice with restitution. He killed a 9 year old boy, and 2 others and maimed countless others.
Posted by StetotheJ on April 22, 2013 at 6:44 pm
Couldn’t agree more with your introspection and compassion Ren.
Posted by renxkyoko on April 24, 2013 at 2:07 am
Events are still unfolding. One thing, he has made a choice,,,, he’s responsible for the choice he ‘s made. He and his brother should just have left the US if they couldn’t stand the evil US, just like what their parents did.
Posted by ledrakenoir on April 22, 2013 at 7:26 pm
Agree with you…
Posted by renxkyoko on April 24, 2013 at 1:46 am
Thank you….. problem is, I have conflicting feelings regarding the younger guy….. I feel a bit of compassion, but he has made a choice and he needs to pay for these choices.
Posted by ledrakenoir on April 24, 2013 at 7:26 am
Yesit looks like he “just follow” his older brother – a lot of people around the world “just follow” a leading person without thinking about that – to be “just a follower” is a choice we do – and that can mak us a part of a problem or case we maybe haven’t think about – we say yes or no, sometimes both turns being a problem – in a way I understand him (not agree with him at all) when his brother told him to do – but that isn’t enough – a lot of brothers, sisters, fathers, mothers, religious leaders or politician leaders give bad advices – if you follow it’s your problem too…
Posted by renxkyoko on April 24, 2013 at 7:35 am
Exactly my thoughts. He followed on his own free will. He wasn’t a 9- year old boy anymore. What’s tragic about his life was the fact that he lived with a family with such an intolerant mind -set from when he was young. I think he wasn’t given the chance to choose how he would want to live his lfe. That’s the tragedy in his young life.
Posted by ledrakenoir on April 24, 2013 at 7:55 am
Still agree with you – and sometimes the “easy” things (here just follow the big brother) give bigger problems that take the hard way from start and say no…
Posted by renxkyoko on April 24, 2013 at 8:29 am
I think he was taught hatred from get-go. He was a minor and wholly dependent on adults until 2 years ago. He’s practically still a teen-ager now. He’s just 19.
Posted by ledrakenoir on April 24, 2013 at 8:45 am
Yeah he is still a teenager – that fact make me sad in a way, because he is used by people he trusted – in their interest not his interest – I hope that at some point that people think about when they just follow the others tools in their agendas – we see it every day that people blindly follow things where they might not have realized the consequence of that they are being exploited…
Posted by kybedard on April 24, 2013 at 12:13 am
The story of the younger brother is tragic and sad, but he did fail to THINK for himself and discover his own ideologies. Did he have choices to shy away from his brother’s vision? American soldiers do it all the time…They get recruited to fight for their country, be proud, serve their country and come home to be a hero.. But it is not working out that way… The only small % of compassion I may have for the younger brother might be…that he doesn’t know, what “he doesn’t know.” Maybe the older brother capitalized on his vulnerability, influenced him and made him into what he wanted….
Posted by renxkyoko on April 24, 2013 at 4:51 am
I understand how it is to be an immigrant. My 2 older siblings came here when they were already 16 and 17, and I was just 6. But we came from a country that is highly westernized, Christian, no hang-ups, etc. . however we’re Asians that have traditions,too . It did take a while to adjust, but here’s the thing, it was not psychological, so adjusting was really easy. I’m sure that family failed to adapt and adjust, psychologically and sociologically due to their , I guess, intolerant religion. They couldn’t adapt to a society of infidels. The younger brother was surrounded with people of this mind-set. With that kind of family, I feel he didn’t have a choice.
Posted by noir33 on April 24, 2013 at 11:43 am
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2313076/Tamerlan-Dzhokhar-Tsarnaeva-Did-controlling-mother-Boston-bombers-lead-radicalization.html
Posted by renxkyoko on April 25, 2013 at 5:47 pm
That’s so messed up. And the mother. She pooh-poohed her thievery. * shakes head*
Posted by pflead73 on April 24, 2013 at 1:51 pm
If my elder brother asks me to make such an attack then I will definitely refuse him. I have sympathy for the younger one as well as a lack of respect, for he could have made a different choice.
Posted by renxkyoko on April 25, 2013 at 5:19 am
True. Not only that, I should talk to him not to do this evil thing, or I should turn him in. But no, he went with him on his owm free will. He chose evil. What did they achieve? hatred againts them and what they represent. Good job.
Posted by ~REBECCA DAWN~ on April 25, 2013 at 2:06 am
I think they just couldn’t make it in the states, and blamed the americans as an excuse
Posted by renxkyoko on April 25, 2013 at 4:53 am
That could be the mother’s and the older brother’s reason. But it looked like the younger one had so much going for him. He had friends. There was even one nice-looking girl who had a humungous crush on him. Why he allowed himself to be sucked in wasn’t surpising, though. His family’s mind-set is psychological, not societal.
Posted by Mitzie Mee on April 25, 2013 at 6:03 pm
That’s also what I don’t understand about terrorists (sorry for the generalization). How can you hate another country so much that you start targeting innocent people? If you disagree with the politics, religious issues etc. why not just pack your stuff and go back to your country of origin.
Posted by renxkyoko on April 27, 2013 at 5:41 pm
The simplest solution is the best one. You’re right. They should just have left if they couldn’t stand the US anymore. they were evil. Plain and simple.
Posted by sa saliw ng awit on April 27, 2013 at 1:56 pm
hello, Ren… hope you’re greeting spring with a happy face. hey, kapatid, a ka-blog, Cocoy translated the Tagalog poetry you said you don’t understand, haha. hope you can visit sometime to read his translation. thanks and many happy returns… 😉
Posted by renxkyoko on April 27, 2013 at 5:42 pm
I just did ! ! And the translation is awesome.
Posted by sa saliw ng awit on April 29, 2013 at 3:25 am
haha, spring na nga… 🙂 glad you liked the translation… warm regards.
Posted by sillymexox0 on April 28, 2013 at 5:46 pm
I heard about the capture.
It’s terrible, what’s happening to the World, there’s just no way of feeling safe anywhere anymore
Posted by Mooselicker on April 28, 2013 at 11:25 pm
I have a friend who seemed to only defend the second bomber because she thought he was cute. He probably was a victim and his older brother in a way I’m sure was influenced by someone too. Of course this still doesn’t make it right. Like when someone who was molested becomes Jerry Sandusky. Worst of all is they didn’t seem to get whatever message they wanted across so people died for nothing. Do none of these crazed murderers want to be modern day Robin Hoods?
Posted by Maxima on April 29, 2013 at 7:29 am
Thoughts to ponder…thank for share it for us
Posted by efratadenny on April 29, 2013 at 10:00 am
Scary. Terrorists are everywhere. Not only in US, they are every where.
Posted by Koopa on May 1, 2013 at 7:51 pm
Sad event, Ren. I read a lot about these 2, and interestingly, I also read that this is “staged” . What is this world coming to?
Posted by Kavita Joshi on May 2, 2013 at 3:39 am
thanks for sharing your thoughts dear 🙂
Posted by terrytrekker on May 7, 2013 at 2:30 pm
Interesting argument but I disagree. Victims do not set out to kill people. In doing so they become aggressors. The fact is we live in a culture of violence and many kids (and parents) are dysfunctional. This is pure hatred by the perpetuators and has nothing to do with Chechnya.
Posted by bagotilyo on May 9, 2013 at 7:02 am
I just hope everyone can move on from this tragedy 😦
Posted by http://poetbblog.wordpress.com on May 15, 2013 at 7:01 am
it scary that we have to change our lifestyle for everyone else. i would like to know why he did it.