Photos from the bombing (warning graphic)

[Tab]

[dorkzilla]

1. OMG that picture of the guy with his leg blown off...

I don't think I'll ever be able to erase that image from my mind....the poor bastard....

[krispos42]

3. Looks like something from "The Walking Dead"

Poor guy.

[dorkzilla]

10. Holy cow, you're right!

The fact that he's sitting upright blows my mind...

[nadinbrzezinski]

18. Des not shock me...

Energy wave came low.

And it's a god thing these photos are running. Lord knows I would take them.

[MichelleB]

73. Me too!!

OMG!! that's crazy!! But I think he's sitting simply due to shock!! The body's reactions when in shock are astounding. His brain may have him convinced he's living in a dream -well NIGHTMARE- and that none of this is real. That he's going to wake up and all will be fine. Or perhaps the EMT's have him sitting to slow blood flow. It's completely unimaginable what this poor guy is thinking or feeling. He's probably happy just to be alive. Who really knows.

[Tab]

20. I thought that at first, but am not so sure.

He's in a wheelchair (as opposed to laid out on a stretcher) and perhaps he was already missing a limb and was in a wheelchair race.

Either way, it sucks, because it looks like they're both gone now.

[cali]

66. Unlikely. There were tons of wheelchairs at the site, in and near the medical tent

that's why you see so many wheelchairs. Not to mention that it's tragically clear that that was a traumatic amputation.

[Beacool]

71. No, the injured were taken by wheelchair to waiting ambulances.

What shocked me, aside from the injury itself, is that he was fully conscious.

What doesn't surprise me, though, is that quite a few of the injuries were to lower extremities. Similar to injuries from IEDs in Afghanistan and Iraq. There have been reports of several amputations, including the leg of a six year old. The little girl is the sister of the 8 year old boy who was killed. The mother has head injuries and is in serious condition. The family was there to watch the father cross the line. Poor people!!!

[Tab]

75. I think I just saw a report that he indeed lost both legs in the blast

Further, I realized they had all the wheelchairs in case runners collapsed, so being in a wheelchair isn't indicative of anything.

Horrible, though, any way you look at it.

[Beacool]

80. Yeah, absolutely terrible.

I only hope that they get the creep/s who did this!!!

[uppityperson]

5. I saw that on my local newspaper but they cropped it to not include the amputations. Poor guy.

edited to add "s" as I missed the right foot.

[Recursion]

8. Amputations

Traumatic to both legs below the knees (sorry, my brain kind of has to go back into Iraq mode to deal with this).

[Recursion]

6. The picture I first saw blurred out his legs but left his face

That one may actually be more disturbing.

[Tx4obama]

9. Fox News shows the raw video earlier without anything blurred out.

And I think there was actually ANOTHER man in a wheelchair too, that had both legs gone all the way up past his knees.

[Aerows]

17. OMG :(

Those poor souls. They went to participate in running, and ended up with their legs gone.

God this is so damn horrific. Absolutely horrific.

[trof]

22. Looks like his other foot is gone too.

Now I know what 'traumatic amputation' looks like.
Poor guy.
Just an innocent bystander, enjoying the marathon, and kablooey.
crap

[madokie]

25. Why did you add "the poor bastard?"

Very very poor taste in choice of words you used there

[dorkzilla]

26. It's a common expression

Lighten up

[madokie]

28. And where would this be a common expression?

Very poor taste

[dorkzilla]

33. Boston for one

Also NY.

Really, you're making an issue of this?

[NutmegYankee]

48. I's a common Northeast expression.

It means nothing by the use of "bastard".

[dorkzilla]

51. Grew up hearing it all over the Northeast

You're 100% correct. Be it in the Bronx, or Boston, or Providence people say it. That's how some of us express empathy.

[Posteritatis]

53. Utterly standard in my neck of the woods. (nt)

[Quixote1818]

54. Boston for sure

And New York

[Quixote1818]

82. double post. delete. nt

nt

[Bucky]

63. I've heard it before too. This isn't a day for nitpicking.

This is a day for being shocked, sad, angry, and maybe even a little grateful that this is a rarity in a peaceful prosperous country in an often needlessly violent world.

[secondwind]

65. I agree... the expression was heartfelt and sincere... I understood exactly what was said.

[Marrah_G]

84. In Boston

It's as common as breathing here.

[anneboleyn]

77. Agreed. I am from the west coast and heard it all the time

You obviously did not mean this in a negative way. I have no idea why someone chose to question you regarding the use of a common expression.

[ohiosmith]

30. This post was alerted on. The jury being of sound mind voted 6/0 to let it stand.

At Mon Apr 15, 2013, 07:57 PM an alert was sent on the following post:

OMG that picture of the guy with his leg blown off...
http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1002&pid=2679298

REASON FOR ALERT:

This post is disruptive, hurtful, rude, insensitive, over-the-top, or otherwise inappropriate. (See <a href="http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=aboutus#communitystandards" target="_blank">Community Standards</a>.)

ALERTER'S COMMENTS:

the use of poor bastard is unacceptable
further down the poster says it is a common expression. I disagree

You served on a randomly-selected Jury of DU members which reviewed this post. The review was completed at Mon Apr 15, 2013, 08:01 PM, and the Jury voted 0-6 to LEAVE IT.

Juror #1 voted to LEAVE IT ALONE and said: How on earth is 'poor bastard' offensive? That IS a very common expression of sympathy, and I'm getting mighty tired of this ever-growing list of things we're not allowed to say because someone might take it the wrong way.
Juror #2 voted to LEAVE IT ALONE and said: It is a common expression...particularly in Boston
Juror #3 voted to LEAVE IT ALONE and said: You need to look at context, while bastard is normally an insult if you read it in the context of this post it seems pretty clear to me that it was not meant as an insult in this case.
Juror #4 voted to LEAVE IT ALONE and said: It may be in poor taste, and I wouldn't call it "common", but I've heard it and other expressions, like, "That poor sonofabitch." It's not about name-calling, and more about exaggerated expressions.
Juror #5 voted to LEAVE IT ALONE and said: I disagree with the alerter's disagreement. It is a common expression. At least where I come from. Leave the post.
Juror #6 voted to LEAVE IT ALONE and said: It's a common expression.

Thank you very much for participating in our Jury system, and we hope you will be able to participate again in the future.

[Owl]

31. Someone alerted on this??

ugh

[ohiosmith]

32. Yes!

[MichelleB]

76. I've realized here...

I've realized here that a lot of people seem to pass judgment on the way others speak or text or what ever you will. Apparently by a persons written words, you can tell where they're from, their color, ethnicity and city back ground. I may agree with that listening to someone speak, (which makes me a bit of a hypercrite as well. Especially if I'm not actually LOOKING at someone) but I hardly believe you can tell any of that by written words. HOW EVER, poor bastard is a highly used New England statement. But I only know that cuz I live there. I'm sure it's also widely used else where. And some of us have iPhones so it's just easier to shorten things. but I agree. Today is not the day to pick on someone else's speech or typing skills. It's a day to be great full that you or your family wasnt there and if they were, that they're alive to talk about it.

[dorkzilla]

35. Thank you!

I'm just shaking my head over the alert. People need to lighten the fuck up. Yes, I said fuck. Fuck fuck fuck.

[ohiosmith]

49. Just don't say bastard!

[dorkzilla]

52. Sunnavabitch! Really?

Fuck, well there goes half my vocabulary!

[MichelleB]

83. ;)

lol

[Honeycombe8]

36. It looks like both of his legs were blown off. Poor man. Awful. nt

[Eleanors38]

78. Another OP said he was stable. Strong Man! He'll make it!

[proud2BlibKansan]

44. Is he conscious?

I was surprised he wasn't on a stretcher.

[dorkzilla]

45. I don't know but

I can't go back to look again

[Jamastiene]

74. The man in the cowboy hat is holding his vein in between his fingers to stop the blood flow.

His name is Carlos Arredondo. That guy is a hero. Not many people would do that, especially not barehanded like that.

[SpartanDem]

2. WTF

[Bonhomme Richard]

7. I found that the M&M guy display next to.....

The blood very surreal.

[Honeycombe8]

37. I did, too. nt

[VWolf]

69. Same here. It kinda creeped me out actually n/t

[Demo_Chris]

11. Some very good photos

While this will seem perhaps inappropriate, I think it needs to be said....

As horrific and shocking as this attack was, an explosion out of nowhere vaporizing random innocents, this is essentially no different than what we are doing every week with our drone attacks. If it's horrific here, if it's unacceptable here, and it is both, then it is equally unacceptable when done in our name.

[Sheepshank]

14. yes, it's inapproprate.

my god, some people.

[Demo_Chris]

16. I disagree. Distance tends to sanitize and desensitize

Incidents like this are a reminder and a wake up call of what WE ARE DOING. If this is offensive, if you cannot handle the images, then perhaps it is time to reconsider what we are doing.

My heart goes out to the people of every city and town that are the victims of mass murder.

[galileoreloaded]

19. SWPL and First World Problems...

you can't blame them, they are detached.

[Cal Carpenter]

21. I've been watching a livestream

I rarely 'watch' news of any stripe.

And they've replayed a video several times in which you can see and hear both explosions, and screaming, and panic, and horror. It is awful.

And I wondered what would happen if we had heard and had seen on video, repeatedly on every channel, all over the internet, each bombing in Iraq and Afghanistan as they happened 10 years ago. If we saw video of witnesses describing the horrors of watching people's legs being blown off. If we saw desperate people looking for loved ones.

If we can't learn from what we SEE then we are really, really, doomed. We rarely see this 'on our soil'. It really fucking sucks. No one should have to apologize for extrapolating that to the rest of humanity.

[Sheepshank]

23. Fuck that shit.

this is not the place to bring up your personal pet projects.

[Demo_Chris]

24. Is that what I did? Are we not talking about bombs killing innocents?

I understand your point, and I do not wish to diminish the horror and suffering of any of the victims today. Hopefully you understand mine, and at least pause to reflect on this further.

[Melinda]

29. I had the same thoughts, Chris. A dead 8 yr old here, thousands of babies killed by our drones...

How can it not give us pause to reflect? It is impossible, impossible for this country to be protected from terrorist attacks, either from within or without. It is the policy of this country that innocents killed by drones are "collateral damage" and their deaths can't be avoided.

As horrific as this attack in Boston is - and it IS; it's minor compared to the horror WE have reigned down from the skies, not to mention what conventional war tactics have wrought these 11 plus years.

Drone operators call the children they kill "bug splat". How can anyone, much less someone on a political message who should be aware of the HORROR done in our name, how can they refuse to compare, refuse to acknowledge, refuse to recognize that the hell and destruction the US has brought to the middle east just MAY BE a direct causal factor in what happened today... and that possibly, POSSIBLY, the chickens are continuing to come home to roost.

Bug-splat, indeed.

My heart goes out to ALL innocents of this madness.

[Honeycombe8]

39. This is not the time. But since you brought it up...terrorism here existed long before drones.

The drones are a response to terrorism. Not the cause of it.

[Douglas Carpenter]

42. and terrorism is a response to other things which no doubt were a response to other things which

also was a response to other things - and so it goes on and on. But bombing innocents in Boston or the other side of the world does not good for anyone.

[Honeycombe8]

47. There has never been a justification for terrorism, IMO. The KKK was a terrorist organization,

for example. The guy who blew up the Ok fed bldg was a domestic terrorist...it was a misguided response because like most wingnuts, he viewed a govt action against militia wackos as a personal war against his militia group. The unabomber was a terrorist, "responding" to destroying the natural environment and civilization in general. They always say they have a cause, but in reality, it's just hatred against someone or some group or some govt or some idea. And never justified.

The govt doesn't target innocent civilians. It goes after terrorists who knowingly hide amongst the population, knowing they are putting the citizens in danger.

There is a difference. Not saying drones are right. But there is a difference in who they are targeting and how precise they try to be and how they go about it. As well as the extent of deaths.

[Douglas Carpenter]

50. I don't think terrorism is justified either. And I certainly cannot imagine any conceivable

justification for this cold blooded murder in Boston. I wouldn't be surprised if it turned out to be the work of an embittered character who had no real political agenda. Partly because I cannot imagine any point to it. But still there are a lot more innocents being "accidentally"killed in the Middle East and in Afghanistan and Pakistan by our side than are being killed on purpose by the their side. I don't think it is any big secret that indigenous people usually resent foreigners powers dominating their country and their resources. I don't see why it would be a shock if some of them fight back using whatever tactics they have available. Nonetheless from the American Revolution to the anti-slavery revolts to freedom struggle in South Africa to almost every war of independence and self-determination that has ever happened - terrorism was a frequent component. It is not honest to simply call the actions of our adversaries terrorism while dismissing actions that frequently cause far, far worse results if committed by our side.

[Melinda]

43. True - It's not the time, but hopefully DU will have a full discussion on Drones, and soon.

Those posts on Drones and "collateral damage" are generally ignored by Duers. Maybe now an honest discussion will take place.

The direct root cause of terrorism can be found in Nations attempts to take other Nations resources; and the US leads the charge in that race.

And if you believe that the families and neighbors and communities of those children and innocents killed by Drone attacks have learned that to love and embrace us after WE have murdered their loved ones, well, there is no convincing you that history teaches us otherwise - that hate breeds hate, and terrorism results. Like it or not, America is seen by a great many in the middle east and other places as a terrorist nation.

Shock and Awe, m'dear. Shock and Awe.

[Sheepshank]

72. see what you did...now you created a whole set of arguments unrelated to Boston

fuck the diversion...start a new bloody thread.

[Carolina]

55. I agre with you, Demo_Chris

This is horrific, but when I heard about it and then saw the photos, my mind also flashed to the horror the US has unleashed on others (Shock & Awe, drones...). I am not saying this is payback nor that the poor innocent victims deserved what happened. Certainly not. But it made me think about what is done in our name elsewhere. The horror and later the hatred.

Just awful and so very sad.

[Bonobo]

68. I agree completely.

Ignore those that say it is inappropriate. They are wrong.

Any opportunity to feel empathy with others, to feel even a fraction of the pain, murder and death we visit daily upon the rest of the world is an opportunity to become a better person.

[Honeycombe8]

38. There's a time and place for everything. Your post warrants responses & a discussion....

but this isn't the time.

[Carolina]

58. No, this is precisely the time

The news cycle will move on and everything will go back to normal until the next tragedy...

The randomness, the suddenness, the horrific injuries and death... these are all part of what is done in our name at a sanitized distance every day. These images show us what that horror is and just as Newtown sparked the gun debate in a way that Columbine and all the other shool shootings didn't, perhaps this event like no other will wake us up.

[Douglas Carpenter]

40. you're asking people to show empathy to those who are entirely different than themselves

but yes, you have a very valid point

[csziggy]

57. Umpteen threads about Boston bombings. One about the bombings in Iraq today

Deadly wave of bombings across Iraq ahead of elections
By Mohammed Tawfeeq, CNN
updated 12:38 PM EDT, Mon April 15, 2013
Baghdad (CNN) -- A series of bomb blasts across Iraq on Monday killed at least 42 people and wounded more than 257 others, police said.

The attacks took place in at least six provinces: Baghdad, Anbar, Babel, Kirkuk, Salaheddin Diyala, and Nasriya, police officials across the country told CNN.

Two of the bombs exploded at a checkpoint near Baghdad's international airport.

Most of the attacks in Baghdad targeted Shiite areas, police told CNN. Al Qaeda in Iraq, made up of Sunni extremists, has claimed responsibility for many attacks in recent months.

Attacks elsewhere hit security checkpoints, Shiite areas and political offices.
http://www.cnn.com/2013/04/15/world/meast/iraq-violence/index.html

We're obsessed with two deaths and an attack in one location. Iraq has over twenty times the deaths and attacks all over the country. Not one word about Iraq on American cable news this afternoon.

This is not acceptable where ever it happens.

[DJ13]

13. Holy Crap

[Dpm12]

15. What sick fuck or fucks

did this? Goddamn.

[Libertas1776]

27. oh dear god, that man...

i saw that man on the news, but his legs had been blurred out. For obvious reasons. Now here, they have his face blurred but his legs are shown....ugh my god. I cannot un-see that. My heart breaks for these people.

[avaistheone1]

34. No words.

I am in shock.

This is terrible. My thoughts and prayers for all the people and their families who have been hurt by this.

[jessie04]

41. I really hope they find who did this.

I dont believe in the death penalty but I may make an exception.

[Auntie Bush]

46. I think that is a leg wrapped up in the American flag. Horrors!

[proud2BlibKansan]

56. The guy in the cowboy hat in the second picture from the bottom is Carlos Arredondo!

From my Facebook page:

Sweet Carlos Arredondo lost his son in Iraq and then another son to suicide because he never recovered from the loss of his brother. Here he is helping a victim in Boston. There is still hope for humanity as long as sweet souls like Carlos exist. He and his wife work tirelessly for others and I am honored to know them and to have witnessed their kindness myself. BIG Hugs to you both and to all those involved in this madness.

About Carlos: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carlos_Arredondo

[noamnety]

59. Oh!

I know him from the IVAW actions, I wouldn't have recognized him from this photo, I knew him a few years back. Him holding a photo of his son, that image is burned in my brain.

[proud2BlibKansan]

60. I'm so not surprised by this!

Carlos is a really great person.

[Eleanors38]

79. I'm with you!

[SpartanDem]

61. Another one(graphic)

[awoke_in_2003]

62. It has been a little over eleven years...

since we had the bejeebus scared out of us. Many Americans want the defense budget cut. Emmanuel Goldstein is alive and well.

[cali]

67. disgusting. false flag conspiracy dog shit.

[RC]

70. We do need our defense budget cut.

Very little of all those billions actually goes for national defense. Most goes for pork and support for our terrorism abroad.

[Bucky]

64. thank you for posting, even if you broke my heart

[Spitfire of ATJ]

81. Another angle of the iconic photo of the event...

I decided to put it here since this OP was already listed as "Graphic".