I am watching in horror the televised aftermath of two explosions near the finish line of the Boston Marathon. The Boston Police are reporting 2 dead and 23 injured. There are some things I need to say about this appalling event.

To those who would perpetrate violence in the name of anything: Stop it! Just stop it!! We don’t care who you are, we don’t care what your agenda is, we don’t care about you. Hurting innocent people makes us care even less, not more. Inflicting seemingly random physical and psychological trauma on the rest of us redefines cowardice. I’ve already given you more time and space than you deserve.

To the victims: My sorrow and sympathy can barely be expressed adequately. No one’s life should ever be jeopardized in this way. I pray that you and those who love you will recover, emotionally as well as physically. I hope that you will take some small comfort from the knowledge that the good people of our city will come together to help you in any way we can.

To our first responders: Thank you — for running into disaster rather than away from it, and for doing what you do better than the rest of us can imagine.  We are all grateful.

To our legislators and government leaders: I know when home became a war zone. I want to know when it’s going to stop. This is the U.S.A. We don’t negotiate with terrorists, so why do we put up with them? Enough of acting helpless in the face of mass mayhem, regardless of the source. Do something about it. Something that has teeth. Big, scary, in-your-face, this-is-gonna-cost-you-big-time teeth. And do it now. We’re tired of this.

To other law-abiding citizens: Have you had enough yet? I have. When are we going to get serious about making the carnage stop? We need to make noise, lots of it. Right now. And we shouldn’t stop until the violence does. Please, please use the power of your voices and your votes to bring an end to intentional, senseless violence.

Can we agree on this, people? Enough is enough.