I apologize to Eklund and Co. now, as this blog isn't much about hockey. Just to tell you what kind of guy Eklund is to work for, he allows us bloggers to post our own blogs before he sees them. Yep. If I decided to have a total tantrum in a blog, swearing my head off for no reason, the blog would be up for at least a little while, just because Eks trusts lunatics like me just enough to allow me to post my own blogs, unedited.

This blog, of course, is talking about the elephant in the room that everyone is talking about. Yep, what happened in Boston. We sure live in a screwed up world. What makes this world we occupy especially screwed up is that one nutball has the power to ruin things for millions of others.

But I'm not writing this to talk about the bombing itself. It's awful, and horrifying, and disgusting, but sadly, this is the world we occupy. Sick moments have happened before, and they'll happen again. Some species just never learn.

What this blog is about is what occurred with the mainstream-media and on Twitter afterwards. The word "Muslim" was trending world-wide. Is that what we've come to? Every time someone does something gross, it's the Muslim's fault. It's infuriating.

Let me tell you a little bit about the Muslim community I know. I grew up in a little town named Lac La Biche. There's plenty of things that make Lac La Biche unique. One thing most people don't know is that it contains the largest per capita Muslim population in Canada. So there's bombing every day, right? Nope. Members of Lac La Biche's Muslim community are community leaders. They are business owners and innovators. They are, quite literally, the backbone of the community, and they are the finest and most honorable people I know. Oh, and they are PEACELOVING and law-abiding.

You've all read me blogging about my father and his battle with cancer, yes? He's known as "Uncle Louis" in Lac La Biche by the Muslim community. He's been welcomed into the mosque before to celebrate and worship, an honor rare for non-Islamic people. My father is the most honorable person I know, and honorable people stick together. It takes one to know one.

Of course, this is a hockey website, so I'll tie hockey into this just for fun.

When the Oilers drafted Nail Yakupov, how many people posted disgusting Twitter messages about him being a Muslim and what that could mean? Nazem Kadri...another guy I've read so much absolute crap about. EVERY religion, race, culture and group has extremists. You can divide people into groups any way you want, and no matter how you do it, you'll find unstable people with an axe to grind and the recipe for a pipe bomb downloaded from the Internet. And as the world population increases, guess what? There's going to be more disgusting, sick moments like Monday. More people = More violence and more opportunity to hurt innocent people. I'm not trying to depress everyone. I'm just trying to get you to put this into perspective. There's no way to stop moments like these from happening, especially in a country that values freedom.

The N word. I'm not going to say it, obviously. Why bring it up? Because people throw it around. Ask PK Subban some of the stuff he's encountered during a day at work. People have thrown bananas on the ice at him. Players have said racist things to him in an attempt to get him mad. It's ridiculous. If I'm a hockey player, I'd be more concerned about Subban running me over than him rubbing off on me. Aren't we past this yet? Grow up.

In Edmonton, people have suggested Daryl Katz, who is Jewish, and Edmonton Mayor Stephan Mandel, who is also Jewish, are secretly working together on some sort of rink conspiracy. Give me a break. This is Canada. Just maybe Katz and Mandel just want to make Edmonton a nicer city? Nah, that's too far-fetched to be believable.

Look, we're all adults here. We know racism exists. We know discrimination exists. We know the limits of our culture even when we're embarrassed by them. There's always going to be some idiot out there throwing insults just because they are insecure about the size of their junk. Hey, look at me. I'm fat. Fat as hell. Does it matter? It does if you're vain, shallow or stupid, I suppose. Sticks and stones. I don't actually give a crap if you like me or not, especially if the factor that determines our friendship is the size of my ass. You'd be surprised to learn that I had a prom date who wasn't my sister or a cousin. Actually, she was kinda hot, and I didn't realize she was digging me. God, I wish there were take-backies for that night. Instead of putting on Barry White and getting jiggy, I drank an entire bottle of vodka and ended up in a brawl that I completely lost. I also remember barfing. Frequently.

I'm not sure what the point of this blog is, but I knew I wanted to write something because it's better than just sitting around feeling bleak. And that's what I'm afraid everyone going to do instead of rising above this abomination. Was it CNN I was watching...One pile of clothing in the studio was asking some other pile of clothing who was at the bomb site what the long-term effects of this event will be. "Well, the Boston Marathon will never be the same, that's for sure." Asshat. What Boston should do next year is throw the biggest event ever. Everyone in the city should be running. Hell, shut down every city in America, and let everyone go running for the day. Show the evil that did this and every other demented person with an agenda and a box of C4 that the last thing we're gonna let them do is let them defeat us.

As for the racism and discrimination, knock it off. Seriously. Either build a time machine and go back to 1910, or shut the hell up.

Here's the good news: People are getting sick of this. Really sick. And they are taking action. For example, look up the You Can Play Project. Tag line on their Twitter page? "Athletes and fans who think athletes should be judged by talent, heart and work ethic and not sexual orientation." Numerous NHL players support this cause.

Guys like Kadri and Yakupov are breaking down barriers. Here's something I like about the NHL: You're starting to see every race; every religion; every culture and country. The more we make this inclusive and all about sport, the less it will be about how people look or who they pray to. Hell, have you seen Shannon Szabados play goal? Aside from being smoking hot compared to every other player in the NHL, she likely could handle it. Aren't the Hurricanes needing a goalie right now? Get on it. Ummm, I mean that figuratively. Not literally.

Don't let days like Monday ruin your faith in the world. In the words of Journey, don't stop believing. Not now. Not ever.

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