Glass more than half full

Forty percent.

That's the number of Americans that would be willing to trade more of their civil liberties for security in the wake of the Boston Bombings according to a recent CNN/Time poll.

Now, I've seen other numbers that are more encouraging and some that are less but the overall public reaction to the bloody terrorist attack on April 15th was muted and somber. Maybe a moment should be observed about what hasn't happened in the two weeks since the attack.

No general outcry for more profiling, more wiretapping, more exceptions to basic liberties. No drum beat of more foreign adventures oversea or support for Russia to invade Chechnya. No blind panic.

The reaction to the Tsarnaev's successful plot has been far from perfect. The 'voluntary' lock-down of Watertown and other parts of Greater Boston is troubling. I'd also like to know whether or not Dzhokhar did ask for a lawyer during his interrogation several times before being granted his request.

But this is one of the first attacks where common sense more or less held the line in public discussion. People have decided not to give into terror, at least for now.

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