I have been taking the past day and a half to think about the announcement of Osama Bin Laden's execution by the United State's military. I knew yesterday that I was going to blog about the subject. I didn't want to use this post as an opportunity to emote. I wanted to use it as an chance to lay out some of my opinions after I had time to process it.
First and foremost, let me say that I was in no way saddened by the death of this tyrant. He lived by the sword and he died by the sword, such is life. That being said. I didn't feel any sense of joy at his death specifically. I was happy that the man who claimed responsibility for the largest terrorist attack on U.S. soil was finally hunted down. I was happy that there was no loss of life by those that took part of the military strategy. I was happy that President Obama did what the previous Commander and Chief, (who started this war) was unable to do. He gets a lot of slack, much of which is deserved. But, the obvious racial and bigoted undertones that accompany his attacks are asinine. I'm sure it caused a hiccup in many of the critics that attack for that purpose for at least a moment. I was very happy for the military troops, and hoped that this situation would rally their morale. Finally, I was happy for the family members and victims that were personally affected by the events of September 11th.
I suppose there are comments I made that could have been misconstrued as insensitive, in those first initial moments. They could have led some to believe that I rejoice in the death of others. For the record, I don't. But I do believe that death is an end to a means to unrepentant criminals who make it clear they intend to reek havoc on the world as long as they live. I also think killing others is too often used as a means of "justice" . That's a totally different topic for a different day.
The further I get from this announcement, the more I have mixed feelings about our countries reaction to this news. There are some that actually rejoice specifically in the death of Bin Laden. I'm not saying that I support or think that point of view is right, but I understand. People who have suffered emotional damage due to a loss of loved one's and family, or even a loss of security are not only happy that the individual who master minded this attack met a terrible end. Some may call it karma, or reaping what he sowed. I guess I just personally feel no joy behind his death because those same principles work for, or against all of us. That being said, I am praying for either grace or a crop failure on some of the seeds I have sown in the past!
Everyone doesn't think or believe like I do. That's fine. That's what makes the world an interesting place. I can't say how I would FEEL if I had a more emotionally vested interest in Bin Laden's, or any other terrible person's death. If my loved one was killed in one of the twin towers, or in war fighting in the middle east this blog most assuredly would have a different point of view.
The media is portraying American's everywhere as dancing in the streets and in apparent jubilation over his death. The more I think about it, the more I realize that there are a very few people that are rejoicing in his death. Some people are, don't get me wrong. But the more conversations I have, the more I realize that people are happy about many of the things that I listed above and not rejoicing specifically over his killing. I think the portrayal may be somewhat out of context as to what some of that jubilation is about. As I begin to calculate conversations that I am having, for everyone person who crudely damns Bin Laden to hell, as if they can personally put him there, there are 2 people who say. He was a killer who got killed and rejoice in the fact that evil does not always prevail in the world.
This is a very touchy topic because 1) America does not have it's business in order in too many categories to list. 2) This county so systematically and hypocritically cherry picks which dictators/tyrants/terrorists it endorses and supports based off of self-interest. These factors greatly diminish our credibility when it comes to the context of justice being served. For that reason, I can only stand as a single American voice, with a single American perspective. And now you know what mine is...
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