I normally do not post politically based posts, as I am just not a fan of politics in general, but with the recent news of Bin Laden’s death, I am going to make an exception. I believe he was a very dangerous man and I am relieved that we will no longer have to concern ourselves with what he may be plotting, but I am against all of the celebration that is going on in America.
Although I am in most current respects, Canadian now, I am also an American by birthright, and I was living in America at the time that the 9-11 attacks happened. I have seen the videos of the event more times than I care to count, I do have an understanding of what transpired and what it meant, but to me, celebrating the man’s death is extremely distasteful. I remember on the day that the attacks happened, seeing video footage from the Middle-East of people cheering, hooting, hollering, and clapping because the damage had been done in America. I remember my at-the-time-husband going into a rant (and I believe he had good reason) about how distasteful it was to be celebrating the death of other people, and I agreed with him 100%. But now, nearly ten years later, here we are, doing the same things! Now WE are the ones caught on video cheering, dancing in the streets, and in general, celebrating the death of someone else. How is this any different from what the Middle-easterners were doing ten years ago? Perhaps an agrument can be made that in America it was innocent people who were killed, whereas Bin Laden was far from innocent, but still..a death is the permanent snuffing out of life, and in my opinion, it is NEVER something to be celebrated. We can acknowledge that we did what had to be done and then move on..it should be that simple. I recently found a quote that I believe to be very appropriate to this situation from Martin Luther King Jr: ”I mourn the loss of thousands of precious lives, but I will not rejoice in the death of one, not even an enemy. Returning hate for hate multiplies hate, adding deeper darkness to a night already devoid of stars. Darkness cannot drive out darkness: only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate: only love can do that.” Martin Luther King Jr was a very smart man..he missed the 9-11 incident but I do not believe he would be happy about the way we are handling the after-effects of our actions..
