and I’m still kind of discombobulated in my thoughts. My post will most likely mirror that.
It’s been a little over a week since the announcement that Bin Laden had been killed was made. Like probably most, my first reaction was of surprise or shock. There hadn’t been too much news about him recently so to hear that he had been found and shot dead took me back a bit. I, of course, waited for the President to address the nation. I really like to listen to Obama speak. It’s been a long time since we’ve had a leader who sounds intelligent. His speech was quick and to the point and a little bit snarky knowing that while Trump was dragging him through the proverbial mud he was dealing with a strategic crisis.
Within minutes of the announcement on the news, there were posts all over facebook and blogs cyberly cheering the announcement. That took me back a little, and as the night went on into the next day the conceitedness about it started to turn my stomach.
This past weekend, one my favorite artsy-bloggers iHanna posted this wonderful quote…
“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.
I think that’s when I realized that was where my uneasiness was coming from. I no longer have a religious bone in my body, so I wasn’t having faith-based issues with my country’s decision to purposely kill another human being.
Was this decision a necessary evil? Maybe it was. Maybe it wasn’t. Is killing this man going to fix the problems we have with the Middle East? Probably not. Must we, as a country, be pumping our fists and dancing in the streets about it? No.
Your uneasiness shows that you're a good soul.
ReplyDeleteYour Friend, m.
He needed to be killed. I don't think killing him was showing hatred.
ReplyDeleteA man murdered a little girl in our town on Monday night. Raped and murdered a 9 year old. What does he deserve? I don't want to feel hatred towards him, but I do.
for what it's worth it's probably better that it happened in that way rather that drag on for years giving a focus yet again. I expect, given the changes this past spring, that the last thing Washington wanted was to find him. But the one thing that wasn't needed was that display of savagery.
ReplyDeleteI have avoided posting or blogging about it because I am frustrated with peoples responses. Am I glad that he "personally" can't do us harm any longer, sure. But do I feel any safer? Not really. I don't see the reason to be celebrating death..of any person..regardless. For well stated post.
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing your mind.
@ Katie, I'm interested what would make you feel safer. Is it honestly achievable.
ReplyDelete@ Mark - that means a lot coming from you! :>)
ReplyDelete@Becky - It's interesting, because I think I am in favor of the death penalty. And I guess in this case, it is the same thing? So maybe my uneasiness about it is coming from the behavior of people celebrating this. I don't know.
@Vince - and people wanting to see the body?!?! That savagery makes us just as bad as the extremist.
ReplyDelete@Katie - I was also tentative on the post and why I waited to share my thoughts (which is so out of the ordinary for me not to have a knee jerk reaction to something and just say and get myself into trouble).
This is exactly how I felt, and what I thought, along with the fact that it seemed so hedonistic to me, the way everyone was cheering like it was the happiest day ever.
ReplyDeleteAnd then I felt guilty for feeling this way because of all of the horror that our 9-11 victims and their families went through.
It's just all gross.
Don't get me wrong. I think Bin Laden needed to be done away with. And I probably also support the death penalty in many instances. But you're right--it was all the cheering. Like someone's favorite football time won the Super Bowl. Or something.
ReplyDeleteor that family photo of them all sitting around the TV.
ReplyDelete