Osama bin Laden

I feel compelled to write about the recent killing of bin Laden. Opinions circulated quickly, from right down my street to across the Facebook universe. My only opinion, at first, was disbelief that he was still alive. I'd long ago assumed that he was dead. Then I started to think about my feelings on the facts of the matter and think about the varying reactions I was seeing.

You could not help but notice the jubilation that swept through many thousands of Americans as the news of bin Laden's death at the hands of American Navy SEALS was announced by Obama. Fireworks were being lit in my neighborhood, people were dancing in the streets outside the White House and positive witty commentary were blanketing my internet and tweeting my phone. Very soon afterwards, I noticed a backlash against the unmitigated exuberance of the celebrators. A lot of people were quick to remind of Dr. King's statement: "I mourn the loss of thousands of precious lives, but I will not rejoice in the death of one, not even an enemy." It wasn't the killing of bin Laden that prompted the reaction, just the expressed joy in the death of another human being.

I read about and watched all of this unfolding without the urge to whoop it up in my front yard or feeling the disgust at American blood lust that pervaded my loved progressives, but with only a satisfied, wry smile on my face. It is uncouth, uncivilized, undignified and wrong to celebrate the killing of a human being. I believe that with all my being. No matter if that human is bin Laden, Hitler, Pol Pot, Stalin, Mussolini, Pinochet, Idi Amin or Vlad Tepes. But I have to admit to myself that I possessed no sorrow at the news of the death of bin Laden by American forces. Conversely, I have to admit to myself that I felt pleased. It's true. Listening to Obama's announcement, I was reminded about my feelings after Sept. 11, 2001. I was reminded about how horrified I was watching people leap from 50-75 floors above ground in order not to be burned alive. I was angry and I wanted bin Laden punished. (Those feelings were soon overshadowed with disbelief, shame and disgust when my President and his advisors decided to invade a sovereign country that was completely blameless in the events of 9-11. For that, we should all carry tremendous guilt and sorrow.)

So I sat there without the need to rejoice in bin Laden's death or the need to condemn those who were. My only thoughts were: fuck Osama bin Laden. He deserved what he got.