I've been toying with posting this since the capture/death of Bin Laden, but hesitated because I thought people would react poorly in a time when this country really needs something to hold us together. What good could that possibly bring? But now, not even a week later, the press is already starting to die down about the topic. Now, I think that people have been back at work and largely gotten on with living again, it's ok to post the unpopular point of view on this topic.
I, like millions of other world-wide, have wanted justice for the attacks on 9/11/01 since the day it happened. And I wanted Bin Laden run to ground and captured, where, most likely, he would be sentenced to death, and then, justice would be meted out. As someone who values life - be it of unborn children AND hardened criminals - it's difficult to admit, but I, too, believe that Bin Laden deserved death. Unfortunately, it simply was not safe for the rest of us to let him continue to live. In this case, the needs of the many far outweigh the needs of the few.
And it was, as the President said, "a good day for America," but it was not an example of the goodness that can be American. It simply was not an example of the USA being good, it was an example of how this nation has become fueled by revenge. In watching the videos of people gathered in crowds in Washington, New York, and other parts of the country, and hearing the chants of "USA! USA!" - one thing became perfectly clear: we were "celebrating victory" by reveling in the fact that we killed one man. It was not our finest hour.
In those images, we showed the world that we do not value all life - just the lives of those who agree with us. We showed the world that on that day, we were no better than a schoolyard bully: someone hit us, and so we had to hit them back, damn the consequences. If the land of freedom no longer values life - ALL life, be it foreign, domestic, criminal, saint, or any other qualifier you wish to put on it - then how are we really free?
By now, I'm sure that anyone reading this is saying, "But how do you justify the deaths of so many on that day? What about the atrocities committed against America? We deserve justice!" I can't. There is no way to justify the deaths of so many in such a horrible fashion. We should be angry, hurt and confused. Those are normal human emotions and they are beyond our control. What we CAN control are our actions that we take based upon the emotions we feel. A military response to go after Bin Laden was appropriate. A chance to capture him and bring him to justice was also appropriate. To be happy to know the man is no longer a threat - very appropriate and natural. To take to the streets, cheering the greatness of a nation who just killed a man - not so very appropriate.
The War on Terror is not over. It did not begin with one man, it will not end with one man. It can only end when all of us choose to let go of hate, anger, bitterness and most importantly, fear. How can this happen? I don't know. But I know that our best days - the days when we look to our country and are proud to be Americans - are the days when we show love, compassion, support, unity and brotherhood.
I love America. I regret the loss of lives - American or other - that we have experienced in this conflict since it began, including that of Bin Laden. Remember the dead, mourn them, and celebrate their lives. But let's not do it through more killing.
Criticism is welcome, but keep it constructive, or your responses will be deleted. This is just my opinion - I do not ask that you share it, just that you accept it as AN opinion - even if an unpopular one.
Thanks for reading.
The Fat Kid
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