9/11 Revisited

Osama Bin Laden is dead. I am surprised to hear the news and unsure how to react. This announcement is momentous, and a likely source of pride for the troops defending us in Afghanistan.


Watching 20 minutes of pre-speech coverage on abcnews.com and nbcnews.com, I was surprised  how the feelings from 9/11 could resurface. Many reactions were coming through on Facebook as well. This oft maligned website, one that didn't exist in 2001, became my link to social rallying. (I don't think that I even checked my e-mail once that particular day.)


As President Obama walked down the red carpet toward his podium, I thought about being in the East room over five years ago on a school trip. I could hear the echo of President Obama's voice across an empty ballroom that clearly contained little more than camera equipment. Yes, this message is important, but how can I feel proud that someone had been killed? The answer is I cannot. 


A good hour after thinking that, someone being interviewed on the news commented, "I know it's unnatural to feel happy about someone being dead, but it's justified tonight." I do respect the closure some victim's families may feel from this military strike. I do recognize this killing is an act of war. And somehow I feel comforted by the spontaneous crowd cheering in unity across the street from the White House. It reminds me of how New Yorkers gathered together after 2,600 people were killed in the Twin Towers -- as well as several hundred more in the Pentagon and on four aircraft. It's not the permission to be happy about death that is comforting -- it is the oneness and the patriotism. They're feeling 9/11 again, too.

‎"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." 

          --Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

A friend just posted that some students at Western Michigan University are setting off fireworks right now. They were around the fourth grade on 9/11. I doubt they left the TV on as they fell asleep that night, but I did, waking up to it at 3 AM and hearing little new information being reported. I feel glued to msnbc.com the same way right now.


I did particularly appreciate one friend's status post: "ok - who had 01-May-2011 in the pool?" Now THAT was funny. Also thanks for this Family Guy link!