Probably not something that is of supreme interest to others who read this blog, but I feel like venting here so I will.
While I think that what the special forces troops accomplished in finally finding Osama Bin Laden and while I think he is a horrid man and really needs to stand and answer for his crimes, I find it distasteful that we as a country are rejoicing in his death.
I got into a conversation on a friend's facebook page about this. She had posted a quote from Pope John Paul II who was recently beautified. It said, "Forgiveness is above all a personal choice, a decision of the heart to go against the natural instinct to pay back evil with evil."
This actually puts into words what I was thinking tonight. While I am pleased that this part of our history has been concluded, I find it a bitter pill that we are rejoicing in a death. It is not sitting well with me, even within myself. I have no problem celebrating our troops and their accomplishment. Something within me just gives my spirit a check that we are celebrating a death. But I suppose it is also why I am anti-death penalty.
I was asked "What is odd about celebrating the death of a man who wants to kill you ALL and your children???" And I answered, "The celebrating part." I am not celebrating. I'm not mourning, but I am not celebrating.
"We can no longer afford to worship the god of hate or bow before the altar of retaliation. The oceans of history are made turbulent by the ever-rising tides of hate. And history is cluttered with the wreckage of nations and individuals that pursued this self-defeating path of hate." ~Martin Luther King, Jr.
Just a thought, I welcome your opinions, they will be respected.
I was thinking something along similar lines when I saw video footage of all the people crowded in front of the White House shouting "USA! USA!"
ReplyDeleteIt reminded me so much of the video footage of Muslim protesters that we see so often.
I started to wonder if there really is so much difference between their celebrations of bloodletting versus ours.
Yes, Osama bin Laden was a very bad man, and he did need to be eliminated. Unfortunately, there are probably 10 more zealots just like him, waiting in the wings to take his place.
Am I sorry bin Laden is dead? No, after his role in the 9/11 plot, he probably deserved the death penalty. Still, I don't feel the need to run to the streets to celebrate, either.
I agree. 100%. I am relieved this monster is dead. I am thankful that families (who lost loved ones simply because they went to work one day) have justice. But, the singing and dancing and shooting off fireworks? I don't stomach it well either. I hope I never see the day when I want to JOYFULLY celebrate a death, no matter how heinous the person was.
ReplyDeleteI just posted that quote by MLK as my fb status. thank you!
ReplyDeleteI just left this same comment, when we took to the streets in celebration, we lowered ourselves to that of the terrorists...
ReplyDelete