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May. 2nd, 2011 10:35 amSo, Osama bin Laden is dead. I'm conflicted.
On one hand, he was responsible for the death of so many people - not just in my own country, but throughout the world.
On the other hand, he was a human being himself, and I vehemently believe that one death doesn't justify another. In some instances, such as this one, I can see how assassination is needed. That doesn't mean I have to like it.
I'm happy that the families and friends of people who were killed in 9/11 can have some peace. I'm happy that Americans can feel that at least some part of the war was won.
I can't deny feeling a sense of relief over it all. 9/11 was horrible. All Americans were affected, no matter where they were. And all Americans will remember where they were when they heard the news. I had just left my high school AP English class, and was driving home. I heard President Bush's reaction speech at the school he was visiting in Florida on the radio in my old car. As it turned out, both of the hijacked planes that hit the twin towers were from Boston. Many of the victims on the planes were from surrounding towns. Two were from my town. One was the father of a boy I who was in my grade in school. I attended his funeral.
But I cannot celebrate the death of another, no matter if he was a horrible human being who made it his life's work to kill innocent people.
I like what the Vatican said as a response (and it definitely does not only apply to Christians) - "In front of the death of man, a Christian never rejoices but rather reflects on the grave responsibility of each one in front of God and men, and hopes and commits himself so that every moment not be an occasion for hatred to grow but for peace."
On one hand, he was responsible for the death of so many people - not just in my own country, but throughout the world.
On the other hand, he was a human being himself, and I vehemently believe that one death doesn't justify another. In some instances, such as this one, I can see how assassination is needed. That doesn't mean I have to like it.
I'm happy that the families and friends of people who were killed in 9/11 can have some peace. I'm happy that Americans can feel that at least some part of the war was won.
I can't deny feeling a sense of relief over it all. 9/11 was horrible. All Americans were affected, no matter where they were. And all Americans will remember where they were when they heard the news. I had just left my high school AP English class, and was driving home. I heard President Bush's reaction speech at the school he was visiting in Florida on the radio in my old car. As it turned out, both of the hijacked planes that hit the twin towers were from Boston. Many of the victims on the planes were from surrounding towns. Two were from my town. One was the father of a boy I who was in my grade in school. I attended his funeral.
But I cannot celebrate the death of another, no matter if he was a horrible human being who made it his life's work to kill innocent people.
I like what the Vatican said as a response (and it definitely does not only apply to Christians) - "In front of the death of man, a Christian never rejoices but rather reflects on the grave responsibility of each one in front of God and men, and hopes and commits himself so that every moment not be an occasion for hatred to grow but for peace."
