While I never support violence or death, I have to help spread the word that Osama bin Laden has officially been declared dead. It feels unnatural to celebrate the death of another human being, but as a country I think America needed this "victory" against the figurehead of terrorism. Oven the past 10 years, my stomach sinks when I think that we've probably killed as many civilians in our attempts to kill Osama as the terrorists killed when they attacked the twin towers of the over 9,000 civilians we've killed in Afghanistan and ONE MILLION civilians that have lost their lives in Iraq. I hope that Osama's death marks the end of this chapter of violence. The cost of one man's death, of these wars, of the civilians and soldiers who won't be coming home, is much too high.
Ironically, today is Holocaust Remembrance Day and I think it's oddly fitting that such news should be shared on the day we remember so many others lost to Hitler's terrorism. The human race has a morbid history of death and violence and I hope that today becomes the precursor to healing and peace. For the families all over the world who have lost loved ones, in the twin towers, in these wars, because of this man and our attempts to catch him.
President Obama's speech, while befitting the situation, also made me a little sad since so much of it feels overly optimistic. While I do think that America came together as a nation after September 11th, I think it also begot an undercurrent of hate and prejudice against anyone who might be middle eastern. The republicans voted against health care and college funds for the first responders of 9/11. People rallied with hate against the building of a mosque near ground zero. So much hurt and hate and violence has gone into and come out of America and I hope and pray that it is now over.
The End
No comments:
Post a Comment