We interrupt your usual beauty, hair, and culture news for something of much more significance.
Last night, history was made. President Barack Obama announced that public enemy number one, terrorist and murderer Osama Bin Laden, has been killed in Pakistan.
Photo via nytimes.com
Impromptu celebrations broke out around the country and are continuing today at venues like Ground Zero.
On September 11, 2001, my boyfriend – now husband – woke me from a deep sleep to make me watch the news. I woke from a dream to witness the beginning of a national nightmare. Last night I was sleeping off jetlag from yet another trip, and woke up to discover that all of these years later, what seemed so elusive and impossible, has happened.
I’m just trying to absorb that THIS HAPPENED. It feels very surreal right now.
I don’t know about you but my Facebook and Twitter timelines are off the chain right now. I’m seeing messages of celebration, patriotism and pride. And I’m also seeing messages of doubt, cynicism, and impending doom.
I read a quote on Twitter last night that spoke to me.
“I’ve never wished a man dead, but I have read some obituaries with great pleasure.” Mark Twain
What I want to know is, what are you thinking? How did you feel when you heard?
A friend of a friend—now boyfriend— said it best. “Obama just got himself re-elected!” … I can only hope that the cynicism fades to leave a more resounding light of accomplishment in the forefront. This is what Americans have been waiting for, well this and the overall culmination of the war so its not just another mere milestone, its a grand goal achieved
I feel uneasy about celebrating the murder of a person. I do not want Americans to look like those who celebrated the towers collapes in 2001. ( I vididly remember the cheers as I recall everything from that time)
I know that this may bring closure to those who lost a loved one. I hope this does not stregthen Al-Qaida. The leader dies, and the movement may continue.
I am also upset by the anti Muslim comments I have been reading.
Clearly I am still everywhere with my emotions about this.
Nolagirl, you aren’t the only one.
I hope the White House provides more info to definitively identify bin Laden so the skeptics (including me to a degree) can move beyond any conspiracies on that front.
Like nolagirl, I have trouble celebrating the death, but I *do* celebrate the closure of this particular saga. However, I’m not naive enough to think that this ends all the troubles. Not by a long shot.
I’ll have to continue to self-filter my media coverage so that I’m informed but not overwhelmed.
This is what I’ve read so far:
- bin Laden was killed in a firefight. He was holed up in a compound with at least one of his wives. It is being reported that the wife that as killed in the assault was used by bin Laden as a human shield.
- DNA from his sister, who died of cancer not terribly long ago, and other relatives was tested against the corpse thought to be bin Laden’s. The matches (99.9%) were sufficient enough to establish his identity in the event the surviving wife that did the physical ID (she called him by name when shown the body) was lying. Pictures of his body floating around are fake. The President is mulling releasing the photos we do have and video of the burial may be coming shortly.
- His corpse was prepared for burial in accordance with Muslim customs (prayers, ritualistic washing, shroud, etc.). Our official story is that we buried him at sea because no one would take his body within 24 hours. Not even the Saudis. There are clerics claiming we did no such thing because we shouldn’t have touched him at all. C’est la vie or something like that. If nothing else, it keeps people from turning his grave in to a shrine.
I am most happy and proud that what America has done is taken a stand and showed that we are not a county of cowards. What was set out to do was accomplished.
I’m not going to celebrate bin Laden’s death nor do I mourn it. He doesn’t deserve it.
Instead I choose to focus on the people who lost their lives on 9/11, in other acts of terrorism and hate, and our service men and women who lost their lives or were injured. I will celebrate our military who persevered and President Obama and former Presidents Bush and Clinton who endured and lead our nation throughout.
The birther incident and how people reacted, the great job the president is doing with Alabama, and how very few reacted, and now this with Osama and how there are such mixed reactions.
At this time with politics, I’m just plain disgusted with the American People. We are and have been so divided and full of contradiction I don’t know what I feel anymore.
I see vestiges of contradictions in regard to how Obama has been treated as compared to other presidents. Personally I’m satisfied with his hard work and dedication.
But I have doubts about what it will be like in America in a Post Obama presidency. There is such nastiness now. I wonder if those old chickens will come home to roost and the racial relations will only get worst.
I’m just speechless. Politics is so nasty. In any case I’m proud of the president and I trust he has done the best he could given the circumstances and I wonder how in the H–ll can he do his job with so much venemous opposition. It must be a calling.
I found this quote today that sums up my feelings: “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” ~ Martin Luther King Jr
I’m extremely wary. To me Osama’s death may bring closure to those who lost family in 9/11, in that aspect, the saga is finished. But as far as terrorism in general, I don’t think that it’s over. Osama bin Laden was not akin to a comic book villain in the vein of “once he’s gone, his evil organization falls.” He was part of a terrorist network. Al Qaeda had to have some sort of chain of command in case something like this happened.
Your quote from Mark Twain sums up my feelings as far as his actual death quite nicely though. And I’m also really glad they didn’t just carpet bomb the place.
Osama is gone but his evil legacy lives on and his wishes for destruction and hate will be done by his many followers and especially now to any Americans as it is USA that found and killed him.
But….at least it has been shown that eventually criminals can be caught…..
I have mixed emotions:
- Not happy that Osama was killed, but relieved that there is some closure for those who lost ppl on 9/11, and for those who lost their loved ones in the war.
-Feel angry that some people have the nerve to cheer in front of the White House.
-Hopeful that maybe the soldiers will come home soon.
-Royally pissed off that every move Obama makes, everyone wants proof, more proof and more proof.
-Proud of how Obama keeps making the naysayers look stupid as hell.