To those who lost loved ones on 9/11, to those who worked dilligently in cleaning up the aftermath, last night's announcement is a long-awaited resolution to their grieving process. Osama Bin Laden is confirmed dead at the hands of our military. A man who personified evil and who has orchestrated harm across the world is gone. While I struggle with rejoicing at someone's death, I am happy for the resolve that this brings to those family members. (Though it's my understanding he was given an opportunity to surrender rather than to be killed? Who knows if that detail is correct...) This was most clearly represented to me by a widow who was interviewed this morning about what this meant to her. She could give the years, months & days it had been since 9/11 and said that this was a fresh start for her. I can't imagine the pain...almost 10 years she's been waiting for this. Waiting for some news of justice that the one who took credit for these attacks would no longer be a threat, in power, or able to go about his life as he pleases while causing so much pain upon others.
And let me also say...
I am happy for the troops that have put their lives on the line for this effort. Again, not to celebrate his death but his removal from power. The sense of accomplishment & victory this brings to them must be overwhelming. Regardless of one's view of the war and the turns that it took, it seems globally clear that the demise of this man's power was an ultimate goal; to have reached that goal has to be very rewarding for them. I, unfortunately, suspect that this news will lead to an insurgence of fighting among Bin Laden's followers and could put our troops more in harm's way in the time to come. I pray for protection, mercy & grace over them and the countless innocent citizens that are often caught in the middle of these things; however, I know that at times of war, this protection I pray for, that millions pray for, is not always possible which saddens me and makes me fear for them and their families.
But now I can't help but to say...
I am so saddened by the responses of so many who want to turn this into an Obama-bashing fest. And before the conservatives come lashing out at me, I should also point out that I'm equally disappointed in those who want to use this as a time to rehash and slam all things Bush. I struggle/struggled with the leadership of both of these men but I do not in any way envy their jobs. You know why? It's crap like this. In my adult life, the only time that I can remember the American people being wholly unified in any way was on 9/11. We went through it together - we all gasped in horror collectively and then we cried together, mourned together, and sought for beauty beyond the rubble together. Why? Because we all lost something that day - together.
Since that time, I've watched our country take a nose-dive with conservatives and liberals being more divided than ever. The arguments I hear sound more and more entitled every time I listen. It's rare to hear an argument that doesn't echo the mindless following of a party's rhetoric. I'm not speaking out against one side or another...quite honestly, I have no faith that either side has it right. In fact, it's this division that people grasp onto so tightly that, I believe, is the foundational demise of our country. And yet, in true capitalistic form, on the night of the announcement that an evil man no longer has reign, many chose to use this as an opportunity to spout their party's agenda rather than just rejoicing in the triumph that this means to those so closely connected to 9/11. Not even a full day of respect could be given to those families before it was turned into a political game.
I know those folks have a right to speak out as they choose so before anyone wants to throw the whole "freedom of speech" argument my way, news flash: I know. I'm exercising my right as well. I typically steer clear of political debates because I've more often than not found them to be more harmful than helpful with many engaging in them for the sake of winning an argument over having an open, all-opinions-valued discussion. But this struck a nerve with me...so today I'm speaking out. In respect for those who are dealing with a loss much greater than your political agenda, let me say a collective "WE DON'T CARE WHAT YOU THINK ABOUT [insert political leader here] TODAY!" Let's try to find some kind of unity today for the sake of those fathers/husbands, mothers/wives, children, firefighters, policemen, troops lost forever as a result of 9/11. If we can't find it, even if only for a day, in something so closely linked to an event that brought our nation to its knees, I fear we never will again.
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