Tuesday, May 3, 2011

Osama Bin Laid to Rest

I was watching the news with my man Amon last night, when he asked me "Is this who we are, as a country?" He asked in response to videos of Americans celebrating Osama Bin Laden's death. I'm curious to know what my friends think about these feelings sweeping the country. I've seen celebrations on T.V. Singing in front of the White House, cheering in stadiums. You'd think we won a war. But can you blame anyone for feeling satisfied about our government delivering on a promise to take down a known terrorist. Hell, I'm still waiting for some folks to die. If I waited for their minds to change I'd be dead myself before that happened.

I'm not a huge proponent of war, but I've benefited from it. Though, someone always does. But in a larger, historical sense, the Revolutionary War resulted in the the formation of the United States. The Civil War allowed my ancestors greater freedoms. World War II took the Nazis to task, and I don't know anyone who thinks that was a bad decision. Surely we can be happy Hitler's dead, right? So what is the distancing from relief about Bin Laden's demise?

Oh. The 'What/Who comes next' effect. Yea, I'm wondering too. I felt the same way after Mubarak resigned. But I recall Egyptians being pretty hopeful. Perhaps against the Arab world's muted response, our American exuberance seems out of place. Is the fear then that we'll be looked on poorly as a nation? Perhaps. But if so...whats new?

So...what is the big deal? How are we at war this long yet upset for feeling better through someones death? I'm sure no one was thinking that taking out Al Quaeda was going to involve 'time out' corners and handshakes. People say "Support the troops!" all the time. You know the troops are killing people, right? And sometimes- get this- they accidentally kill civilians! But they're saluted! Veterans can't get taken care of when they're back in the USA, but damnit, we thank them when they're dressed up at the airport! It's the American way.

And so is war.

Let's not mix our emotions any more than we already do. This was a big goal. Maybe the ten year gap in goal setting and achievement has caused some to forget. There is nothing wrong with placing this in the proper historical framework and feeling good about this. I'm not saying go out and have a theme party! And by no means should MARCHING BANDS be involved, Glen Beck! But can't we breathe a sigh of relief that this man is gone. For goodness sake, after ten years, haven't we been waiting to exhale?

1 comment:

NNL said...

I appreciate your ability to highlight the reality that celebrating this death, for many, seems to parallel the celebration of a war's end. Many are politically ignorant. They believe that when Osama was killed some sort of crooked battle was won.

On a friendly note, I love your writing style Alva...such a light, refreshing review of the current events in America.