And yet it makes me uncomfortable.
Last night I was just settling down to a good night's sleep when I received a text from the delightful D telling me that bin Laden was dead. I got my glasses (I had already taken out my contacts), informed BabyBoy of the news (DSD was sound asleep), and turned the TV back on. I didn't even make it until the President's speech due to the OTC sleeping pill I had taken. I was sound asleep about 30 minutes later when I heard some banging around, and Lola started barking, and I was rudely awakened.
BabyBoy was on the back porch, smoking. He does try to quit every single day and as long as he keeps trying he will succeed one day, but he had gone all day without a cigarette and was now smoking... it was after 11 CDT.
I forced myself up, and I joined him on the porch, and he was watching the partying in front of the White House and at Ground Zero and in many other places. And he was very upset. He had apparently posted something on Facebook about the fact that rejoicing in the death of ANYONE was not something that he felt Christians did, and his father (did I mention he is an ASS?) immediately texted BabyBoy (in all caps) telling him that he was a complete disapointment to the world or something like that. I didn't get to read the Facebook post, he had already removed it by the time I joined him, but he was quite confused by the fact that many of his friends (and family) are constantly asking for prayers, talking about how we should live for God, talking about their Christianity and their Christian beliefs, and yet they were partying like it was 1999. Over a death.
And he has a valid point.
I can completely understand rejoicing by those who were personally affected by 9/11. Those in NYC, in D.C, those who lost loved ones.
We, in NW Florida, were devastated, but life went on. We cried a little. We watched the news a little more. We hugged more frequently. But there was no scar on the landscape of our world. All of our loved ones were sitting around our dinner table every night. So I can understand some of the joy. But why for everyone? Why did I change my profile picture to one of the Washington Monument with a little bit of the American flag flying?
The death of bin Laden changes nothing. We are still at war. Our soldiers, sailors, airman, and marines will not be returning home this week. Some will still return in flag draped coffins.
And should we ever celebrate death?
Can anyone answer these questions?
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8 comments:
I agree with Baby Boy...and let me say, I have a problem with most Christians, not Christianity...Christians. But what he says is spot on. One is Christian and follows the tenets or not. No death should be celebrated. Each death diminishes us all.
Unfortunately, and through his own actions, bin Laden was a symbol to most Americans. That symbol is one of evil personified.
But, as you so rightly pointed out...it changes nothing. Basically it serves to make Americans feel that they did something about the evil.
The evil is still there, in the form of American hating extremists...we are still at war and spending non-existent monies to stay at war...Obama is still hated for being half black...do damn dah.
It is all very sad really.
Oh, and btw...excellent post IMO.
Some people will use any excuse to party. Everyone else felt ambivalent and well aware that OBL's death solves nothing in itself.
It seems to me that those NOT rejoicing are a much smaller group than those doing so. And those bad mouthing the President and saying that this is NOT an Obama victory are being unfriended on FB by yours truly. Family or not!
In my humble undersea community, there is a controversy raging about whether it was best to kill bin Laden or capture him for trial. I've stayed away from these discussions - seeing merit in both sides of the argument and a reflection of my own ambivalence. Given a choice between performing seals versus kangaroos holding court, perhaps this is the final irony fit for our times: Carp got the last of bin Laden.
Yes, my 8 legged friend, it is not a decision that I would want to make personally. I am glad that it is over for those who felt the need for this to bring closure, but it hasn't brought anyone back or changed the lives that most of us lead.
Ironic, yet fitting. Except the polluting of your lovely home.
Feel relief, even say Good Riddance, yes. Celebrate, no.
I'm glad that someone finds me delightful. Other folks have different ways to describe me... yes, I am finally catching up on my blog reading.
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