Mixed Feelings About Osama's Death

Just in case you live in a cave Osama Bin Laden is dead. Whether you believe he was killed years ago, or maybe isn't even dead for real, in the collective mind he is dead. It's an end cap to 9/11 and all the pain and terror that was felt that day. Don't get me wrong, I still think that we will be poked and prodded at airports, gas will still be ridiculous, we are still involved with two different wars and politicians will still invoke the word terror to pass ridiculous legislation. (which is technically terrorism, is it not?)  I don't think that it will change a whole lot, but I do know that the world let out a long held breath that we may have forgot that we were holding.

I was at work so of course I saw my twitter feed blow up as soon as the news was in. I felt a little special knowing that while so many people slumbered I knew the big news.  At first I was skeptical, because I don't believe anything the news or a politician tells me immediately, but it began to sink in.

There were a lot of opinions on how it was kind of gruesome that people were celebrating some one's death. I'm sure someone in your social network feed used the MLK quote about mourning the deaths of thousands but not rejoicing in the death of one. Which actually turns out not to be an MLK quote. And at first I agreed. I was glad that such a vile and hateful man was killed but do we need to dance in the streets? It doesn't bring back all the people that died. I'm not usually a "USA" kind of chanter and this particular celebration seemed out of place, ugly and sharp edged.

Until I heard this on NPR. My husband told me later that he knew without looking at me that I was in tears.

"He told me that he, you know, hadn't had any success and now the stairwell was full of smoke," Eckert says. "I asked if it hurt for him to breathe and he paused for a moment, and says, 'No.' He loved me enough to lie."

This killed me. I am trying not to dissolve into tears right now as I re-read it.  I feel like a lot of us have forgotten. Those who didn't actually know anyone that died that day.  We remember that day, how could any of us forget? But do we truly remember how it felt? The confusion, disbelief, grief, even anger.

I'm not saying we need to go out and dance on his grave. But I for one am glad that the type of person who would kill thousands of people, even send his own followers out to die, is dead. It doesn't matter who gets credit, an evil has been taken out of this world and I hope that the people who did lose someone can take some comfort in it's death.

What are your thoughts on the whole thing?

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