Sunday evening descended upon us like any other. I was spending my time unassumingly folding laundry when the news was broken. My roommate and I quickly flipped on the TV to find the breaking news that would prove to ignite the feelings of our nation- Osama Bin Laden was dead. This information took a minute to process, but what set in afterwards was a mixture of sentiments that were difficult to grasp.
I fell asleep with uncertain feelings. Across our nation, people were joining together in celebration. The national anthem was being sung, fireworks were being set off, and the pledge of allegiance was recited. In this moment, it seemed that our nation had joined together. I heard countless individuals professing their love for their country, stating how proud they were of America. People are dancing and celebrating because someone is dead. And it feels wrong.
I question just what we are celebrating. In his address to the nation, Obama eloquently stated, “…Justice has been done.” But has it? Is the death of this man truly going to bring us justice? I know I will never fully understand the damage he did to so many. I will never feel the pain fueled by loss. I will never experience the gaping hole left behind by a missing loved one. I will never have to live in a house, knowing that there are empty spaces that a family member once filled. But I know that I will never forget the images of that day. The sight of the explosions, the thick black smoke, and the screams as the towers tumbled to the ground will forever be imprinted into my memory. Since that day, we have grown stronger as a nation, proving that we truly “never will forget”.
However, I am still not convinced that our nation has responded to Bin Laden’s death with the best conduct. As much pain as he caused, I do not feel that celebrating one man’s death is just retribution for all the people he killed. I acknowledge the hard work and sacrifices made by the members of our military and their families, but what I am trying to bring attention to is something bigger. Where do we draw the line for justice? When is it acceptable to take another human’s life? Is this one man’s death- a man who has not been a direct threat for some eight years- going to correct the damage? I like to think that we had already served justice. On 9/11, the terrorists’ intent was to tear our country apart. We did not let that happen. Isn’t coming together as a nation, proving that we are a community that cannot be broken, justice enough? In proving them wrong, we were in the right, and justice was truly served.
Another point to consider is the different places we come from. When we began to fight “the war on terror”, it was dubbed by some as an act of patriotism. Stop to consider these terrorist groups. No matter how immoral we feel their actions are, to them they are acting in accordance to their beliefs, fighting for what they feel is just. In some situations these groups are fueled by religious doctrine, in others they feel that our country has harmed them. Whatever the case, it is evident these individuals- whether we agree with them or not- are acting in pursuit of what they deem to be justice. As much as I disagree with them, as much as I hate the harm and fear they place upon others, I realize that we share different perspectives. They come from a different place, have had different experiences, and hold a different set of ideals that I may never understand. Would it not be hypocritical for me to say that my people are right in fighting for what they believe to be patriotism, but this group of people is not? These people are living by their moral principles- who am I to stop them? Though the majority of the population may not agree with their actions, they have the right to live by their own beliefs, just as we are. With so many conflicting opinions, it is often difficult to allow others to simply act in pursuit of their principles. In his writing “On the Duty of Civil Disobedience”, Thoreau stated, “…when an acorn and a chestnut fall side by side, the one does not remain inert to make way for the other, but both obey their own laws, and spring and grow and flourish the best they can, till one, perchance, overshadows and destroys the other. If a plant cannot live according to its nature, it dies; and so does a man.” It no doubt causes conflict and poses great risks, but I believe that we all should have equal rights to live and act in accordance to our own principles- whether we like the outcome or not. I am by no means saying that the manner in which terrorist groups behave is moral and right, I am merely stating that there are some inherent differences between our cultures and belief systems, and this is something we cannot ignore.
I am also struck by the similarities in our reaction to Bin Laden’s death, and how some groups around the world- the Middle East in particular- reacted to the attacks on 9/11. Many celebrated what they viewed as a victory. While we mourned the loss of human life, many rejoiced. From our perspective, they were cruel, heartless, and perhaps even barbaric. What about us? Here we are, celebrating the loss of a human. The roles have been reversed. I find it unsettling that we can label a behavior as immoral, and then turn around and act in the same manner, but think nothing of it.
Whether or not you view execution as a moral way to seek justice is not the main point I seek to address here (I will save that for another blog). I do however feel that we need to reevaluate our behavior. Think of our country. How does the rest of the world view our reaction to this death? Perception is a powerful thing, and we need to be careful. I think that we need to take a hard look at our values as Americans. The closing line of our Pledge of Allegiance states, “…one nation, under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.” Has justice been served? I realize I have said it many times, but I truly think we need to reconsider how we serve justice. Osama Bin Laden was a terrible man, and hurt people not just in our country, but terrorized groups across the Middle East and beyond. I do not disagree that the world will be a better place without him, but I beg you to consider your reaction, consider what justice means to you, and consider whether or not this is the way that we should be responding to a death.
I acknowledge the sentiments felt by many at this time, but feel that they would be better applied to other endeavors. Instead, let us focus on the power of togetherness. Instead of celebrating death, let us take time as a country to remember those who were lost nearly a decade ago. Let us take pride not in the fact that we have taken a life, but in the strength and unity we have as a nation.
Think back to Sunday night. Has anything really changed? Certainly, Osama Bin Laden is gone- but there will continue to be pain and terrorism in the world. Many feel that those lost on 9/11 have finally found justice, but as hard as it is to admit, the death of a thousand terrorists will neither bring them back or erase the memory of that day. In retrospect, not much has changed. However, we do have the power to change our behavior. This is the time for us to come together as a nation, and truly consider what is means to be American.
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