<p>My son celebrated. His father missed large portions of his life fighting the war on terrorism. I think his reaction is quite understandable. </p>
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<p>In his case all that did was make him a more effective mass murderer. In other words, I think the lack of an intelligent, educated, charismatic man will weaken Al Qaeda and that is a good thing. </p>
<p>Not only did he kill nearly 3000 Americans on 9/11, the blood of every military person and civilian killed in the actions since then are also on his hands. Yes, I do celebrate the end of his reign, the end of his life. </p>
<p>And while I have no doubt there will be retaliation I also have no doubt that Bin Laden was planning more terrorist acts that possibly would have killed even more people.</p>
<p>My D texted me to let me know. I was volunteering at a theater where a live historical comedy was happening. I shared the news during intermission with my fellow volunteers and some of the patrons. My D continued to keep me updated throughout the evening with texts. It was a great thing to share with her.</p>
<p>D also texted: “Today’s a day I am truly proud to be an American”. She knows some kids at West Point and she said that there were big celebrations there. </p>
<p>I think it will be one of those events that you will always remember where you were and how you found out.</p>
<p>All we know is that he is dead. We can feel better by imagining that there is some suffering due him. We have no idea if there are souls and, if there are, where his is. No matter what happens after death, a lot of people are going to be wrong. </p>
<p>I don’t like seeing the celebrations either. There is just something indecorous about it.</p>
<p>Ds said his floor was watching a movie when a floormate came in with the news of the pending announcement. To his surprise – and my astonishment – the kids watching the movie didn’t want to stop it, so he went with the guy to his room to watch the streaming on his computer. It kept cutting out so they went to watch on a TV on another floor. Some discussion later that evening but no big demonstrations like at other places. Very measured responses.</p>
<p>I would hardly label celebrating the death of a mass murderer as indecorous. </p>
<p>I also cannot help but wonder if ones distance from 9/11 and its aftermath has something to do with how one sees last nights celebrations. </p>
<p>It is rare, in the overall scheme of things to be able to pinpoint a moment in time and say, “This is when it all changed” and even rarer still to be able to say “And this person planned it.” We did not lose anyone in the attacks on 9/11 but our lives were put on a completely different path than they had been on. I cannot help today but think of everyone we know lost to combat, lost to suicide. Families that could not take the stress of continued deployments. Childhoods shortened by the knowledge that Dad or Mom (or both) were fighting in a war. </p>
<p>Indecorous? I don’t agree but in any case, completely understandable.</p>
<p>I understand it. I just don’t like the idea of celebrating death. I probably would have left out “Ding Dong the Witch is Dead” from the Wizard of Oz too.</p>
<p>This is exactly why I felt a little uncomfortable when I saw the celebrations last night. I also have military in my family, both my parents were in the Navy and my brother is retired Air Force. And I understand the great sense of relief people feel. But I am still not sure there is much to be celebrating.</p>
<p>Both of my Ds brought it up when I spoke to them today. We all agree that Bin Laden was evil and received what he deserved; however, it doesn’t seem like a reason to cheer and celebrate. I thought the comment of the Canadian PM was a good one–he said Canada received the news of Bin Laden’s death with “sober satisfaction.”</p>
<p>Of course there is. Hopefully, those celebrating are not simply celebrating the death of an evil man. We should be celebrating our Country with Patriotic pride. We are a tenacious nation. We set about to accomplish a goal and did it - finally.
We have a well trained military who was able to go in and take out the enemy in the night. This is not about revenge. It’s about stopping an evil man who caused great harm to our country.
Ten years ago - we made a promise to find him - even if we went broke doing so.<br>
We did and we did.
It’s bittersweet. Last night I could not help thinking of those who lost their lives to this man - WTC '93, USS Cole, 9/11 etc - but also of all the <em>kids</em>. Those who will forever rest in peace whose lives were cut short. Childless mothers and fathers, fatherless and motherless children.
Bin Laden is but one man but he will never reek havoc again. It is a great relief. Celebrate away.</p>
<p>Aside from the issue of Bin Laden’s death, the cheers were really about the success of the military, about their job well done with no casualties. I think they deserve the cheers of our nation. I understand that some of you find the cheers unseemly and I would agree if it were just the death of a human being they were cheering, but it is much, much more than that.</p>
<p>Seriously? I mean I don’t believe this for a second, as I’m confident that both the wars and the hunt for OBL are purely politically motivated. But if we as a country really did make a promise to find him “even if we went broke doing so” then we are clearly a country of people with a very questionable sense of priorities. </p>
<p>Vengeance at all costs is a very silly tenet for a country to espouse, especially given the many, many domestic problems we have.</p>
<p>“What? The President is dead?!”
"No, not ‘Obama,’ OSAMA Bin Laden!
“Who’s that?” (9yo)</p>
<p>Sober satisfaction here–worried about retaliation. Though I understand why folks, especially in NY and DC, were dancing in the streets, it made me a bit uncomfortable to watch.</p>
<p>Fine, but then what’s the motivation? Is the world genuinely a safer place now than it was 10 years ago? At what cost? More American soldiers died in these wars than the number of people who died in 9/11 and whatever other terrorist attacks combined. That doesn’t count the additional thousands maimed and disabled. Or the tens of thousands of innocent civilians who died as collateral damage.</p>
<p>I simply don’t agree that OBL’s death (and the results of our wars) are some sort of phenomenal triumphal US victory. I’m glad he’s dead, and he certainly deserved to die. But this isn’t a glorious victory like World War II or anything like that. I (personally) do not think there is anything to celebrate here.</p>
<p>At best, I hope his death results in some sort of closure for the people directly affected by the 9/11 attacks and brings some sanity to our overall foreign policy.</p>
<p>Perhaps I’m misinterpreting the responses I’ve seen then - public celebrations in various cities, on college campuses, etc…, calls of congratulations to President Obama, Pres. Bush, and others, chants of USA-USA-USA in various places, and so on. Even in this thread, the post I initially responded to by JustAMomOf4.</p>
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<p>I don’t agree that we’re doing something right frankly (9/11 also didn’t happen for the 50 years prior to 2001, and that wasn’t because we were taking any particular precautions) but I admit I’m being off topic and this is probably a politically motivated post. I’ll ask the moderators to delete my posts.</p>