Monday, May 2, 2011

Osama Bin Laden is Dead. What Now?

          I'm not going to pretend you haven't heard. Osama Bin Laden is dead. Allegedly shot in the head by US special forces. This has been taken by America as a victory and many are saying "justice is served". I understand to a degree why people are feeling this way and saying that. Bin Laden has been said to be the perpetrator of 9/11, and has been presented to us as the symbol of terrorism against the USA and leader of the Al-Queda. He dies, and people feel a bit of closure from the tragedy of 9/11. I understand that. BUT, is it right?
          From what I have read, Bin Laden hadn't even been the leader of the Al-Queda anymore for the past two years, and I don't know about you but I hadn't heard any new threats in quite a long time. This man should have been caught and tried for his crimes. From what Obama has told us, this mission from the start was to go in and kill him. Every man has a right to trial. Even the Nazi leaders had the Nuremberg trials, and were rightly punished. Did we even try to capture him? It doesn't seem to be that way.
          Justice has been served? I'm not so sure. Maybe this gives people who were truly affected by 9/11 some closure, which is good, they definitely deserve closure. But to praise and rejoice a death like this, all it does is keep the cycle of hate going. What I mean is, Bin Laden was a sick man who was one of those responsible for the death of thousands of innocents. He is shot and killed ten years later, and it is met with the same rejoice that Al-Queda had over their "successful mission", killing Americans. Now we are going to anger them even further, and I have no doubt that they are going to try and act on this and hit us back, for their own "justice". Then the cycle keeps going. There's a really good quote that sums this up pretty well...
"Returning hate for hate multiplies hate, adding deeper darkness to a night already devoid of stars. Darkness cannot drive out darkness: only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate, only love can do that.” 
- Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
           That is all I have to say on this. Have a good day, think for yourself, and really think about what you're celebrating before you rejoice.