Lastnight I fell asleep watching Anderson Cooper talk about Osama Bin Laden's death. I sat there wondering if he truly dyes his hair completely white. I worked at a newspaper for 9 years so I tend to get bored with an over-saturation of the same news over and over again. That doesn't represent my opinion on the subject though...
But back to Anderson Cooper... How old is he anyway??
Many times when I fall asleep watching TV I'll dream about something related. But not last night. As if I do not allow photography to consume my life enough, I also dream about it.
I swear to God I dreamt about posing people out in prairie grass.... aaaaaalll.night.long. But it was nightmarish b/c 1) It never seemed to end and 2) I couldn't get the poses to work right and worst 3) a creepy man in a turban kept watching me pose my clients from a distance.
And I'm just confirming what I already knew. Do NOT eat chocolate cake at 11pm directly before going to bed. It was chocolate mousse cake tho. I mean, I couldn't pass it up.
So I've been reading on Facebook different opinions of Osama's death. Mixed opinions on celebrating his death. I believe everyone is entitled to their opinion. And here's where I'll share mine b/c this is my blog. I'm not asking for debates. I'm just sharing my opinion. There's a good chance it'll be different than yours.
There are a multitude of articles out there stating opinions and facts about this entire situation. Here are some thoughts though that cross my own mind:
So now what?
Osama may be dead, but his ideology is not. I do not believe that radicals and extremists will just fade away. I am not certain that this entire event won't exacerbate tension and problems that another new "Al Qaeda" will eventually project. But they hated us before his death. They sought to destroy us before his death. His death won't solve the problems in the Middle East. They are far too big. I am not sure what will ever resolve tensions in the Middle East. I fear for our troops. I fear for our safety even back home. I do not believe terrorism is going to subdue. Is it better to be proactive or passive on this? I see both sides of it even though I feel something had to be done.
So was his death necessary?
Do I believe his death provided vindication for our troops, for the families that lost loved ones on 9/11 and anyone else who lost life due to Osama? Absolutely. I mean more than 3,000 people died needlessly b/c of this man's evil plotting. {Note: I also believe in capital punishment. I believe that there should be extreme consequences for murdering innocent people. A slap on the hand and a lifetime in jail without parole to me isn't enough when someone violently murdered countless people - let alone one.} "It is by exacting the highest penalty for the taking of human life that we affirm the value of human life." - Edward Koch. So I absolutely believe that his choices led to his demise, which led to his end. If you don't want to be held as WANTED DEAD OR ALIVE, a good bit of advice is to not murder thousands of innocent people. There need to be consequences for extreme crimes. Evil people with the agenda of destruction of human life, innocent life need to be stopped, even if it means by death. Again choosing to be a outlaw and terrorist while living a life that goes against the ethics of humanity puts you at greater risk of um, being killed yourself.
Do I have problems with people celebrating the loss of his life? I do not personally. However, I do not consider myself to be "celebrating" his death either - but I feel no loss in his death. I did not lose a loved one on 9/11. BUT I completely respect their right to find justification in this. If someone murdered my husband or my sister or child, I too would feel somewhat vindicated by the murderer's death. Of course nothing can bring your loved one back and that is known - for some however, until justice is served; it is impossible to find peace. So if that is the justification they need to find solace and peace in their hurting souls over the loss of the loved one they grieve for, who am I to tell them how to grieve or find peace? Who am I to tell them how to or not to celebrate for that matter something they consider to be justice? And in the same respect, as we all grieve differently, who am I to tell the mother that lost her daughter and sees no reason to tie 9/11 with celebrating Osama's death? That is her choice and how she grieves is not as the next person. She reserves the right to choose to not celebrate in a death, even if it is her very own enemy.
My point is that we all grieve as differently as we believe. To each their own. But plain and simple: murder is evil and should not go unpunished. It needs to hold consequence. Without consequence there is no deterrence. Osama's life shouldn't be spared at the cost of 3,000 others. And if a murderer gets killed in the process of his own tyranny... I say the life he lived led to it. Osama was no victim. He was a perpetrator. I do not believe his death was a cure-all, but I believe it was necessary... For our country, for those who still grieve the loss of their loved ones, who sought vindication and justice and for the safety of those in risk by Osama. And I am thankful for our Navy SEALs who endured an intense firefight and carried through with an operation so smoothly and accurately - it makes me proud to be an American.
In the end I agree with O'Bama's statement: "Justice has been served."
