I know this is all anyone will be talking about for the next few days, bear with me for just a moment. Osama Bin Laden has been killed. This man has been responsible for thousands upon thousands of deaths, not only on 9/11, but in attacks around the world. It’s shocking, it’s certainly not anything I thought I would be writing about much too late on a Sunday evening.
The moment it was released by the media, I started to think back to that day ten years ago. It’s amazing what your mind will do. I was sitting at work when my boss came into my office. We were initially in shock about the plane hitting the tower, it had to be an accident, right? There was speculation about what kind of idiot wouldn’t be able to miss a building. When the second plane hit we saw it live, people started to panic, started to realize, and by the time the Pentagon was hit they were evacuating our building and sending everyone home. Airplanes were grounded at whatever airports were closest. People were glued to their TVs, they were crying, they were in shock.
It was absolutely surreal that day and the days to follow, the first time in my lifetime, that war was brought to our shores. It was terrifying, it was simply unfathomable the magnitude of death and destruction.
Every single person who remembers that day was affected, each one a victim on so many levels. Reality changed.
In the ten years since the attacks, people have softened in remembering, time passes and you start to forget. But not for those families of those who were killed. Every single day their loved one is gone.
Bin Laden’s death isn’t going to bring those people back to their families.
Those Navy Seals, President Obama, all of the people responsible for the accurate intelligence, they were just doing their jobs. A job ten years in the making.
I don’t know that there needs to be jubilee or celebration, but I hope it brings some closure. Some peace.
6 comments:
I agree on the point of closure - those families have been waiting ten years for it. But I'm not sure his death will make us safer. Everyone is waving American flags and drinking on the lawn of the White House while his followers are planning their revenge. I'm scared about what that will be, to be honest.
I'm scared too, Jessica. Why wouldn't they retaliate--isn't that what we we're doing by killing him? I'm glad if it brings peace to those who lost loved ones on 9/11 but it won't change what happened ten years ago, and I can't help but to think that his loved ones lost someone last night too. The thing I remember about that day, when it really became real, was coming home from the bus, being met by Dad, and watching my older sister cry while we all sat on the bed. I had never seen someone look so terrified.
I was listening to NPR this morning and one woman who's husband was killed in the Towers said that while she and her sons have been waiting for this day, now that its here its traumatising in its own way. Sad, isn't it? No one knows quite how to react.
You have captured many of my feelings. I am up here in Canada and so many of my friends here don't really understand the celebrations. I'm trying to say that they aren't necessarily celebrating that someone has died but the sense of relief that comes with knowing this man is gone. It is also a bit of justice served...something they can't understand because it was not their country that was attacked. Even if they think they understand they can't fully comprehend what it felt like that day to watch those horrors unfolding before our eyes and knowing that it was happening on our own soil.
I'm hoping that there is not retaliation, but not naive enough to believe it won't happen, so I'm praying safety for my family. But I am with you on the closure...I hope it has brought some peace to those families and to the families of soldiers that have lost their lives in this battle.
I think Celebrating in the Streets bought us to the terrorists level...
Thank you for posting this!!!
Everyone is condemning those "celebrating" or "rejoicing" in the street, but the truth is you don't know their personal stories and this is NOT rejoicing in a man's death.. this is being happy that this one man -EVIL man- can no longer harm and kill innocent lives, and a Nation as a whole!
I am also guessing that those saying these things have also not suffered a loss due to the events of 9/11 and the after effects... Well, myself and my family have suffered a loss I wish on no innocent life! My dear cousin was killed by this man. But somehow this has brought a sense of justice and closure to myself, our family and so many others. So I wish people could imagine our loss and then the news that this man has been captured and his evil has been taken out, and until they know our pain they can not say anything about "celebrating"! When murderers and rapists get their judgment in court, people don't condemn the victims family for being happy that the criminal was brought to justice! It's the same exact thing, but in this case there are many, many victims of OBL and his violence.
-Sorry so long ;)
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