Monday, May 2, 2011

The Death of Evil: Osama bin Laden

I can't help it. I'm compelled to write something. Anything.

Osama bin Laden has been killed by U.S. troops. 

I know what you're thinking -- yes, we know, Chaviva. It's been everywhere. You'd have to be living in a bunker in Pakistan not to know (d'oh). But I have a few things to say about this.

First, I'm happy. I'm celebrating. But I'm not celebrating the death of Osama bin Laden. No, despite the Purim story, it seems wrong to me. We're not meant to celebrate death. We're meant to celebrate justice, freedom, and the removal of fear of a deadly hand reaching out and destroying the world. Osama bin Laden wasn't a Muslim leader, as President Obama said. He was an enemy of Muslims. He was a mass murderer of Muslims. He was a murderer of everyone that got in his way. He was pure evil. We should all celebrate the freedom from that evil. 

Secondly, it's so weird to think that 10 years ago, I was back in Nebraska, dreaming of someday living in New York City and going to NYU. I wanted to be a New Yorker. During 9/11, that feeling never waned. And now, here I am, footsteps from New York, spending almost every day of the week in the Big Apple, and I am more than excited to be a part of a burgeoning city 10 years after the destruction of so many lives. The heart of the United States is a big, red, juicy apple. 

Thirdly, my view on the aftermath of all of this is that there will be some serious infighting among Al-Qaeda leaders, resulting in an implosion of sorts in the leadership, and it will have a demoralizing impact on the lower factions of Al-Qaeda. We'll see if that happens. 

Fourthly, nights like this, I really miss being a copy editor. Can you imagine sitting at the copy desk of a major daily at this hour? Ripping apart the front page, updating the article every five seconds, writing the most amazing headline on the planet? The rush of that feeling ... man I miss that. And with Obama glowing as he was, well, all I can think is ... this event is going to alter the news up until the 2012 election, for better or worse. We'll see how this goes, but I know he's proud of himself. 

With that, friends, celebrate our freedom from evil. 

"Your enemies shall perish;
all the wicked shall disintegrate.
I have seen the downfall of my foes;
I have seen the doom of my attackers."
~ Psalm 92

May we all know nothing but peace.