Karma in Action

Ten years ago I was sitting at my desk trying to complete a quote when my boss came out of his office to tell us a plane crashed into the World Trade Center.  My immediate reaction was to hop on the internet, but it had crashed due to everyone else doing the same thing.  My second reaction was to call Ann, who was at home at the time, to get her to turn on the TV and tell me what was happening.  As I was talking to her she told me the second tower was hit.  It was surreal.  For the first time in my life I did not feel completely safe in my own country. As unbelievable as it sounds we went back to work.  I did finish that quote and was in a meeting for the development of our new website when it was announced that the Pentagon was hit.  Dave called me to tell me that a plane had turned over Cleveland and was heading back to Washington.  It was not until that plane crashed in Pennsylvania not far from one of my co-worker's brother's house that they finally told us to go home. 

When I got home my neighbors were outside talking about the tragedy.  One of them had a son working in Washington and they had not heard from him yet.  He was on the 10 mile trek back to his house as he could not catch a cab and the metro system had been shut down.  The cell phone towers were overloaded and it was impossible for him to call. 

My horror was small compared to so many that were at ground zero or lost loved ones.  I remember one woman calling in to Peter Jennings asking if anyone had heard about anything about Cantor Fitzgerald and later finding out that everyone who worked there died.   I cried along with Peter when he finally heard from his children to know that they were safe. There was 24 hour news coverage for days on end on every channel.   It brought new meaning to the words tragedy and unbelievable. 

Never in my life have I been truly happy that someone died.  Last night was the exception.  If ever there was someone that deserved to have Karma pay him back with death, it was Osama bin Laden.  That man was the definition of Evil and hatred in the same league with Adolf Hitler.  What kind of man is sick enough to come up with a plan to hijack planes and run them into the tallest office buildings in the world in a time of relative peace.  How could he have called himself a Muslim when the religion is all about peace?  (It is kind of interesting to note that Hitler also died on May 1st.)

America is the land of the free.  We welcome people from all walks of life to come and live whatever life you can carve for yourself.  We took care of bin Laden's sister when she had cancer.  When there is a disaster anywhere in the world, we are always one of the first countries to offer aid.  I know we are not perfect by any means, but we are not bad people.  Let it not be confused, we will seek justice when we are wronged.  There was no cost or time limit for us to seek retribution on the man that was the mastermind for the worst attack on American soil.  Let it be known that you can run, but you can not hide from the long arms of American Justice.  President George W. Bush said it all when he said, ""The fight against terror goes on, but tonight America has sent an unmistakable message: No matter how long it takes, justice will be done."

Today I am proud to be an American.  God Bless the USA.