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Tuesday, May 3, 2011

Karma Part II

A day has passed since the announcement that the USA killed Osama Bin Laden, and now that I have had some time to really process what happened, I feel a little sick.  Do I think that he was an evil man who deserved to have the wrath of God strike him down?  Hell yes.  That is just the problem.  It was not the wrath of God that got him, it was the wrath of the United States. 

Our country was founded on the principle that all men are created equal, and that everyone should be viewed as Innocent until proven guilty.  In this case, Bin Laden not only confessed that he was behind the plan, but flaunted it in our faces.  There is not even a shadow of doubt that he was guilty.  For that I think he needed to be punished.  For the families that were ripped apart in such a horrific way, he needed to be punished.  For all of the security measures taken to avoid such a thing from happening again, he needs to be punished.  I am not even saying that the punishment does not fit the crime, for I certainly think that it does. 

What I guess that I am feeling but having a hard time saying is that I think that we, as a nation, are better than this.  I think celebrating the victory seems hollow.  Martin Luther King Jr. said "“I mourn the loss of thousands of precious lives, but I will not rejoice in the death of one, not even an enemy. 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.”
We are fools if we think that there will not be some retribution for this.  Now we are in waiting mode to see when the other shoe will drop.  There is no way that we can guarantee safety in this age of terrorism, but what I wish we could do is all take a step back and cool off before decisions are made that will have lasting and tragic consequences felt around the world.  I wish we could be the light and set an example of peace for the world.  I hope that now that we have avenged the horrific act of this sick man we can now give peace a chance. 

I am still proud to be an American.  Please God, bless the USA. 

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