A Bitter-Sweet Death

After hearing about the death of Osama bin Laden, I felt as though justice was served. I expected his death to erode memories of pain in people because of the many lives that he took. I also expected a moment of silence to remember those lives that were taken and also to acknowledge somewhat some closure to the pain as justice has been served. However, instead of this I heard of many people who were celebrating his death. Although I understand that he was a villain so to say, and people are relieved that he has paid a penalty for his actions, does that make it right to cheer someone’s death? I remember hearing a radio host laughing hysterically and paying party music over his death.

No matter the person, rejoicing in someone’s death just seems a little barbaric to me, and many people who I have talked to expressed how ashamed they were of some of these reactions. How do you all feel about some of the reactions to his death?

Now don’t get me wrong, I think that it is great that he was brought to justice and paid a penalty for his horrific actions. However, I believe that cheering someone’s death does not bring back all those innocent lives that were lost. It doesn’t take the pain away, and it doesn’t change anything.

Martin Luther King Jr. once said,

“I mourn the loss of thousands of precious lives, but I will not rejoice in the death of one, not even an enemy”

In another blog I read, the lady suggested that “to take joy in the death of someone else cannot provide any sort of healing for anyone”; which is just another perspective on the matter.

What are your thoughts?

Osama no Longer!!!

Sunday, May 1 , 2011 will absolutely go down as one of the most historical days in the history of the United States.  The news that Osama bin Laden was finally, after ten years, hunted down and killed.  I literally sat for hours and was completely shocked and jubilant at the news.  The man who conducted the biggest terrorist attack against the United States on September 11, 2001 was finally dead.  Instantly I began to replay 9/11 in my head and thought about this as a a flashbulb memory as we have discussed in our class.  I knew right away that May 1, 2011 will no doubt be a flashbulb memory for myself.  I will always remember where I was, who I was with, what I watched on tv.  All the stress Osama had put on the Americans who are afraid to travel or had to buried loved ones who can never be replaced was somewhat avenged.  Yes we are not in the clear, there are still many terrorists out there but this one feels good.  Ahh it was exciting for once to see something positive with so much negativity going on in the world.  It is often cool to see a city united after a sports championship and witness the parade but nothing will ever compare to this.  Not just a city,  not just a town, not just a state, but the ENTIRE country celebrating together.  I still get chills when I think about it.  I am sure I am not the only one who will remember this date as a flashbulb memory.  Where were you guys when you heard the news? Who were you with? What did you do? God Bless America.

Don’t Live to Fast.

You have this connection that you cannot explain; you have this connection that carries you through the day.  He is your best friend, the one you know that will never break your heart.  Then one Monday night, lying in bed you receive a picture message with your best friends truck destroyed with a caption underneath saying to” keep Billy in your thoughts and prayers, for which he had an accident and the chances of survival is very slim.”  It feels like it was just yesterday, it was so clear but then you get this feeling that the only way you will ever see him again is in pictures.  He was a great kid who loved life, he was always smiling  and would do anything to have a good time.  The two main things that will always be remembered is his two quotes: “Life’s journey is not to arrive safely at the grave in a well-preserved body, but rather to come in sliding sideways screaming holy shit… what a ride.” The scary thing is that is exactly how he had died.  His second one was “Don’t Live to Fast.”  Something I will never forget when I think of him and anything going wrong.  What stresses me out most is losing someone who means the world to me and knowing that he will never smile and say my name ever again.  But what really makes the piercing feeling, is that I never got to say goodbye.  A tragedy such like this one can only be fully understood from first hand experience.  How would you feel when you had a connection to someone who you cannot explain and you care about them more than life itself, but when they are gone how would you feel?  He may not be here physically but he is always in my heart  But what is so stressful is that I can’t change the past in order to bring him back or to tell him not to take that road, or that drink, or even enough to say don’t drive.  In order to deal with the pain of his passing, I turn to God and pray to him to relieve me of my suffering, but sometimes it works, yet other times the pain remains constant.  Stress of losing a loved one is like feeling the weight of the world crushing down on your shoulders and no matter what you do the weight never goes away.  Now he will never be more than just a connection that I once had, a presence that I can feel spiritually but I can never touch ever again.