After the official announcement that Osama Bin Laden was dead was made by the networks and confirmed by President Obama late last night, the cameras showed crowds of people outside the White House and New York’s Times Square joyously celebrating. But when I heard the news, I did not feel joy. Yes, I did feel some relief that, after almost a decade since 9/11, we finally found the man responsible for all the killings, meeting out the long ago-promised justice. I am proud to be an American and that feeling of unity we all felt after that fateful day has returned. It took awhile, OBL was now silenced forever.
But I immediately began to wonder what the ramifications would be. Would it demoralize terrorists all over the world now that their leader was dead and make our country and the world’s future safer? Or, would his death infuriate terrorists so that we will need to be more ready than ever for acts of vengeance? More importantly, does the death of Bin Laden bring any real closure to those who lost loved ones on that day almost 10 years ago?
Will sympathy cards be sent to those who have loved and lost on the 10th anniversary of September 11 to demonstrate their beloved father, mother, son, daughter or friend is gone but in no way forgotten?
I invite those who have an opinion about yesterday’s events to add their comments.