Young Writers Society

"Al-Qaeda leader Osama Bin Laden has been killed by US forces in Pakistan, President Barack Obama has said.

Bin Laden was killed in a ground operation outside Islamabad based on US intelligence, the first lead for which emerged last August.

Mr Obama said after "a firefight", US forces took possession of the body."

Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-13256676

I've been thinking for the past hour (since I saw the news) of what my reaction is to this, but honestly I don't know. It's like not the entire of me is thrilled and I don't know. It's sort of confusing to make sense of it.

I agree with Lava. Part of me wants to jump up and down and scream for joy and part of me feels a bit bad, I mean, a person, a human being, is dead. Why should we be celebrating?

jasminebells wrote:I mean, a person, a human being, is dead. Why should we be celebrating?

To me, considering that this man embodies and symbolizes the organization that killed thousands of innocent men, women, and children, it's more along the lines of celebrating the atonement for our lost loved ones, celebrating first fruits of a decade of tireless and unsupported effort.

I know that the destruction of a human life is a horrible thing, but he was quite perceptively an evil man. And while you can debate 'evil men' one way or the other, personally, it feels right to celebrate this because I didn't think about a man dying during this news report; I thought of all of my friends who have lost fathers and brothers because of him. I thought of their pain and loss, and I celebrated with them that it wasn't all for naught.

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Lumi wrote:

jasminebells wrote:I mean, a person, a human being, is dead. Why should we be celebrating?

To me, considering that this man embodies and symbolizes the organization that killed thousands of innocent men, women, and children, it's more along the lines of celebrating the atonement for our lost loved ones, celebrating first fruits of a decade of tireless and unsupported effort.

I know that the destruction of a human life is a horrible thing, but he was quite perceptively an evil man. And while you can debate 'evil men' one way or the other, personally, it feels right to celebrate this because I didn't think about a man dying during this news report; I thought of all of my friends who have lost fathers and brothers because of him. I thought of their pain and loss, and I celebrated with them that it wasn't all for naught.

/$0.02

I was talking about this in French and a lot of my classmates sort of stared at me like I was a weirdo for not saying 'YEAH HE'S DEAD! WHOOOOO!'. Two kids in said French class lost their parents on 9/11 and my best friend lost her father. I don't remember much about the day, only a lot of noise, chaos and screaming. I was in kindergarten and I remember my mother picking me up from school, which was on Queensborough Plaza, right under the bridge to Manhattan. Traffic was crazy and it hurt to breathe. It was a terrible day but this man being dead does not erase it. I think I'd be a little happier if at least he was in jail for the rest of his life, he'd have time to remorse, to truly understand what he did wrong. Instead, he's dead and we have no way of telling what's going to happen to him in the afterlife. I dunno. I'm reeeeally confused.

1. One fewer mass murderer in the world is in and of itself positive.
2. Osama Bin Ladin's assassination is not merely a death, but also a symbol of America's unity in its aims to protect its people. This achievement binds the citizens of America together.
3. Bin Ladin's assassination announces America's perseverance and strength as a fighter of terror to the world. This assassination warns terrorists all around the world of America's strength.
4. To lock up a man like Bin Ladin would entail feeding him and providing care for him. I don't think America should need to care for a man who killed thousands of its citizens.

I agree with all of you that it's a totally positive for the world and the all the yay!
But, personally, I don't know what to say. It isn't that I'm saying we shouldn't celebrate his death; it's something that people are entitled to after his acts. I'm just saying I don't know what to say. But, yes, I am happy he's dead, but honestly, I don't know what else.

I'm not one to (nearly) ever celebrate death. But for Osama Bin Laden, I'm willing to make an exception.

Part of me would have liked to have seen him tried and sentenced (one of the extremely rare times where I would sanction the death penalty), but you have to ask - how do you try someone like that? Someone with such an absolutist perspective on the world? You don't, really. You just make his supporters more rabid and give him a pathway martyrdom.

I'm glad he's dead. It might just be cheap vengeance, but vengeance isn't always bad.

Gah, I was up to see the news last night. It was--crazy. I don't even know. It's just odd to think it's been a decade and they finally find the bloody murderer--in a mansion of all places (from what I heard). It's sickening to think a) it took so long and b) he might have been living well.

Otherwise, I'm happy, I suppose. I don't like death, but eye for an eye fits him suitable. He probably deserved to be killed several times, but that's not for me to judge.

However, it brings back my memories of 9/11--none of them good, obviously. Watching it on the television with my mother and my baby sister (who was about one). I was five. I remember getting a felt board and my plastic sword and asking if I could go 'attack those mean people' for my mum (I wasn't a very smart five-year-old). I remember my father, coming home shocked, because the airport he was training to become a pilot at was closed--for the obvious reasons. He hadn't heard until he got there and then came the realization to my parents that we just sold our house back home, we're hours from anyone we knew, and, yeah, there's no cash flow and no future mega bucks from flying anymore to be made. I think I can remember my mum crying a lot, too. It was--shocking, I guess. Wasn't used to that.

All in all, anything related to that--it's just otherworldly to me. It reminds me why my family has never faired well afterwards and reminded me I'm lucky that my family is, ya know, alive.

I don't know. This whole thing is trippy to me. I just hope there won't be too much retaliation, it's bad enough the second most deadly storm just ripped through the US. They don't need anymore problems.

I get that it's a wonderful thing, from an objective point of view. And my first reaction was along the lines of "HECKS TO THE YEAH." But my dad was one small decision away from being in the twin towers on 9/11. I can't imagine being glad, even then, that yet another person was dead. Death's not something I'll ever celebrate, no matter the circumstances. If it becomes about revenge, that's not okay. And bin Laden is one thing, but the (possibly innocent) woman who was used as a human shield? I think it's a very slippery slope, and we have to be so careful with these things.

At the same time, though, I'm truly glad that the world is safer. And I have to admit kudos to the SEALs who pulled off the mission.

A terrible man is dead, yes, but there will always be someone else to take his place. And think about this: when one of our people are killed, they celebrate his death. So how different are we, really? Not to say that we're all terrible people, but why is it human nature to see some deaths as terminated threats instead of lost lives? I don't know. It may mark the deterioration of Al Qaeda, or we may have just created a martyr around whom they can rally.
-Sea-

My goodness. I wonder what some of you would have said when Hitler died. Sometimes, it is right and honorable to celebrate the death of someone. It's a rare circumstance, but it happens. Osama is directly responsible for the deaths of thousands across the world, and indirectly for the deaths of perhaps hundreds of thousands. I, for one, am very glad that I don't have to live on the same planet as such a man anymore.

If you don't wish to be glad and instead wish to mope, then mourn the deaths of all those who die from terrorism and whose lives have been impacted by terrorism.

Sierra ->> Celebrating Osama's death does not make us one of "them." That's incredibly insulting, but furthermore, who are you referring to when you say "they"? I hope you mean terrorists.

My goodness. I wonder what some of you would have said when Hitler died. Sometimes, it is right and honorable to celebrate the death of someone. It's a rare circumstance, but it happens. Osama is directly responsible for the deaths of thousands across the world, and indirectly for the deaths of perhaps hundreds of thousands. I, for one, am very glad that I don't have to live on the same planet as such a man anymore.

I am certainly not sad that he's dead, but I don't celebrate it either. I am happy that he's gone, but sad that the situation came to be in the first place. The loss of a human life is always a loss, regardless of the character of that human.

Overeasy ->> Quite honestly, what you just said is hogwash. If the death of a human life is always a loss, then why are you not sad? Look, if you don't wish to be glad, that's fine. But don't preach from on high.

Nate> I don't think I am preaching on high about anything. There is a difference between not being sad about the loss of a persons life and actually celebrating their death. I am sorry if you can't see that difference, but I certainly don't think I was "preaching" anymore than you were. I think that it's perfectly right to say that him being dead is not a bad thing, but it's still a death. Clearly we don't see eye to eye on the subject, but I certainly never insulted your opinion and I would appreciate the same respect. Calling what I feel "hogwash" feels a little out of line.