Monday, May 2, 2011

Osama Bin Laden



Today Osama Bin Laden was shot dead by US soldiers ten years after the 9/11 attack on the World trade centre. The Americans finally got their vengeance and feel some sense of Justice was served today when body of the leader of Al Qaeda was identified and confirmed dead.

What shocked me most about this news story was not the death of Osama bin Laden but the reaction that it got worldwide. I was watching Australian television, where the prime minister welcomed the news and congratulated America on a successful job. The Americans poured onto the streets, chanting USA, USA!! It strikes me as strange that the death of a man, EVEN if its Osama Bin Laden brings so much rejoicing around the globe. A sad day in our history I think. Reading some of the news reports from Washington, I was sickened by the arrogance and pride of some blood thirsty people, seeing today as a good reason to drink champagne and parade the streets celebrating how great a nation America is. One person interviewed had this to say....
'This is a tremendous moment, and hopefully it will bring us together, it doesn't matter if you're Muslim or Christian or whatever,' said firefighter Patrice McLeod. 'We'll never give up.'

'We'll never give up', and lets party on for America's great victory seems to be the general feeling outside Washington, and worldwide today. Well I certainly for one won't be joining in on the celebrations but will remember May 2nd as the day we shamed ourselves and rejoiced over a life lost.