On Bin Laden’s Death
So, Osama bin Laden, the man, is dead. Though he had long since become an emblem of terrorism rather than its fountainhead, for many, particularly those still grieving loved ones lost on 9/11, the daring Navy SEAL attack that left him gunned down in his Pakistani compound, and ultimately tossed into the sea, offers a measure of relief. Justice has been served, they say. There is hoopla, the thunderous cry of “USA, USA,” echoing across the land, and the expected statements from politicians telling us what a great moment this is for the United States. And yet, something else-a palpable sense that an opportunity is being wasted-colors this day as well.
At the heart of all the great religions, including Islam, humility waits for us. It compels us to question our sense of certainty and asks us to define our most sacred articles in terms of faith, not intellect. Humility guides us on the path of righteousness by gently steering us away from self-righteousness.
He slaughtered thousands on that one day alone, including Muslims (though Osama considered any Muslim who operated within the sphere of the West and its decadence unworthy of Allah). Narcissism poured out of Osama Bin Laden like water. He showed not the least bit of compassion for the thousands of lives he destroyed and the many more-wives and husbands, children, parents and friends-left bent and shattered.
So we dropped him like a bad habit, and in a fair fight to boot. Some day the story will be told of how a handful of extraordinarily brave and talented fighting men infiltrated Osama’s nest and got close enough to him, perhaps, to see the expression on his face as he faced our collective fury in the form of a bullet heading towards his skull.
Justice has been served, they say, and who can argue? And yet, now that he has paid the ultimate price and lies with the fishes, isn’t it fair to consider the cause that compelled this man of privilege to renounce his worldly possessions and ask, in a spirit of humility, whether somewhere beneath the twisted thinking and horrific acts, bin Laden had a point?
Is it blasphemous to say that when bin Laden condemned the West for overthrowing the democratically elected Mosaddegh government and installing the brutal Shah of Iran in his place, he was right? Does it profane the memories our fallen fellow citizens to say that Osama might have been on target when he told us that valuing cheap oil over the lives of the ordinary men and women of Saudi Arabia was wrong?
No balance sheet will ever restore order, cancel grief, or justify the barbarism that took place on 9/11. We might, however, honor the fallen and bereaved best by taking actions that will insure that our response to their loss will diminish the chances that a future generation of Americans will suffer similarly. Is it too soon to pray for those who mistreat us?
We’ve got the eye for an eye part down cold.
9/12/2001
