I have been experiencing a serious writer's block for more then a month. Then I flipped on the news tonight.
Now, along with all the things I am not, I also heavily proclaim I'm not a fan of debating religion or politics. I am often a fan of learning to appreciate other cultures, nay studying to grow an appreciation. I do not always admire other cultures, but I do try to understand them. So with that disclaimer, I'm going to tell you exactly MY OPINION of the news coming upon us of the death of Osama Bin Laden.
I am a practicing, of course imperfect, Catholic. I pray. I believe in Jesus Christ. I am a patriotic, yet recently heavily disappointed American. Yet with the news upon us, I find myself unable to rejoice. When Saddam Hussein was executed, things were simpler than they are today, while not necessarily more innocent; however people felt more safe, more "flex in their muscles" when confident in their country and the job the administration was doing. Albeit not overwhelming supportive, but compared to the presidency we have today, more Americans could admit they felt at least something was being done at the desk of the Oval Office. Today I find myself nervous.
Now, get offended if ye must, but most people would agree the majority of the American population are uneducated, ignorant cattle milling about only believing what they are told via outlets spoon feeding us information that is carefully selected for us to not panic. Now, I'm not a conspiracy theorist, but really, ask the person next to you: they know more about Snooki and the damn America Idol standings than they know about politics and what's really going on. They hear a headline, and they run with it, with their opinions, and the knee-jerk reaction it causes, thanks to Facebook, Twitter and the random mumblings of random people who are more concerned of how they sound than what they actually say. Again, I am not a political expert. But I have paid attention enough to see that this is not the same. This is far more surreal than any other times in our lives.
With that said, I want you to think of something, and while you sing the National Anthem(ps good for you for at least knowing the words), consider this:
Bin Laden was allegedly found in a mansion outside the capital of Pakistan. Our relations with Pakistan have always been stressed to say the least. Why? Because even in the Clinton days (remember, I'm still a whipper snapper, but I paid attention as a child as well...before Regan I was a glimmer in a 21 year old's eye) we strained to keep peace between Pakistan and Israel, usually to no avail. If you lived in a mansion outside of Washington DC and you were accused of killing 3,000 people, do you think you'd be safe going to the local supermarket? Do you think you'd be safe taking a drive? Going out to get your mail? Do you think you'd go unnoticed?
(Now the president is speaking...we'll see how this blog drives in a few moments)
Pakistan was working with us in this operation, according to the president. My thoughts go towads what will happen with those relations. I've always been told growing up that in revelation-like tones, the day Israel and the middle east are at peace, after one last battle, will spark the end of the world. Ok stop right now- I'm not screaming "the end is near". I'm simply asking you to take a step back, clean off your glasses, and take one more look, a little farther away as to get a larger look at the picture as a whole.
I know this much- why, after speaking with a very large number of people tonight, every single one of them have agreed that upon hearing the news, they didn't know whether to jump for joy or brace ourselves for a wave of seriousness we as a nation, as a people, are just not prepared for.
Maybe our innocence is completely lost. Maybe thanks to the internet, global instant communication, it hasn't changed all that much since the fifties, we just simply know more faster. Maybe we really are living in a whole new world where we aren't safe, we shouldn't trust the big rusty machine; then again, maybe the world's going to hell in a handbasket after all. I'm just not sure why this event tonight changed the air, changed the light...but I fear, my friends, that we will be waking up to a much different world tomorrow morning.
