Friend: oh hey, osama bin laden is dead
me: you serious??
friend: ..._dead_ serious. /rimshot
me: why am I so excited? :p
friend: because of how sad you were on 9/11
at least, to the extent you understood it at that age :p
me: hey, I was almost 9.
I fell asleep watching MSNBC last night. It was non-stop coverage of the celebrations that were going on around the country when people heard the news that the man behind the September 11th attacks had been killed. College students were running miles to the area in front of the White House to wave flags and chant cheers at 1am. Although I wasn't that excited, it was a rather big piece of news. Once I really let it sink in, I wasn't sure what to think. If my friend hadn't said what they did about why I was so excited, I don't think I would have connected the two events- I'm not known for my smarts. ;)
I was nearly nine years old when Daddy called from work and told Mommy, "Turn on the TV right now- the World Trade Center is being bombed." She was rather speechless and said, "Girls, this will change your life." For the next three or four hours, we were glued to the TV. I just remember thinking, "This is weird" In the coming months, though, as I saw people cancel trips for fear of flying and as I heard tear-jerking stories of families who had lost members, I came to realize that yes, this had changed my life. (It was also the beginning of my love of watching the news...:P)
It wasn't until the 1 year anniversary when I was nearly 10 that I realized the full extent this had effected all Americans-not just those who had lost loved ones. Our church performed a memorial service with a big choir and some dramatic dances... but the final song, "God Bless America" (I think) I remember as moving me almost to tears. Everyone else was crying. No one knew of anyone personally that had died, but nevertheless, everyone was grieving. This was a strange revelation for me-- that evil guys really do exist.
Osama Bin Laden was the name that got thrown around our neighborhood when there was a "bad dude" in our games. For the last 10 years, I've seen security get tighter and tighter because of some new plot of his. I had to take my shoes off in the airport last week because of this guy. I've been just a little bit tenser when Daddy's gone on business trips to the DC area. I've been updated a couple times a year on Osama's whereabouts.
As one reporter said last night referring to the parties in the streets, "It's really big deal for these 22 year olds here. They were 12 years old when 9-11 happened. Their entire adult lives have been shaped by the fear of Bin Laden and his followers." Wow. I know I can't even imagine what life would be like without all the security and stuff we have now.
I'll admit, I'm honestly really, really surprised that something good actually happened. It's been nothing but bad news for America for a long time now. I guess I had adopted a bit of the cynicism of premilinialists who are just expecting the world to get so bad Christ can't help but return. For everything there is a season, and God is still in control. He doesn't leave us helpless and hopeless. I really shouldn't be so surprised at God's goodness to an undeserving people. That's the way He rolls. ;)
Of course, now is not the time to let our guard down. Those followers are still alive and probably pretty upset. I have to fly home a week from today. Thankfully I won't be flying by any major target areas (although I'll be directly over the areas hardest hit by tornadoes last week). Still, I'm slightly more uneasy than I was flying here. I love flying. (I think I've found my next blog post...;)
Just goes to show that somethings can impact us more than we think. Until last night, I didn't give that guy more than two seconds of brain power a month. I wonder what else has shaped the last decade in ways we don't realize? Makes me feel old. *sticks out tongue*
2 comments:
9-11-2001 was my 11th birthday. I'll never forget watching the news and being so emotionally stunned that all I could do was walk around in a daze.
When I read this bit of news today though, I couldn't help being rather cynical. So yeah, sure, they've killed the bad man. But he's not THE bad man; he was just A bad man. My recent studies in modern American history have made me even more cynical. This government NEEDS a bad guy to go after, or at least a bad regime to topple. Why'd they kill the fellow who's served that position so well for over a decade? Maybe it's just me, and my not-so-good tendency towards conspiracy theories, but does it not seem plausible that the US government (and her many allies) could have caught this man before now? Also, according to an article I read, he's been on the FBI most wanted list for a really, really long time. I have a hard time believing that they don't keep tabs on the folks on that list, but that's just me.
Now, to clarify a little ('cause my cynicism can be misinterpreted sometimes), I am incredibly thankful for the safety our armed forces provide; I have NOTHING against them. Also, I do NOT mean to come across the least bit unfeeling towards those affected by the 9-11 attacks. All I'm saying is that there is just a bit too much victory-dancing over this news. Bin Laden may (or may not, do we really know?) have been the head of an extremely destructive terrorist organization. That organization still exists, and everyone a part of that organization has been indoctrinated thoroughly against the West and, more specifically, the US. Our worries aren't really over yet, I think. As I've said elsewhere this morning: I think that perhaps bin Laden's death might not be as great a victory as it seems to be, by some, portrayed as. However, it'd be great if I'm wrong about that. :)
I agree that it isn't as big a victory as people are making it out to be- I was just surprised that it wasn't something I could just shrug off without thinking about all the things it changes.
Watching Obama announce it, I couldn't help recalling all the movies I've watched where the bad guy is undercover as the VP or another high-level official...It almost seemed like I was watching RED. I half expected it to zoom out and show the good guys talking about how this was part of his plan and that bin Laden's probably hiding in the NY Subway as a security guard. :P
I have great confidence in our president, can't you tell? ;)
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