I know what it’s like to be in hell. On a beautiful spring-like morning, September 11, 2001, I was standing by the World Trade Center when the world seemingly exploded. Those of you who were there or near the Pentagon or watching the entire horrific situation unfold on TV don’t need to be told what happened. Frankly, I don’t want to go back to that place in my head. It traumatizes me and many others to this minute. For those that lost friends and family—my sincerest sympathies. There are many in great pain caused by the actions of that infamous day.
Fast forward to a rainy and overcast May 1, 2011. May Day. I think most of us heard the news through social networking. Tweeted, Facebooked--choose your poison. Osama Bin Laden had been killed. News crews swung into action and crowds of thousands descended upon the White House. As I sat with friends watching it all unfold on the tube, I was momentarily caught up in the collective rapture. It was a knee jerk reaction; like someone tickled that little vengeance cog in my psyche with a feather. Come on—we all felt it…for a moment. Then cooler heads prevailed—at least in some of us.
As I watched the myriad of replays the next day, and took in the endless parade of security experts spouting their theories, I was also struck by the call for a photo…proof of the personal carnage. I, like most of us, heard stomach-turning descriptions of what the body looked like; we were treated to living color video of the blood stained bunker floors. Is it me or did we become like a crowd in Medieval Europe yelling ‘off with their heads’ or like the throng in the Colossueum watching lions devour human beings?
Yes—I hear you. All those who are now thinking I’m being self righteous and preachy, raise your hands. That may be so. Those of you that are mumbling under their breath about this left leaning, flaming heart liberal…well, guilty-more or less. Do I think Bin Laden should have some comfy room in a military prison with 24/7 guards? No. I can honestly say I won’t miss him. That doesn’t make me a good person—but it’s honest. With that, I also salute our servicemen and women that bravely serve, many, because there was a Bin Laden—including, of course, those that risk their lives to bring these terrorists to some kind of justice—whatever that may be; and their families who must be brave for them. I have siblings and children. I cannot imagine what that must be like.
But there’s another factor one might want to consider. The death of one lunatic despot who has no regard for human life does not bring those lost back. It’s worth taking a moment to consider that for every one of these devils that is gone, another seems to pop up in their place. They seem to repopulate faster than rabbits—and each one seems just a little more sinister than the one before. This is one man gone. For every one of him there are thousands more.
Do I think we should live our lives looking over our shoulders? Hell no! But I do think it is worth considering what motivates all sides. This has been a question for the ages—it’s just that the firepower has become more and more sophisticated. Sinister, unfortunately, has always been around. On the bright side, so has benevolence. It might behoove us to look at the big picture and consider exactly for what, though, we’re all cheering.
Sermon over.
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