News Feed On Fire

Like every other person with a Facebook or Twitter account the feeds were going CRAZY for the last 24 hours.  First there was all of the celebration that Osama bin Laden was killed, then there were those who didn't appreciate the shouts of joy quoting people such as MLK or the Vatican.  


‎"Faced with the death of a man, a Christian never rejoices, but reflects on the serious responsibility of everyone before God and man, and hopes and pledges that every event is not an opportunity for a further growth of hatred, but of peace.” -Federico Lombardi, Vatican spokesman


Then came the debates online, and the bipartisan statements that Obama did it all, or Obama didn't do anything because it was all the Navy Seals.  Personally, both deserve credit.  It was a hail mary call, but the SEALs did the job.  Obama gets all of the credit right now, but if I didn't go well, I don't think it would have reflected negatively on him - just another "failed attempt" to get Osama.


Yet, it still bothers me and upsets me.  I was ramped up in a debate with someone online today about our differing opinions and as we agreed, the nice thing about the US is that we can disagree and keep going on.  When JP2 was beatified, did programmers break in with breaking news that filled the night?  Did Twitters trending immediately switch to JP2?  No it didn't.  But John Paul II did so much more for the world than Osama bin Laden.


One person is dead.  There is no reason to rejoice over the death of a man.  No matter how evil, a world of peace would be one that would honor the sanctity of life.  It would be a world where the handling of a body and whether or not a traditional burial was needed shouldn't even be questioned.  


I don't know anyone who was killed in the 9/11 attacks but I dont understand how this brings justice for those deaths.  I don't feel any safer today than I did 2 days ago.  I definitely dont feel as safe as I did in the 1990s.  In fact, I probably feel less safe today than I did a few days ago due to the planning for retaliation.  


I would never want any of our Presidents to get assassinated, but just as VP Biden would then take over, the same is true of other nations (recognized politically or not).  There would be a time of absolute shock in our nation and then we would continue onward.  Sadly, the same will likely happen with the Taliban.  Iraq is a bit more stable since taking down Saddam, but it is anything but a peaceful nation.  


The United States won a 10 year game of Hide 'n Seek.  Now, I'm sure the Taliban are looking at our countrymen celebrating in the streets and calling us hypocrites for criticizing their celebration after 9/11.  The Facebook and Twitter feeds say "but it's different, we aren't celebrating the death, we are celebrating the justice," but how does it look externally?  Do they know that is why you are celebrating?


Maybe I'm a political pessimist, but I struggle to be convinced that this is a victory, time of celebration, or anything but a man who is dead - a very very evil man, but still, a man.


I will celebrate though.  I will celebrate because earlier this week JP2 was beatified.  I will celebrate because I live in a free country, have a great family, have our health, and have hope.