Out on a Limb

I readily admit that I am certainly glad that Osama Bin Laden no longer poses a threat to anyone, anywhere in the world. I hold deep abiding loyalty to the ideals and constitution of the United States of America. I watched with the rest of the world as citizens of the United States danced in the streets when the news of Bin Laden's demise flooded the media channels throughout the country. But I'm going to step out on a limb to write that celebrating a deliberate killing of anyone appears beneath us as Americans. Please don't misunderstand me...I grieved with the rest of the world when the murderous hijackers targeted those towers ultimately causing their collapse to the ground killing thousands. I wept with the rest of our country as flight 93 plummeted to the field near Shanksville, Pennsylvania. I gasped for breath witnessing the billowing smoke from the attack on our Pentagon in Washington D.C. And yet, killing an unarmed man for any reason causes me deep concern and literally makes me question the wisdom and morality of such an action.

I hear a hint of the same gnawing doubt in an editorial in our local newspaper. The editor of my hometown paper wrote, "Celebrating the loss of any life just feels wrong in many ways, but we must remember that Osama Bin Laden wasn’t a human being at all by the standards that most of us would apply. This was a man who didn’t lose sleep over ordering the deaths of thousands of innocent men, women and children. This was a man who reveled in murder, chaos and destruction. This was a man who had no morals and placed no value on human life whatsoever." (http://www.irontontribune.com/2011/05/03/u-s-delivers-on-promises-made-on-911/)

I reiterate that I am glad the special forces took Bin Laden out of the terrorism game...I just don't want us to justify what we have done by following Bin Laden's own philosophy of "an eye for an eye."
(http://www.huffingtonpost.com/rabbi-shmuley-boteach/hate-osama-but-do-not-rej_b_856130.html) I'm a Scoutmaster for Boy Scouts of America. I want my boys to seek justice, but not vengeance. I felt very uncomfortable with gleeful celebration at an unarmed man being killed by the mafia style two taps to the head. Americans always rise above the rest and seek proper justice. Here are my questions:

• What about a trial? It appears to me (granted I did not accompany the Seal Team 6 into that compound) that we could have taken Osama to Guantanamo and held a military tribunal. His conviction would have been certain but at least we would have followed our fairness doctrines. (http://www.cnn.com/2011/OPINION/05/03/toobin.bin.laden.trial/index.html?section=cnn_latest)
• What about the legality? According to many, Bin Laden was a legitimate military target since we are at war with terrorists (whatever that vague connotation really means). But generally unarmed culprits are apprehended not shot dead in their bed. Nomrally we don't whack even the worst of perpetrators if they have no weapon. (http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/Justice/2011/0502/Was-it-legal-for-the-US-commandos-to-kill-Osama-bin-Laden)
• What about martyrdom? Did we play right into Osama Bin Laden's hand? Did we supply him with the very final act that he so desperately craved? He wanted to become a martyr to the Islamic world. Did he finally present himself in this virtually unguarded situation in order to full his desired destiny? (http://news.yahoo.com/s/ucru/20110503/cm_ucru/osamabinladensultimatevictory)
• What about a deliberate kill? Do we set out to deliberately execute human beings? We're not targeting Momar Kadafi, but should we? Where do we draw the line? Who lives and who dies? Who rates a trial (i.e. Saddam Huessein) and who does not?  (http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/top-stories/2011/05/03/osama-bin-laden-why-america-had-to-kill-bin-laden-rather-than-put-him-on-trial-115875-23103442/)
• What about right and might? We teach children that "it is never right to do wrong and never wrong to do what is right." What kind of precedent did we set here? How does this model the "kinder, gentler America?"  (http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/courtland_milloy_what_does_bin_ladens_slaying_teach_kids/2011/05/02/AF16FNfF_story.html?wprss=rss_local)

I realize that there's nothing that I can do here. I understand that I am stepping out on a limb and probably sound like a anti-American to you. I'm not. I just don't think we should dance because the wicked one is dead. Rather let us solemnly ponder the state of the world where clerics teach children to strap on backpacks full of explosives to go out into the world to become human bombs. I'm sad about 9/11. I grieve over war in Iraq, Afghanistan and Lybia. I just don't think we should laugh, joke and gloat about shooting an unarmed man. Bin Laden deserved judgement and punishment, no doubt. I just wish we could have brought him to a full justice rather than executing him just to put him out to sea. I worry over what will come next.