The Death of Osama Bin Laden

At 11:02pm last night May 1st I received a text from my friend Laura asking if I was watching the news.  I quickly switched on the news and saw the headline that Osama Bin Laden was dead.  Without really listening or thinking I called both my parents to let them know and then just watched the news roll in.  It was oddly fitting that it be Laura to give me the news because nearly 10 years ago I was the one who called her on that early Tuesday morning.  I listened on the news to people cheering and screaming and singing in Washington DC and then realized that the sirens I was hearing weren’t just from the tv they were coming from outside my window (I live in Tribeca, New York).  As Obama addressed the nation I changed out of my pj’s grabbed my camera and walked down the 5 blocks from my apartment to Ground Zero.  When I first got there it was eerily quiet- a small group of no more than 20 people.  People didn’t seem to know what to do with themselves.   There was chanting and singing and screaming and moments of silence.  No one knew what to say or do, but everyone knew that they had to be there together and feel the energy of congregating to celebrate that the man who had caused the monstrous events at this sight was finally brought to justice.  Slowly but surely hundreds of people made their way down to Ground Zero and I was quickly engulfed by people of all ages, religions, and ethnicities standing together as one.  My favorite moment was when a man’s voice broke out through the jovial blur of singing and chanting calling for a moment of silence to remind us all of the gravity of where we were standing and to pay proper respect to those who had lost their lives at Ground Zero nearly 10 years ago and their friends and family who are still deeply affected by it today.  Who knows what this really means going forward.  I in no way pretend to be a political expert on these matters, but I do fear that any act of violence may breed more violence.  The modern terrorist warfare we are living through is unlike any warfare we have ever seen before.  When Hitler committed suicide the head of the beast was cut off and the Nazi party died with it.  I worry that by cutting off the head of this beast many more may try and pop up.  Osama deserved to be brought to justice for his actions against unimaginable numbers of men women and children, but I do worry what will happen next.  Here’s hoping that this night remains in our minds a night of peace, victory, and hope.  And amidst everyone’s celebrations lets all take a moment to pay respect to those who lost their lives on 9/11 and those who have died since in the war on terror.