Watching people dance and cheer and celebrate made me instantly think of Matthew 5:44

[erodriguez]

"But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,"


From thousands that died in 9-11, the wars, and now Bin Laden, I'm thinking this is all a fucking tragedy. I understand it as a cathartic moment for some but damn. Unless, this means the beginning of the end of the wars, which I seriously doubt, I don't see the reason to dance in the streets.

It's ugly.

[Paradoxical]

1. I don't believe the bible. I hate my enemies. I'm glad this evil motherfucker is dead.

[libbybelle]

17. Exactly!!

[Amonester]

19. Me 2. n t

[KathieG]

22. +1

[truebrit71]

23. Me 3...

...

[Raine]

38. I feel the same way ... glad the asshole is dead.

[liberalmuse]

2. I don't do the Bible.

Maybe you ought to chide the 9/11 families or the families of the soldiers whose deaths might have some sort of meaning now that bin Laden is finally dead. I think 99% of the people on DU understand what this is and what it means and don't need to be chided by some here for this one small release after 10 years of agony. Good for you if you have the moral standing to get on your high horse, but I'd be a liar if I said I wasn't elated right now. I'm going to enjoy this release for a small moment in time knowing there is still work to do (bring our troops home!).

[Toucano]

7. Osama's death give's dead soldier's deaths MEANING?

That's even more fucked up than the Bible.

One symbol will now be exchanged for another symbol. Nothing more.

[erodriguez]

9. I am a 9-11 family member.

[Joe the Revelator]

3. The bible also says an eye for an eye...

......strange book, that bible.

[AlabamaLibrul]

8. Are you just making shit up now?

You have heard that it was said, "An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth". But I say to you, do not resist an evildoer. If anyone strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also. (Matthew 5:38–39, NRSV)

[Joe the Revelator]

15. I'm a Jew and an atheist. I have nothing further to add to a discussion of Matthew.

[leftstreet]

4. Some people may be celebrating the end of The War on Terror n/t

[uppityperson]

5. I may love him but I am glad he is dead. It's the end of a really bad day that's been going on for

10 yrs. Tomorrow will be another day, but this is an ending to this one.

[seabeyond]

6. i think it is more a hope of conveying mission accomplished, we won, bring troops home. nt

[erodriguez]

10. Boy do I wish that were true. I thought the Pres. was about to say something like that in his speech

He seemed to be on the verge.

[seabeyond]

16. i am hoping they will grab it. we cant win afghanistan. we cannot do any better than what we have

we need a reason to declare victory adn go home. this is a godsend for obama to grab and do it.

[AsahinaKimi]

11. I had a sudden bout of Guilt... To celebrate a killing is not a Buddhist way..

While I am happy a chapter to American History has come to an end, I could not see myself dancing in the streets. I am after all a Buddhist, where the killing of anything is basically wrong. People are celebrating the killing of an "evil man" and he may have been.. and I am having major inner conflicts right now.. I am thinking, perhaps I would have felt better if they caught him alive and brought him to Trial... But thats not how it went down.

I would appreciate any thoughts from other Buddhists, (Since the Religous forum is closed) about their thoughts.. Because I am feeling a bit conflicted inside right now.

[erodriguez]

24. That is bascally how I feel. I am relieved that the mystery of OBL is over.

That the man will never harm another innocent. However, just like you say it is wrong to kill. So i'm not in the mood to celebrate.

[TuxedoKat]

29. Yes

I'm not a Buddhist but I don't feel right about celebrating his death either. I'm glad for Pres. Obama's sake because this is probably something that had to be done. I just worry and wonder what happens now.

[freshwest]

31. Not a Buddhist either. I'm not celebrating his death, but rejoice at any excuse to stop the war.

My exhilaration is from the thought that our people will come home and we will quit these actions across the globe and begin working for peace. I didn't really care that he died, he was prepared for that, it seemed that he wanted to die like that.

The possibility for real change in foriegn policy is worth celebrating. It can be done by turning over to alternative energy and working with other nations to solve their real problems, not dragging people abroad into our schizophrenia. Thanks for expressing yourself and reminding us what is important.

[EFerrari]

35. I'm not a Buddhist but am not able to feel happiness or satisfaction

when anyone is killed, no matter who they are. It must be dna or something. But it's clearly not a game or some kind of competition where my team got a "win".

It looks like Obama worked hard to make this effort a success and he has. I hope it does what he wants it to do. And I hope the consequences aren't too dire or too immediate.

Bin Laden will never kill another person. That I can feel good about.

[Ikonoklast]

12. "Vengeance is Mine", sayeth the Lord.

I'm not Him.

[OneGrassRoot]

13. Rachel Maddow conveyed what the crowd was specifically cheering:

She essentially said they were cheering that the US did what it's been saying it's going to do. Keeping a national promise of sorts, especially to the 9/11 families.

I'm surprised by the crowds, to be honest. I wouldn't have thought people would react like this. I don't know what I feel about what's going on with the crowds and the chants of "USA, USA." I don't have sympathy for Bin Ladin, that's for sure, and I'm grateful victims' families have closure.

:shrug:


edit for clarity

[RainDog]

14. It makes me think of the end of WWII

and celebrating when a era ended.

[OneGrassRoot]

18. "celebrating when an era ended"...

That's a great point. Even if it's not realistic, maybe that's a big part of this. Hoping the whole War on Terror era can finally come to a close.

Again, probably not realistic, but we can hope....

Hey, RainDog.

:hi:

:hug:

[RainDog]

21. it's symbolic

you have to be able to imagine something for it to happen.

we have been stuck in a mindset of fear and corruption - I don't think any adult thinks this means the war on terror is over or all of problems have been solved or anything of the sort.

but I do think it is time to reassess our strategies on the world stage and to use this opportunity to think about how to change course so that we deal with terrorism as a part of the dangers in life and not as an existential threat.

terrorism is defeated when it doesn't terrify.

[OneGrassRoot]

25. Well said, as usual. ;) n/t

[Nevernose]

20. I think of how pissed I was when people all over the world

Danced in the street after 9/11. Except now they're the ones watching on TV. I'm glad Osama's dead, thankful even, but the dancing in the streets can't be good in the long run.

[ProudToBeBlueInRhody]

26. I'm not into the bible

So whatever.

[Iwillnevergiveup]

27. If this death

destabilizes terrorism and brings our troops home, I'll dance in the streets, too. But I've believed for years bin Laden was already dead, so this is kinda anti-climatic.

[kwassa]

28. You are right. It is a tragedy.

On many levels and for many reasons.

The violence came from ignorance and misunderstanding. These are broken people committing these terror acts, and it is appropriate to pray for them. We pray for their recovery from brokenness to wholeness and reconciliation.

It is a moment of symbolism as much as anything. Obama would not be successful had not his thoughts been mirrored in the minds of many, many others who are still alive.

[freshwest]

30. I understand you. It kind of freaked me out seeing it on Al Jazeera live.

All young, and they looked like they could have been screaming at a GOP or Tea Party rally. I don't know where this crowd erupted from but they all looked that way to me. Why they were at the White House, I don't quite know. Perhaps they thought Obama would come outside to talk to them?

Their lives were shaped by the world GWB created after 911. This hit them emotionally just as the deaths of JFK, MLK and RFK hit me as a teenager, in the gut. Possibly taking away their feelings of the world being just and fair as I did, sensing an hideous darkness that could blot out the sunlight at any time.

The media environment they grew up is vastly different than what I grew up with, with shows like '24' and non-stop, hate-filled radio and television voices. Not to mention vehement fundamentalist religion that has defined so many people as enemies for whom no mercy show be shown. I didn't grow up that way, but this is their world now, not mine.

I remembered the movie reels of the way crowds danced in the streets after hearing of the end of WW2 in Europe. I didn't see any hate or celebration of death. I am hoping these young people were celebrating the expected return of loved ones in Afghanistan and an end to war. I have a hard time thinking it was all revenge or death that they were cheering.

I'm sure, although I read about it nor seen on video, that any news of the death of Hitler was greeted with some satisfaction, too.

Obama handled this with class as he always does. He didn't act like it was a celebration, just a job carried out and gave credit to the military. I doubt if any of his administration will be touting his patriotism or leadership from this.

Whatever I have thought about this war I know Bin Laden said he was prepared to die, thought it was a glorious end to his life.

I know that our troops won't be hopping on the next plane or ship coming home. It took years for them to all return from Germany, etc. In fact in most ways, some of them never did. I just want to see our people return and be healed and begin their work here.

[coalition_unwilling]

32. Thank you - n/t

[johnaries]

33. I'm sure the Crusaders quoted Matthew all the time.

And remember, the Crusades began in Europe against other Europeans. Ever hear the expression "kill them all and let God sort them out"? Know where it started? In the Crusade against the French Cathars:

At Beziers, when asked how to tell who was a Cathar and who was not, the commanding legate, Arnaud, replied, 'Kill them all, for God will know his own.' Not a child was spared.

[Vinee]

34. celebrate good times, come on

there's a party, going on right here
a celebration, to last throughout the years.
So bring your good times and your laughter too
we're gonna celebrate your party with you
Come on now (Celebration)

[chill_wind]

36. Against the backdrop of $4.50/gallon gas, rising food prices, relentless unemployment

still in a jobless recovery,thousands still being foreclosed out of their homes every day and week, millions still without health care/insurance, more children living in poverty than ever, trillions siphoned out of this economy on wars and killing, countless Iraqis, Afghanis and Pakistanis dead, dismembered or disabled, our own vets returning home jobless, even homeless--- we Americans have our god given priorities when it comes to getting our nationalistic hatey-hate superbowl game on. Even if we don't have the gas to get there and have to take the bus.

I mean, what else could possibly matter more for so many Americans right now than an occasion for dancing and vicariously pretending you were part of it, like you first-hand killed that Bin laden f*cker yourself .. or that somehow at least your President did?

USA! USA!

[Union Scribe]

37. I believe there's something in there about judging others also

You know, like your finger wagging OP.