Like millions of Americans, I was asleep by the time the news of Osama bin Laden's death was announced; I read about it the next morning.I was surprisingly moved. My first reaction was to be transported to that morning, remember where I was, what I was doing, how I felt. How I felt the rest of that day. I thought of my friends and loved ones and where they were, what they were feeling and experiencing. Images of the people jumping off the towers flashed through my mind...I imagined what it must have been like to have been in one of the planes, realizing you were about to die. It was a somber moment.
Next, I was disgusted by the revelry in Times Square, the chanting at the Mets/Phillies game, and such. Shirtless, presumably drunk, college boys running around with American flags as capes. It looked like a cross between 4th of July and St Patrick's Day.
Shame on you.
Celebration is for the end of war, the end of violence. This is not over. Decades of Western oppression have created some really bad blood, to say the least. What attacks are next? What terrorist organization and leader will emerge now? What will the US's relationship with Pakistan look like? To say nothing of how ape-ish, war-mongering, hateful, the Times Square photos look to the rest of the Western world, as well as those who despise this country.
A sense of closure? I hope so. A sense of peace, or inner peace? I really hope so, for the people who experienced that awful day. Partying? Jubilation? I'm sorry, you made me sad.
Click forward a few days and I drew this lovely rendition of the villainous Nazi, the Red Skull, pursued by the Falcon and Captain America on a meeting agenda. I had my Stradlaeter brush pen with me, so I was able to ink about half of it during the meeting, and I finished the rest (and eliminated much of the agenda with white out and p-shop) later. Definitely feel like I am channeling my inner Andy Soriano.
6 comments:
the tyrant of terror,who violated Humanity, mat his end. It had better been tried in an International court, but he wouldn't have it.
"Now we should celebrate, because the tyrant is no more"
Archilocus.
I REMEMBER THE OBSCENE JUBUILATIONS IN THE ARAB WORLD WHEN THE TWIN TOWERS FELL, and I count the crimes of Bib Laden ordered or inspired by him at New York, London, Bali, Sharm el sheikh, Madrid, Philippines, Mumbai, berlin, Marrakech. I've no pity for the enemy of humanity.
I have no pity for him either, nor do I condone revelry surrounding any death, violence whether it's theirs or ours.
We don't celebrate V-J day annually because it was horrific and launched decades of the Cold War. The unknown repercussions of the recent events will determine a lot.
I just wish it would all end. Naiive, perhaps, certainly simple.
:-(
Rainbow, I definitely appreciate hearing your opinion from across the Atlantic. *hug*
Love this drawing ! Cap is one of my favorite superhero.Like you, I was surprised to see all those american in the street to celebrate the death of someone even if he was the most terroble terrorist. I could imagine how american people can be released by this death but there was something bad in this mood...
Believe me, I too wish humanity would stop its absurd violence, and waer and terrorism one day becoming obsolete.
I was pretty schocked too at the reaction of the American people to Bin Laden's death, especially that big Glenn Beck who had a marching band confetti and was passing out cookies. Literally all of these things. It saddens me to know that America would act in such a similar fashion as the terrorists that hurt us after 911. What seperates us from our enemies are our actions and in this past week the distinction just got a little harder to see.
Well put - I agree with all you said. Under the previous regime I sometimes felt that Bin Laden victory is to make us more and more like him.
"Rejoice not when thine enemy falleth, and let not thine heart be glad when he stumbleth"
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