Higher and lower impulses

I understand the reasons for the displays of jubilant, cathartic celebrations of the Americans of all stripes the death of a man-okay, a terrorist, who was responsible of shaking to the core the placid complacency of the Americans of the security of the homeland and brought them face to face, up close and personal, the meaning of modern-day terrorism. 

The spectacle of a spontaneous crowd gathering in front of the White House late last night and engaging in flag waving, anthem singing, and primal chanting of "USA, USA" was a sight to behold and think about.

While the feeling that justice was finally delivered was palpably experienced, not only by the crowd, but also by the TV viewers,  I wonder how many in the crowd gave any thought as to why Bin Laden did what he did.


Regardless of the revulsion and hatred brought on by the attack of Al Queda on American soil, causing around 3,000 innocent deaths and boundless griefs to their loved ones, the current on-going unrestrained celebrations by Americans over the death of the figure head of Al Queda, are somehow to me  quite juvenile and not dignified. It would be much better if the Americans greet  the death of Osama bin Laden with solemnity and grace, including a joint ceremony attended by the dignitaries of all major faiths (including Islam) during which the body of bin Laden is returned to his family for proper burial. Such a magnanimous gesture would bring healing and expedite a closure with the Islamofascists. 

There is something unseemly to celebrate wildly over the death of anybody, including that of an evil man.

In case we overlook, Osama bin Laden caused no more than 5,000 people worldwide since the establishment of Al Queda whereas Bush Lite brought, directly and directly, death to hundreds of thousands of Iraqis when he invaded Iraq under false pretenses, and caused displacement of millions, not counting destruction to the infrastructure of Iraq. 

I used to carry a newspaper clipping with me, which reported what a white grandmother of a young man killed by a young black man said after the black man was given a very long sentence. I am writing from memory:

"I have been in this court for days and watched you. I tried to hate you, but I couldn't. Hating you would not bring my grandson back. I feel very sorry for you. You made a very bad mistake and you are going to pay for it with your time in prison. I hope you survive and are a better person when your sentence  expires. I feel very sorry for your family, especially your mother. They suffer as much as I do. You are such a good-looking man and you appear to be bright. You could have made better choices."

The reporter added that he saw the smirk and swagger of the black criminal disappeared after the elderly white lady spoke. The reporter thought he saw tears formed in the eyes of the black man.

We all make mistakes. Some of us even commit evil deeds. We all need forgiveness and understanding. Schadenfreude does not do anybody any good. Somewhere, mother of Osama, his wives, and his children are grieving. They are human like us. We need to restrain our celebrations and show some respect to the departed and his loved ones. We will feel much better about ourselves if we do so. And the world, especially the Islamic world, would like and respect us more.

We all die someday. It is our preparation for our own death and our reactions to the death of friends and foes, known acquaintances and strangers, thatells us, if we indeed care to know, what we are really made of. 

By virtue of the way I expressed my reaction to the death of Osama bin Laden (bin for Arabic and ben for Hebrew, if I am not mistaken, means "son of"), I already held a service for him in my heart. I acknowledged his living for a cause, although  it was misguided. I realized it was his wayward religious sentiment and thus political mission that led to the deaths of many innocent people and caused pain and suffering to many more, including his large immediate family who are grieving now (the press reported 23 children from the compound are now in the custody of Pakistani authorities).

Look at his face. Read the story about his life. How the gentle-looking, pious, altruistic, caring young man turned into a charismatic leader and mass murderer. He must have known he would die of a violent death. One big lesson from his life, at least for me, was this: be very careful of what you believe in to the point you would stake your life on such belief. Is religion the only avenue to truth? Or is there a better way? Philosophy, maybe?

Yes, justice and fairness are ingrained in us and society needs them to function well and exist in harmony. However, we don't have to engage in an orgy of wild and garish and unrestrained celebrations once justice is achieved. A more subdued and solemn acknowledgement that justice is achieved would speak better about us.

On further reflection, it is our passionate, fierce crying for justice that leads to no peace and closure. That's why a heart-rending screaming or shouting of hatred and expression of condemnation at the guilty party from the loved ones of the person who suffered from injustice, at the defendant at the end of the trial  is not likely to bring real peace and closure to them whereas the gentle, quiet expression of sorrow and compassion of the elderly white grandmother moved the reporter and the evildoer alike. That is why Nelson Mandela's policy of true reconciliation and not settling scores and exacting justice with the privileged whites has long been an inspiration for those who are more attuned to the dynamics of pain and how to resolve it effectively and permanently. Buddha was another person who had a higher understanding of justice, of knowing how to demolish hatred.

Don't get me wrong. I am very glad that bin Laden was killed. It was the manner the people celebrated his death that bothered me. It was his wayward, violent embrace of a rigid, uncompromising religious stance that in turn caused so much unnecessary suffering that bothered me. He could have channeled all his energy, wealth, and charisma for peace and for a more gentle approach to his own perceived notion of "justice", once the war against the Soviets in Afghanistan was over. It seemed to me he was carried away. Nothing exceeds like excess.

No comparison or analogy hitherto was drawn between the behavior of the American mobs and the Muslim mobs. Just as two Wongs don't make a White, two wrongs don't make a right. Granted, there was a difference in the degree of jubilance, but I wonder if the body of OBL had been in the hands of the American mob, would they have been able to show "honorable restraints" or would they have just descended into the depths of human depravity as their far-flung fellow human beings did to the bodies of dead American soldiers in Somalia and Iraq?

For whatever its worth, today the Associated Press reported "The Vatican said Christians could never rejoice about the death of any human being." Well, most of the American celebrants are Christians and rejoice they did indeed. It looks like the Vatican was wrong once again.

Note:

I was glad that I wrote the above words. They reflected the angel side of me. They reflect my higher impulses. I know too well my dark side, too. I got some flaky reactions to my views, but I didn't bother to reply to dogs and pigs. I was glad that I refused to stoop down to their level. I had some peace tonight because of my higher impulses. Sentiments are the products if habit. I believe if I keep having good and noble thoughts, I will stay away from inner turmoil and suffering. I can be good. The hairdresser was in pain, it was obvious. Too much ego. Too much pride.