I had reservations about posting about Osama Bin Laden's death (after all, it has been and will continue to be well-covered by a variety of news outlets and social media sites), but decided to anyways, as I strive to keep this blog relevant and my readers well-informed. There isn't much to say that hasn't already been put out there, so I offer you a transcript from last night's Presidential Address:
Good evening. Tonight, I can report to the American people and to the world that the United States has conducted an operation that killed Osama bin Laden, the leader of al Qaeda, and a terrorist who’s responsible for the murder of thousands of innocent men, women, and children.I'm not someone who celebrates the death of another human being... in fact, rather than rejoicing at news of Bin Laden's death, I am more fearful of retaliation against the US. This is a time of deep reflection and caution for me, and I'd imagine a host of others as well. My thoughts and prayers are with my family, some of whom were lost in the 9/11 attacks; country, of course; and those fighting everyday for the safety and protection of the US, including another family member.It was nearly 10 years ago that a bright September day was darkened by the worst attack on the American people in our history. The images of 9/11 are seared into our national memory — hijacked planes cutting through a cloudless September sky; the Twin Towers collapsing to the ground; black smoke billowing up from the Pentagon; the wreckage of Flight 93 in Shanksville, Pennsylvania, where the actions of heroic citizens saved even more heartbreak and destruction.
And yet we know that the worst images are those that were unseen to the world. The empty seat at the dinner table. Children who were forced to grow up without their mother or their father. Parents who would never know the feeling of their child’s embrace. Nearly 3,000 citizens taken from us, leaving a gaping hole in our hearts.
On September 11, 2001, in our time of grief, the American people came together. We offered our neighbors a hand, and we offered the wounded our blood. We reaffirmed our ties to each other, and our love of community and country. On that day, no matter where we came from, what God we prayed to, or what race or ethnicity we were, we were united as one American family.
We need the safety and service of those who fight for the US now more than ever. There's little else to do now except endure the agonizing wait of what, if anything, comes next...
