Punk Retrospective
3May/11

Righteous Indignation?

Posted by ElDorkoPunkRetro

"I mourn the loss of thousands of precious lives, but I will not rejoice in the death of one, not even an enemy. Returning hate for hate multiplies hate, adding deeper darkness to a night already devoid of stars. Darkness cannot drive out darkness: only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate: only love can do that" ~ attributed to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., though only partially his words.

I rarely do work as an apologist, but the events of the last few days, since the death of Osama bin Laden, have been filled with some unfair condemnation of those who would celebrate his absence from this world. This is a multidimensional event and care should be given to see it from every angle.

I prefer the more pleasant side of being human. I'm not out there pursuing my enemies to send them into oblivion, but anyone who is willing to order others to kill innocent people is on my list of people who are better dead. There are several "leaders" from around this planet whose deaths would make it a whole lot better, if only their ideas would die with them.

I think it would be wise of us to realize that most of the kids out there dancing in the streets of America would have little recollection of Clinton being in the White House, and to also understand that Osama has been the personification of evil throughout their lives.

While it is sad that this is how humans, and the rest of the animal kingdom, fix their problems, I think adults forget how passionate 16 - 24 year-old humans are and fail to understand that their experience of life is very different and much shorter than "ours". I don't completely comprehend their jubilation, but most of the people doing the “rejoicing” were probably only nine or ten years old when 9/11 happened.

On a day not long after 9/11, after the “no fly” rule went into effect, I was walking with my five year old son to the car. As we walked around the corner of our house the sound of a military aircraft reached us and he scrambled for cover, crying and asking if the terrorists were coming to get us. While I was initially surprised by his enthusiastic response to news of the death of Osama bin Laden, it didn’t take long for me to realize a great, submerged weight had been released from his subconscious mind.

I can understand the shock and frustration of those who feel the need for somber reflection. I also remember the images coming out of the Middle East the day we were attacked. It seems to me, if we can forgive those who danced in the streets on 9/11 over there, we can certainly allow the children of this age of terror the opportunity to celebrate the end of this particular era without harsh judgment and criticism. Perhaps there will be blow-back from this, but for now seems a demon has been exorcised for a generation.

[play-button:http://dl.dropbox.com/u/16850984/Osama/09-Circle_Jerks-Product_of_My_Environment.mp3] Circle Jerks - Product of My Environment Link source

[play-button:http://dl.dropbox.com/u/16850984/Osama/kidsinamerica.mp3] Muffs - Kids in America Link source

[play-button:http://dl.dropbox.com/u/16850984/Osama/01%20Rat%20Patrol.mp3] Naked Raygun - Rat Patrol Link source

[play-button:http://dl.dropbox.com/u/16850984/Dont%20-%20We%20Wont%20Take%20No%20More%20-%20Parte%202/15%20-%20Worlds%20Going%20Insane.mp3] Insane - World's Going Insane Link source

[play-button:http://dl.dropbox.com/u/16850984/Osama/03-Circle_Jerks-Under_the_Gun.mp3] Circle Jerks - Under the Gun Link source

[play-button:http://dl.dropbox.com/u/16850984/Osama/01%20where%20did%20his%20eye%20go.mp3] Dickies - Where Did His Eye Go? Link source