RIP Osama bin Laden

[Gregg]

We don't have to mourn him to show class. We don't have to respect bin Laden, his beliefs or his actions, but if we don't respect life then we are no better than he was. Feeling a sense of justice being done and a degree of closure is fine. I just hope America goes forward with a level of poise befitting a world leader.


"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"

Martin Luther King, Jr.

[goldensmom]

We don't have to mourn him to show class. We don't have to respect bin Laden, his beliefs or his actions, but if we don't respect life then we are no better than he was. Feeling a sense of justice being done and a degree of closure is fine. I just hope America goes forward with a level of poise befitting a world leader.


"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"

Martin Luther King, Jr.

'.....world leader....?' Please explain.

[peggy]

I think gregg meant WE are the world leaders. The poise is ours.

The way I see it, dancing in the streets is pretty tacky, but then I didn't lose anyone during the September attacks. I view this as I view any murderer. It's not my place to dictate how the families of the victims should celebrate, and the only ones who can truly forgive him are dead.

I just wonder how long it will take before some preacher or someone like that will try to demand we all 'forgive' him.

[razz]

Well spoken and an excellent quote, Gregg.

Forgiveness, as has been discussed here on SLN a number of times, is not letting someonewho has caused harm off freely but choosing to detach or let go of the anger and emotional anguish that torments 'us' so that we can move on and fulfill our potential. No one has said that this is easy to do.

South Africa and so many other countries have done this with courage and grace and moved into the next progressive stage. Those who hang onto the anger and anguish keep suffering seeing themselves as victims because they cannot let it go and move ahead.

[bae]

Sentiments aside, the quote is an Internet creation, and not from MLK.

[Sad Eyed Lady]

Thanks Gregg for sharing that wonderful quote from Dr. King. Well said.

[danna]

Well said Gregg....

[kib]

Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that. Hate multiplies
hate, violence multiplies violence, and toughness multiplies toughness in a descending spiral of destruction....The chain reaction
of evil--hate begetting hate, wars producing more wars--must be broken, or we shall be plunged into the dark abyss of
annihilation.

Martin Luther King, Jr., Strength To Love, 1963.

It's only the first sentence, "I mourn the loss ..." that's not actually King.
http://www.newyorker.com/online/blog...n-twitter.html

The sentiment is the same to me. Thanks, Gregg. I think at some point in the other thread I wandered down the path of sounding like I was mourning OBL's death, which is not the case. This is a much better summary.

[Gregg]

Thanks for the correction on the quote bae & kib. The true quote still carries the sentiment I was hoping for. Goldensmom, peggy was right, I was referring to the USA as a world leader. In a different thread I think it was Alan who said we all suffered a loss on 9/11 and that is true. OTOH, my loss is insignificant compared to those who lost family and friends. I do not begrudge them anything if they feel celebrating bin Laden's death is appropriate. What I'm hoping is that our nation will proceed with the grace and courage razz wrote about. This could be a prime opportunity to shine a little light and 'drive out the darkness'. I just hope our leadership, along with the rest of us, has the courage and the wisdom to point in that direction.

[rodeosweetheart]

"I just wonder how long it will take before some preacher or someone like that will try to demand we all 'forgive' him."

Wait no more, Jesus has already asked us to forgive our enemies as our Father has forgiven us.