Alison and I were in the middle of watching The King’s Speech when our DVD player started to fail. We left the living room to give the machine a chance to think about its actions.
Naturally, I used the break to check Tweetdeck, and was startled to see that the President was about to give a live speech on national security. I was immediately struck by the irony, considering the movie we had been watching, but also shot through with a jolt of adrenaline. Whatever the President had to say, it would have to be important for him to cut in on a Sunday evening, particularly if the subject was national security.
Next I heard he would be speaking from the East Room, not the Oval Office, suggesting that the topic wasn’t an urgent warning about our impending doom, but still quite serious. Perhaps there was news about the campaign in Libya, as Muammar Gaddafi’s son had just been killed by an air strike the day before. If so, that seemed rather lame, since announcements like these can set people into a panic. I switched the TV to a live broadcast, and continued to follow the chatter on Twitter, where people were speculating the speech would be about Osama Bin Laden, and with increasing certainty.
Initially, President Obama was set to speak in fewer than 10 minutes. As minutes stretched into more than an hour, and the Wolf Blitzers, Geraldo Riveras and David Gregorys in media gave into the temptation to leak the news, our anticipation to hear the President’s speech lost its edge. It had already been a long, exhausting weekend, filled with schoolwork, civic duties, tornado and flood warnings and NBA playoff games. But we hung in there to experience what would be another unforgettable moment of history in the making.
When the President finally made it to the podium, his delivery was oddly flat and hesitating, but it was still a great speech. He talked about the enormous loss of life caused by Osama Bin Laden, the terrible scar he left on the psyche of our nation, and the “gaping hole” in the heart of families across the country. He reflected on 9/11, and how the country came together to grieve and promise that we would never forget what happened, that we would honor the memories of our dead, and resolve to protect ourselves and bring Al-Qaeda to justice. He spoke about the enormous and heroic actions our armed forces took at home and around the globe to “disrupt, dismantle, and defeat” the terrorist network. Bin Laden’s death, he said, marked the “most significant achievement” to date, but not the end of our effort. He reiterated that we “did not choose this fight,” and that we aren’t “at war with Islam.” He said, “today’s achievement is a testament to the greatness of our country and the determination of the American people.”
Throngs of people amassed near the White House, waving American flags and celebrating. These students, most of whom couldn’t have been older than eight or nine on 9/11/2001, were expressing what I imagine was a combination of joy, relief and pride — that we had finally captured the man most responsible for setting the tragic events of the past decade in motion, that we had scored a much needed victory, and finally closed a chapter of history.
Unfortunately, the unity lasted about 45 seconds, as friends on Twitter and Facebook lept to condemn the celebration as unChristian, comparing demonstrations and jubilation to the Palestinians who cheered when the Twin Towers were struck and fell. The self-righteous condemnation and moral relativism soon came out in full force, and those who felt differently were blood-thirsty monsters, a pox on our nation, and would probably spur more terrorists into action.
I’m sorry, but no. We who celebrate do not cheer for the death of a man, not even a terrorist. It brings us no joy to see a person killed. It does, however, bring us one fleeting moment of relief, appreciation and reflection on all of the pain and trials we’ve endured, both as a nation, and as individual families. If you cannot grant the families who have sacrificed so much financially, physically, and emotionally this one moment of triumph, you have no heart and no grace.
We do not celebrate death, we celebrate life. We cry tears of joy and tears of grief, thinking about the loved ones we lost. The months and years we spent away from our family and friends. The deep sense of loss, in more than one sense. We sacrificed for this moment. We have overcome.
For now, tuck away the context-free Bible quotes and the newly-coined Martin Luther King phrases. Consider the way we were also filled with delight when Saddam Hussein was captured, but how not a soul rejoiced when he was executed. We cheer for our country, for ourselves and our families, for the hope of a better, brighter, safer and — yes — more peaceful future.
If you can’t grant us that, could you at least keep it to yourself for a few days?
Elsewhere:
No, Really, Celebrate. If This Isn’t Worth Celebrating, What Is?
Bin Laden’s Death and the Discursive Use of Scripture in Social Media
Good, Evil, and More Evil
Death Comes as the End
Killing bin Laden, Loving Our Enemies
The world has changed since September 11, 2001 in a variety of ways. Aside from the visible protective measures such as increased security and military actions throughout the world, the rise in social media has presented an unprecedented opportunity for people to communicate ideas quickly. Most people reading a blog do not need to be reminded of the positives, but perhaps a reminder of the negatives is needed. We must remember that these social tools are open to anyone. For good and for bad, a democratic social communication means that people must put up with inaccurate, ill-conceived, and even stupid remarks about everything. Instant communication in a fast-paced society often equates to a random musing on half-baked ideas.
I think your criticism is valid, especially since Osama bin Laden used religion to murder, abuse, and advocate violence. It is unsympathetic for those of us who have not sacrificed loved ones as a result of September 11 to use Jesus’ proclamation of peace and forgiveness to silence the cries for justice that resonate from people who have. But, I also believe a troubling response is to use this moment as a celebration of a world filled with evil. Whether it is intended or not, laughing, chanting, and rioting suggests that message. If our prayer is for peace, we do not celebrate the means to achieve that peace. I take medicine when I am sick not because I enjoy the process, but because I yearn for the health to come.
Although I share similar concerns that you do, as a user of social media I acknowledge its downfalls. Anyone can have a voice. Often that uncritical voice is expressed at its worse, before their is time for reflection and self-critique. I have always wondered how historians will filter the content of recent social media. The opinions of people change quickly, but that change often goes unnoticed. It is tough to tell what people mean in 140 characters. Americans remain divided over how to balance security and liberty, justice and forgiveness, and peace and war. Still, I hope that people on both sides of the political spectrum collectively acknowledge triumphs over evil, yet also humbly recognize our own evils along the way.