Glass houses

I’m probably shooting myself in the foot by writing this on the even of Ben Laden’s death, especially with all this sentiment floating around the net including a really good fake quote about the barbarism of celebrating someone’s death. Which I shall add here for posterity sake ‎"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’’ I feel that I need to say this if I’m being true to myself and to this man hurtling to his death. This picture was the one image that brought tears to my eyes all those years ago. And for those of you who remember there were many such heart breaking images all over the media. Why does this image strike such a powerful cord? Well, its because I was imagining the desperation and the feeling of absolute helplessness that he must have felt before he took that final jump knowing there was nowhere to go but to his death. Maybe he was able to say his goodbyes, maybe he didn’t who knows. Then I think about his mum, his sister, his wife, his daughter …And all the other people in his life that loved him having to seen this image and knowing there was absolutely nothing they could do to help him, to break his fall, to come to his aid. Can you even begin to imagine what that must have felt like? I'm sure the people who’ve lost a loved one to a violent death, which they had no way of stopping, probably know the feeling. Would you fault them for celebrating the death of the perpetrator of their sorrow?I believe I am in a position to know what losing a loved one to a violent death feels like. Back in those days I know I would have celebrated if that murderer met his death. But today I’m pretty numb to everything, not because I harbor any humanitarian sentiment towards this animal but because of the futility of remaining angry. Neither celebration nor anger is going to erase 21 years of loss.I mirror these sentiments with regard to Bin Laden’s death. I don’t really care whether people celebrate or mourn the barbarism of this world we live in, the deaths that have led to this etc etc because its not going to wipe away the loss all those families felt. Nor does it do anything to diminish the horror all those victims, burning, jumping, asphyxiating to death, must have felt. What makes it doubly tragic, at least in my eyes, is that were being martyred for a political ideology they may or may not have subscribed to. They had no choice....Anyways, I’m going to stop my rant now with just one message and that's this... we live in glass houses, lets think twice before we start throwing stones. Thank you