FOR MORE THAN A DECADE, his countenance has been circulated widely in the news. A tall, gaunt fellow wearing robes whose face could have been a model for an El Greco painting: A somewhat wistful and gentle look on his long face, a flowing prophetic beard and an ambivalent eye gazing back at the world. He almost always accessorized for these images with an automatic weapon cradled lovingly in his arms.
We are still learning of the particulars and while for a long time coming never will, but there’s a global sigh today that there his living visage will appear. Well, perhaps, for those zany folks who believe there’s a conspiracy in every haystack? He is gone and good riddance. And I am not in a position to offer any judgment suggesting his soul rest in peace.
When I heard the news late last night on NPR’s coverage of our president’s speech while lying in bed and slouching toward sleep, I could only mumble, Good!
After many intelligence-gathering and high level meetings a decision was made several hours before. He’s likely in this fortress bordered by allied Pakistan friends. Let’s get him.
And so it happened and swift. A team of Navy SEALs assembled and the procedure began with nonpareil surgical precision. I’m an Army vet, but I give the “swabbies” their due: In the end, the murderer and a few of his accomplices – including one”braveheart” who forced a woman ahead of him who took the first bullet – all died. A fair fight, far more than these thugs have plotted.
Then I finally fell into sleep slipped into a gentler realm.
Early in the morning I did my patriotic duty and entered a few snarky comments on Facebook. Then let it go.
UNDERSTAND: I DO NOT CELEBRATE HIS DEATH. Just glad he’s gone. The world sleeps better with his long sleep; Yet, I cannot necessarily feel a sense of jubilation with his death. Far more, I honor those of my brothers and sisters who have died and gone into harm’s way.
I do remember those scenes from NYC and the Pentagon building; those transcripts of “let’s roll” aboard that ill-fated airliner in Pennsylvania. America was under attack.
We are a good people. America, in my heart, generally is nation of greatness. As are the other nations. We share the common DNA. And the fact we all come into the world the same way.
And so, one more face of evil is gone. There have been many; there will be more hideous faces of hate to confront. May we have the courage to met them head on before they run their ugly courses.
Any faith which preaches hatred – whether a millionaire Saudi-born zealot or a crazed Kansas freak named Phelps – is enemy to us all. And so, too, is any secular force. The world is too small for seizures and caesars.
I dream, and most hopefully desire a futurdefor my children and my grandchildren, as much as any Grandpa around the world desires three things: Peace, opportunity and tolerance.
We cannot kill Evil altogether, but we can keep it at bay. Sometimes at a long, hard price. Even if it takes tracking down a peacefull countenance holding an AK-74s. Angelic faces often are masks of death.
Let us all become instruments of peace.
But if need a bit of assistance, call in the SEALs.
We are still learning of the particulars and while for a long time coming never will, but there’s a global sigh today that there his living visage will appear. Well, perhaps, for those zany folks who believe there’s a conspiracy in every haystack? He is gone and good riddance. And I am not in a position to offer any judgment suggesting his soul rest in peace.
When I heard the news late last night on NPR’s coverage of our president’s speech while lying in bed and slouching toward sleep, I could only mumble, Good!
After many intelligence-gathering and high level meetings a decision was made several hours before. He’s likely in this fortress bordered by allied Pakistan friends. Let’s get him.
And so it happened and swift. A team of Navy SEALs assembled and the procedure began with nonpareil surgical precision. I’m an Army vet, but I give the “swabbies” their due: In the end, the murderer and a few of his accomplices – including one”braveheart” who forced a woman ahead of him who took the first bullet – all died. A fair fight, far more than these thugs have plotted.
Then I finally fell into sleep slipped into a gentler realm.
Early in the morning I did my patriotic duty and entered a few snarky comments on Facebook. Then let it go.
UNDERSTAND: I DO NOT CELEBRATE HIS DEATH. Just glad he’s gone. The world sleeps better with his long sleep; Yet, I cannot necessarily feel a sense of jubilation with his death. Far more, I honor those of my brothers and sisters who have died and gone into harm’s way.
I do remember those scenes from NYC and the Pentagon building; those transcripts of “let’s roll” aboard that ill-fated airliner in Pennsylvania. America was under attack.
We are a good people. America, in my heart, generally is nation of greatness. As are the other nations. We share the common DNA. And the fact we all come into the world the same way.
And so, one more face of evil is gone. There have been many; there will be more hideous faces of hate to confront. May we have the courage to met them head on before they run their ugly courses.
Any faith which preaches hatred – whether a millionaire Saudi-born zealot or a crazed Kansas freak named Phelps – is enemy to us all. And so, too, is any secular force. The world is too small for seizures and caesars.
I dream, and most hopefully desire a futurdefor my children and my grandchildren, as much as any Grandpa around the world desires three things: Peace, opportunity and tolerance.
We cannot kill Evil altogether, but we can keep it at bay. Sometimes at a long, hard price. Even if it takes tracking down a peacefull countenance holding an AK-74s. Angelic faces often are masks of death.
Let us all become instruments of peace.
But if need a bit of assistance, call in the SEALs.
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