If you haven’t noticed, America is cheering because it was announced last night that Osama Bin Laden was killed. Some people feel this is justice. Some people feel that we won the war. Some people, like myself, feel nothing has changed. Do you feel safer today than you did the last week? I’m not a person that lives in fear of a terrorist attack, but I also don’t think most Americans feel it is going to hit their hometowns.

But we killed Bin Laden that means we won right?????

He took credit for 9/11, and for all intents and purposes, he did those actions. He also would have taken credit for the attacks if he hadn’t done it. It was all about pushing the message and being the one who attacked America. I don’t really believe it was an inside job, but I have my doubts about all the facts involved. For those that believe blindly in the answers that have been given – I hope your moral certainty gives you peace of mind. The sad thing since taking credit for the attacks Bin Laden has become more of a figurehead than anything else. People love figureheads. The world was fascinated Friday by the marriage of two figureheads. Two people who have no power, just the appearance of it.

Since 9/11 Bin Laden’s organization became even more underground. Cells became self-sufficient and were taught just to cause harm. They were no longer centrally controlled. Instead of a single organization, it became dozens, if not hundreds. They have multiplied like rats and we don’t know where they are. We don’t know who the leaders are of all these organizations. We did manage to take out the figurehead who went on to design an organization that would last without him. He couldn’t give any further direct orders to these cells. He was for all intents and purposes a powerless figurehead.

But we killed Bin Laden that means we won right?????

Because of his actions, America entered 2 major wars. America has lost thousands of lives. America has entered into an era of crushing debt for both the country and its citizens. We have lost basic freedoms. We have given up our civil liberties in the name of freedom. None of this has really made us more secure. Almost all the attacks on airplanes we have heard of since 9/11 were stopped by the passengers. They were not stopped by homeland security or the TSA. As I’ve been told by everyone who loves guns – America can defend itself. Instead of defending itself, we’ve become a nanny state. It goes down from the youngest baby to the oldest senior citizen. Look what happened – you can’t defend yourself – let us defend you. You only need us to do warrantless wiretaps, groping of your person, and block freedom of speech. We are so much safer and more America proud now.

But we killed Bin Laden that means we won right?????

We will guess that the 9/11 operation cost under 1 million dollars. The blow to American pride was huge. How dare someone attack us on our soil. How dare he say that we are soft. How dare he say that we invade other countries and never leave? We are spreading freedom and it’s our god given right to spread it everywhere, even when we are not wanted. Those are all the things Bin Laden did say about us. If we are so strong why has the government taken away many of our freedoms? If we never leave other countries how did he lie? If we overthrow existing governments how was he wrong?

The problem was not with his message and how he felt – but with how he showed the world. It was a tragedy that I will remember when I heard about it. I remember the fear it caused inside of me. There is absolutely no way to justify his actions. He was a madman who did the wrong things and paid the ultimate price for it. The sad part is, even though he lost the majority of power as his organization morphed into something new. He became a symbol for Americans to hate. In death, he is going to become a martyr for his cause. In some ways, I think it would be better if America never found Bin Laden. If he would have eventually drifted away until memory as someone who didn’t exist. All the people who may have believed in him, now have a martyr whose existence has been validated. That scares the hell out of me even more than a boogeyman that might not even have truly existed.

But we killed Bin Laden that means we won right?????

Once again:

• We have lost civil liberties
• Our way of life has forever changed
• We have been in two wars for almost 10 years
• We are trillions of dollars in debt
• His organization is even harder to destroy
• He has become a martyr

Some of you feel safer now, thinking the boogeyman has been destroyed. I fear the legacy that he has left. I fear the real damage that will be caused by the groups spawned from his will be devastating and coming soon. I fear that things will get completely out of control now. I fear the intangible damage that he has caused this country that we will never recover from. I live in fear of the world my son will inherit since my world is much different from the world of my father. Bin Laden , however, I haven’t feared in a long time. I fear him now more than I feared him on 9/11.

Whatever you think of his message, we all agree that 9/11 was a horrendous event that never should have occurred. Whether he did 9/11 or not – it gave him a platform that allowed the world to listen to him and take him seriously. He caused the American way of life to change dramatically, even changing our course for the future from something different from what it would have been. For that, I weep for America. I understand your celebration and your feeling about a minor victory. Your lives however have not changed from where they were the last week. Please put this into perspective to the big picture and not your own overgrown pride.

But we killed Bin Laden that means we won right?????

Yes, no, maybe – I don’t know.