To Celebrate or to Mourn
This is an old blog that I wrote back on May 8, 2011. The context is dated, but its meaning and challenge is equally relevant today, if you consider our country’s current condition of divisiveness.
On Monday morning, I turned on the radio to see what was happening in the world and instantly heard the news; Osama Bin Laden was dead. When I first heard the report I had no strong feelings, but simply received the news as fact. It seemed beyond belief that a man has been able to elude the most powerful nation in the world for over a decade. I guess my first thought was, “Well, that puzzle is solved.” It was a curious bit of news, but no more than that. I found myself with mixed emotions, but no strong sense of anything profound.
Then I began to hear the coverage…the endless news coverage on the story. The coverage of the celebrations, the analysis of his compound, the details of the secret mission, the possible impact on future safety,…. But what began to strike me most profoundly was the spirit of celebration that had overtaken all aspects of this story. Over the course of the day, I heard many news reports from many angles, but one was conspicuously missing.
As the week went on, I waited to hear the voice of opposition, any perspective of critique, but that voice was never aired. It was as if we had become united as a nation for the celebration of this event. But, as the week went on, I began to feel less celebratory and more concerned. For, as we have come together in celebration, have we in actuality convened a celebration of our hatred and prejudice? I fear for a nation whose rallying cry is punishment, judgment, retribution and death, when we can not even agree upon caring for the health of our own people. I fear for a nation whose mutual hate is our rallying cry. I fear for a nation whose hands can collectively slam down the gavel and readily issue a death sentence before the evidence has even been unequivocally considered.
Is this a time for celebration…? Celebration over the death of another never seems like the correct response. Is this a time for mourning..? I do hurt for those who have lost, both for “us” and for “them”. For that reason, I find it so very hard to celebrate.
I am a public school teacher in a suburban high school. I see a lot of pain. I see a lot of lost souls and confused identities. I see a lot of misdirected emotions. I see a lot of hurt and fear that is disguised as anger. I see a lot of pain that manifests itself as bullying. I see most students daily don their masks just to fit in. I see people struggling to find their place in this world. I watch people struggling to find their identity. I watch smart kids pretend to be ignorant and struggling kids pretend to be cool. I am asked to face this all with grace and love. I am asked to look deep down inside each soul and find that spark that motivates each child. I am asked to view each child as an individual, as a human, as the most important life on this planet at this moment and at this time. I am asked to work and continue to work until I find that which connects with this child, because no child is a number, no human life is worth less than another, no one can be allowed to slip through the cracks. I am never asked to give up on anyone.
But it seems to me that we have given up. I am not saying that this was an unnecessary action. What I am saying is that our response to this action concerns me greatly. That we, as a “Christian Nation” have taken the low road rather than the high road. We have been so quick to serve as police, judge, jury and executioner…to draw blood and to smile, rather than to mourn. Where are the voices to the contrary? Where is the sympathetic heart? Where is the doubt? Where is the value of life over death? Where is the solemnity over celebration? Where is the pain in the action? We have become a mob, driven by our ignorance and our hatred.
“Like an unchecked cancer, hate corrodes the personality and eats away its vital unity. Hate destroys a man's sense of values and his objectivity. It causes him to describe the beautiful as ugly and the ugly as beautiful, and to confuse the true with the false and the false with the true. Power at its best is love implementing the demands of justice. Justice at its best is love correcting everything that stands against love.” (Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.)
We celebrate this victory as retribution for the 1,500 lives lost on September 11. Each individual loss pains me to the point where it is difficult to write this in such a flippant manner. Each lost soul represents the extended pain of so, so very many. Each number was a friend, a lover, a mother, a father, a brother, a sister, a son, a daughter,… But, when does that justification end. At last count, since the beginning of the war in Iraq, as many as 100,000+ Iraqi civilians have been killed , with an increasing number of civilian casualties being added in Afghanistan. When did “our” lives become 100 times more valuable than “their” lives. When did we become so self-absorbed to believe that we can, with immunity, destroy 100 innocent lives for every one of ours and still audaciously celebrate? When do we cease to be the hero and become the villain? When the civilian death becomes 500/1, 1,000/1? Each of “those” innocent lives also represents the extended pain of so, so very many. . Each number was a friend, a lover, a mother, a father, a brother, a sister, a son, a daughter,…
I am glad this man’s reign of destruction is over, but one more death is not reason to celebrate. I can take no pleasure in the death of another person, even the death of an evil terrorist. I fear that, in our celebrations, we have ourselves become more like the terrorist.
Over the past few days, I have pondered this question… If I found myself in the presence of a bound Osama Bin Laden and, on the floor in front of him, lay a loaded 9mm Glock and a basin of warm water, would I place the gun to his head or the basin to his feet..?
"Here's another old saying that deserves a second look: 'Eye for eye, tooth for tooth.' Is that going to get us anywhere? Here's what I propose: 'Don't hit back at all.' If someone strikes you, stand there and take it. If someone drags you into court and sues for the shirt off your back, giftwrap your best coat and make a present of it. And if someone takes unfair advantage of you, use the occasion to practice the servant life. No more tit-for-tat stuff. Live generously. (Matthew 5:38-42)
"You're familiar with the old written law, 'Love your friend,' and its unwritten companion, 'Hate your enemy.' I'm challenging that. I'm telling you to love your enemies. Let them bring out the best in you, not the worst. When someone gives you a hard time, respond with the energies of prayer, for then you are working out of your true selves, your God-created selves. This is what God does. He gives his best—the sun to warm and the rain to nourish—to everyone, regardless: the good and bad, the nice and nasty. If all you do is love the lovable, do you expect a bonus? Anybody can do that. If you simply say hello to those who greet you, do you expect a medal? Any run-of-the-mill person does that. (Matthew 5:43-47)
"In a word, what I'm saying is, Grow up. You're kingdom subjects. Now live like it. Live out your God-created identity. Live generously and graciously toward others, the way God lives toward you." (Jesus)
On Monday morning, I turned on the radio to see what was happening in the world and instantly heard the news; Osama Bin Laden was dead. When I first heard the report I had no strong feelings, but simply received the news as fact. It seemed beyond belief that a man has been able to elude the most powerful nation in the world for over a decade. I guess my first thought was, “Well, that puzzle is solved.” It was a curious bit of news, but no more than that. I found myself with mixed emotions, but no strong sense of anything profound.
Then I began to hear the coverage…the endless news coverage on the story. The coverage of the celebrations, the analysis of his compound, the details of the secret mission, the possible impact on future safety,…. But what began to strike me most profoundly was the spirit of celebration that had overtaken all aspects of this story. Over the course of the day, I heard many news reports from many angles, but one was conspicuously missing.
As the week went on, I waited to hear the voice of opposition, any perspective of critique, but that voice was never aired. It was as if we had become united as a nation for the celebration of this event. But, as the week went on, I began to feel less celebratory and more concerned. For, as we have come together in celebration, have we in actuality convened a celebration of our hatred and prejudice? I fear for a nation whose rallying cry is punishment, judgment, retribution and death, when we can not even agree upon caring for the health of our own people. I fear for a nation whose mutual hate is our rallying cry. I fear for a nation whose hands can collectively slam down the gavel and readily issue a death sentence before the evidence has even been unequivocally considered.
Is this a time for celebration…? Celebration over the death of another never seems like the correct response. Is this a time for mourning..? I do hurt for those who have lost, both for “us” and for “them”. For that reason, I find it so very hard to celebrate.
I am a public school teacher in a suburban high school. I see a lot of pain. I see a lot of lost souls and confused identities. I see a lot of misdirected emotions. I see a lot of hurt and fear that is disguised as anger. I see a lot of pain that manifests itself as bullying. I see most students daily don their masks just to fit in. I see people struggling to find their place in this world. I watch people struggling to find their identity. I watch smart kids pretend to be ignorant and struggling kids pretend to be cool. I am asked to face this all with grace and love. I am asked to look deep down inside each soul and find that spark that motivates each child. I am asked to view each child as an individual, as a human, as the most important life on this planet at this moment and at this time. I am asked to work and continue to work until I find that which connects with this child, because no child is a number, no human life is worth less than another, no one can be allowed to slip through the cracks. I am never asked to give up on anyone.
But it seems to me that we have given up. I am not saying that this was an unnecessary action. What I am saying is that our response to this action concerns me greatly. That we, as a “Christian Nation” have taken the low road rather than the high road. We have been so quick to serve as police, judge, jury and executioner…to draw blood and to smile, rather than to mourn. Where are the voices to the contrary? Where is the sympathetic heart? Where is the doubt? Where is the value of life over death? Where is the solemnity over celebration? Where is the pain in the action? We have become a mob, driven by our ignorance and our hatred.
“Like an unchecked cancer, hate corrodes the personality and eats away its vital unity. Hate destroys a man's sense of values and his objectivity. It causes him to describe the beautiful as ugly and the ugly as beautiful, and to confuse the true with the false and the false with the true. Power at its best is love implementing the demands of justice. Justice at its best is love correcting everything that stands against love.” (Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.)
We celebrate this victory as retribution for the 1,500 lives lost on September 11. Each individual loss pains me to the point where it is difficult to write this in such a flippant manner. Each lost soul represents the extended pain of so, so very many. Each number was a friend, a lover, a mother, a father, a brother, a sister, a son, a daughter,… But, when does that justification end. At last count, since the beginning of the war in Iraq, as many as 100,000+ Iraqi civilians have been killed , with an increasing number of civilian casualties being added in Afghanistan. When did “our” lives become 100 times more valuable than “their” lives. When did we become so self-absorbed to believe that we can, with immunity, destroy 100 innocent lives for every one of ours and still audaciously celebrate? When do we cease to be the hero and become the villain? When the civilian death becomes 500/1, 1,000/1? Each of “those” innocent lives also represents the extended pain of so, so very many. . Each number was a friend, a lover, a mother, a father, a brother, a sister, a son, a daughter,…
I am glad this man’s reign of destruction is over, but one more death is not reason to celebrate. I can take no pleasure in the death of another person, even the death of an evil terrorist. I fear that, in our celebrations, we have ourselves become more like the terrorist.
Over the past few days, I have pondered this question… If I found myself in the presence of a bound Osama Bin Laden and, on the floor in front of him, lay a loaded 9mm Glock and a basin of warm water, would I place the gun to his head or the basin to his feet..?
"Here's another old saying that deserves a second look: 'Eye for eye, tooth for tooth.' Is that going to get us anywhere? Here's what I propose: 'Don't hit back at all.' If someone strikes you, stand there and take it. If someone drags you into court and sues for the shirt off your back, giftwrap your best coat and make a present of it. And if someone takes unfair advantage of you, use the occasion to practice the servant life. No more tit-for-tat stuff. Live generously. (Matthew 5:38-42)
"You're familiar with the old written law, 'Love your friend,' and its unwritten companion, 'Hate your enemy.' I'm challenging that. I'm telling you to love your enemies. Let them bring out the best in you, not the worst. When someone gives you a hard time, respond with the energies of prayer, for then you are working out of your true selves, your God-created selves. This is what God does. He gives his best—the sun to warm and the rain to nourish—to everyone, regardless: the good and bad, the nice and nasty. If all you do is love the lovable, do you expect a bonus? Anybody can do that. If you simply say hello to those who greet you, do you expect a medal? Any run-of-the-mill person does that. (Matthew 5:43-47)
"In a word, what I'm saying is, Grow up. You're kingdom subjects. Now live like it. Live out your God-created identity. Live generously and graciously toward others, the way God lives toward you." (Jesus)
Comments
Post a Comment