Let me apologize right away for giving U.S. Rep. Dennis
Kucinich, D-Ohio, more play than he probably deserves on a blog
that’s mostly local to Kitsap County. This is a question, though,
that speaks more to a broader question about the celebrations
following the death of Osama bin Laden.
When Kucinich was first scheduled to speak on Bainbridge, I
mistakenly thought the event was Sunday night. Fortunately we
discovered the error on time. During the speech Kucinich was
critical of Obama and NATO for the strike on Muammar Gaddafi’s
home, which killed his son and three grandchildren. Kucinich had
earlier issued a statement about the strike.
“NATO’s leaders have blood on their hands. NATO’s airstrike
seems to have been intended to carry out an illegal policy of
assassination. This is a deep stain which can never fully wash.
This grave matter cannot be addressed with empty words. Words will
not bring back dead children. Actions must be taken to stop more
innocents from getting slaughtered.
“Today’s attack underscores that the Obama Doctrine of
so-called humanitarian intervention appears to be a cover for
regime change through assassination and murder,” said
Kucinich.
Had the Bainbridge even actually been on Sunday, I’m sure the
first item of discussion would have been bin Laden’s death. I
wonder how Kucinich and the audience would have responded to that
news given an opportunity to be in the same place at the same time
when the news broke.
I heard quite a few conversations following Sunday’s news in
which people thought the celebrations were somewhat creepy. Some of
the celebrators appeared more influenced by the presence of
television cameras, but not all of them.
In 2001 I didn’t think all of the flag waving was the blood lust
for revenge some deemed it to be.
Last Sunday night I didn’t read whatever celebration there was
as that either. In both cases I’m sure that sentiment was present,
but I don’t necessarily believe revenge it was the dominant
motivator for most people in the world.
If you believe the world one moment is better than it was the
moment before, what is an appropriate response? Maybe whooping it
up out on the street is not a bad answer.
What do you think?
