News this morning across the wires of the death of Osama Bin Laden. Frankly, we all knew it was just a matter of time. Men bent on revenge will find a way to extract it. I ask myself the following question: Is the world a better place without him or not? Will the concept of extremism die with him or not? While this act represents the clarity of the power of the US, does it represent strength?
In the world in which we live, justifications abound. Bin Laden masterminded “9-11”, so in many minds, he is a fair target. I can understand that. In his world “an eye for an eye” is the guiding light. Yet, I wonder if that is what we become when we play in his world? Is not all life sacred? At what point do we justify killing? How about those grandchildren of Gadhafi’s that were killed in the attempt on his life? Some say its his fault for putting his family in the line of fire? Seriously? You want to tell that to the mother of those children?
We all represent something. We all want to believe we are ethical and moral. Yet who are we to be judge and jury over the lives of innocent people? Please note that I do not include Bin Laden nor Gadhafi in that list, yet what about the scores of people around them who have died in our search for “justice”? Are they simply “collateral” that are part of the cost of extracting our “justice”?
We can kill messengers all we want, yet we cannot kill an idea, a message, unless we counter that message with a better message. The only message that the killings of the past week give is that the arm of US law extends far beyond its border. Do we really think that this will ring true with extremists who don’t value their own lives more than to become murderers of others?
I must admit that I was pleased to hear of Bin Laden’s death today. It will bring some sense of closure to the thousands of families directly affected by his evil acts. Yet even he was a father or grandfather, and those next generations will hopefully learn lessons through this act that otherwise may not be learned. Perhaps we spared just one child of his from thinking that its a glorified place to lead “jihad” against innocent people. And therein lies the possible redemption for this act. Those he killed did not deserve to die. Whether he deserved to or not, is a subjective matter for us all to decide within ourselves. It is a fine line when we choose to kill.
Sass
PS. Many of you have commented favourably on a symbol which I posted on the sunlogics facebook (now taken down for “maintenance”), which I include below. I thank you for your positive responses. To me, this is a symbol of peace, connectedness, nature, energy. To others, it could be a symbol of “war”. And therein lies the challenge for us all…in some symbols we see beauty, while others see the opposite…
2 Comments
Was the sunlogics facebook page taken down for maintenance or is the real reason that you stole the name sunlogics from someone else. Like everything else about the company you represent, it seems shady.
Roger,
I would ask that you reconsider your general broad stroke swipe at myself and “everything else” about sunlogics. I did not create the name. I realize that there are more than one other companies in renewables and other industries with the name “sunlogics”. We can openly and professionally debate the strength of the brand as it is, yet I don’t believe we can do that if your characterizations remain as they are in your post.