People are celebrating in the streets. I don't feel that way. If I feel anything, it's more a sense of relief that a person who has that little respect for human life is no longer present in the world that my daughter will grow up in. Quiet satisfaction, maybe, that justice has been done. And it isn't that I don't remember that day in September as clearly as anyone else, sitting there in high school English class, glued to the TV screen with everyone else in silent horror. But I think that actually celebrating anyone's death is wrong and makes all of us less as a society, not more.
I don't want my daughter to learn that any human life is worth less than another. I don't want her to ever believe that it's okay to par-tay because someone else is dead. I don't think it makes our country any greater just because we managed to find and kill some dirtbag mass-murderer. But all the same...
I might not be celebrating, but I'm glad that he's gone. After I heard the news, I went into Caroline's room and leaned over her crib and put my hand on her head and looked at her while she was sleeping, and I felt relieved. I won't rejoice in violence or anyone's death, no matter who they were or what they did. I just won't. But if she sleeps safer tonight, then I won't say I'm sorry for it either.
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8 comments:
I couldn't agree more. Although I too am glad that he is gone, I feel the exact same way about it and didn't understand all the celebration of someone essentially being murdered. "An eye for an eye will only make the world blind"
I found your blog not too long ago, but this is my first time commenting. You stated how I feel perfectly. I felt sick watching people dancing and singing in the streets after the news. Seemed so very wrong. And I too had to go in to my sons news, I had to give him a little squeeze, and I do feel relieved that hopefully he will be growing up in a safer world than the world I brought him into 3 and a half years ago.
Agreed.
To quote pretty much everyone on my Facebook, since I went to an awesome hippie liberal arts college:
"I mourn the loss of thousands of precious lives, but I will not rejoice in the death of one, not even an enemy. Returning hate for hate multiplies hate, adding deeper darkness to a night already devoid of stars. Darkness cannot drive out darkness: only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate: only love can do that."
-Martin Luther King, Jr
I believe you and I are a lot alike... I do not have a child, but that's exactly how I feel. And ironically, I, too, have that MLK quote on my Facebook page right now! :) As always, thank you for sharing your thoughts.
"I've never wished a man dead. But I have read some obituaries with great pleasure." - Mark Twain.
I think all the "celebrations" are horribly distasteful. I don't find it necessary to cheer that someone was shot to death, and it's been challenging to explain it to my 6-year-old.
Apparently, my MLK quote is fake. Rats. I still like it.
Julia,
I feel the same way. My only happiness with this is a sense of relief and one less monster to worry about in the world.
:)
well said. i agree with you. i also have that quote on fb. it's fake? it's an awesome quote regardless.
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