Too bad bin Laden’s death didn’t happen 4,000 days ago

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Updated: August 4, 2011 4:20PM

Too bad it didn’t happen about 4,000 days ago.

Osama bin Laden is dead.

When the chatter started up Sunday night on Twitter and Facebook and other social media, when we first heard from reliable news sources that the president of the United States was going to address the nation on a matter of international importance, it was natural that speculation would turn to Libya. Was Gadhafi gone?

But long before President Obama delivered the news to the American people, it was confirmed by multiple reliable sources, from CNN to the New York Times to ABC News: bin Laden was killed, taken out by “a U.S. asset” (CNN’s words) in Afghanistan. Sources told CNN bin Laden was killed by the U.S. in a mansion outside Islamabad.

“I don’t care how he died, bullet or bomb or missile!’ crowed Geraldo Rivera on Fox News Channel. Can’t say I disagree with Geraldo on that one. Good riddance is good riddance.

By the time the news was confirmed in the United States, dawn was breaking in the Middle East. Just as surely as Americans and other sane-minded people around the world were expressing relief at the news bin Laden was killed in Afghanistan, there were others who would react to this as a great affront, a huge loss, the death of a hero.

Nonsense. No matter what your religion, no matter what type of filter one uses to view the world, Osama bin Laden was a terrorist, a murderer, a demon in human form. A man whose so-called faith was so twisted he believed that orchestrating the slaughter of thousands of innocent American men, women and children was a justifiable act.

As the news spread, crowds at Sunday night baseball games reportedly started chanting “USA, USA, USA!” Tourists and locals gathered outside the White House and broke into spontaneous sing-alongs of “The Star-Spangled Banner.” I heard from two friends in different Chicago neighborhoods who reported firecrackers going off.

Some said we should be better than that —but there’s a huge difference between Americans celebrating the death of a terrorist and anti-American factions cheering on 9/11. As David Gergen noted on CNN, not since Hitler has there been such a hated figure.

If you were getting ready for the week ahead and the TV was off, if you were watching HBO or surfing non-news on the Internet, no doubt your cell phone started lighting up with text messages urging you to turn on the TV or to go to a news site. By the time the president addressed the nation and the world, who wasn’t tuned in?

“The images of 9/11 are seared into our national memory,” said Obama. “In our time of grief, the American people came together…on that day, no matter where we came from, what God we prayed to…we were united as one American family…

“For over two decades, bin Laden has…continued to plot attacks against our country and our allies…his death does not mark the end of our effort…we must and we will remain vigilant at home and abroad…

“...bin Laden was not a Muslim leader. He was a mass murderer of Muslims…His demise should be welcomed by all who believe in peace and human dignity.”

Amen.

Wherever you are today, a humble request. Take a moment to say a prayer or hold a thankful thought for every American who has ever served or is serving our country. If you can make a donation to a veterans’ hospital or you can contribute to organizations that provide support to service personnel and their families, what better time?

God bless them, and God bless the souls of all who were lost on 9/11.