I’m not happy that Osama Bin Laden is dead. I don’t trust the media or the politicians one bit but if it was him that masterminded the September 11 attacks I think that was a terrible thing to do. I also get the impression that Osama was a horrendously violent, ungracious, arrogant and unkind man and he and I probably wouldn’t have got along very well at all but does that give me the right to celebrate his death? I do have to remember that I am not perfect either and that the side on which my country is fighting has far more blood on their hands than Osama Bin Laden.

Murder (which is what I believe it was) is sad no matter how bad we think the person is. Quakers believe that there is “that of God in all people” and I don’t think Osama Bin Laden is any different. I have been deeply saddened by the shows of enthusiasm and glee displayed by leaders and people around the world. I would think that even if people did believe that Osama was better off dead that there would be some regret that it had to come to this. I would have thought at least one person would take the time to remember all the people that have also died in the search for Osama Bin Laden and asked the question if the “collateral damage” is acceptable.

And the discussion about if we can trust Pakistan or not. Are we serious? Has anyone stopped to ask the question can Pakistan trust us? Are we really so arrogant to believe that the lives of those in the West are so much more valuable than the lives of those in the middle east? Why do we believe that it is okay when we kill people but not when they do? We have to remember today that the people who have really suffered are not Americans or Australians or Europeans but the people of Afghanistan, Iraq and Pakistan.