Son of Pain ~ A Boy's Innocent Reflection on the Celebration of Osama bin Laden's Death

I was born on September 11, 2001.  My grandfather says it was a Tuesday.  I live with my grandparents now.  They tell me that I came out of my mommy’s tummy early.  My dad worked at a place called The World Trade Center in New York City – when he was at work that day some men flew planes into the building.  There was fire and a lot of smoke before it dropped to the ground.  My daddy died that day.  When my mom heard about it, she got very nervous, and her tummy started to hurt a lot.  I was supposed to come out on November 4 – her birthday – but she had to go to the hospital early, and I came.  I was born the day my daddy died.

My mommy became a soldier.  She told me that she loves me a lot and she had to go protect people who could not protect themselves.  My mommy told me that freedom was not free, and that was why she carried a gun.  She told me to always be kind even if someone was mean.  That was when I went to live with grandma and grandpa.  Grandma makes nice cakes.  She says that sometimes when you are baking a cake, you may have to break eggs or you may spill flour but to think about finishing the cake.  I’m not sure what that means.

One day, when I was playing in the yard, a black car stopped in front of our house.  Two men in fancy army uniforms came out of the car and looked at me.  One of them smiled at me – but it looked like the smile was hurting his face – the other man looked away quickly.  They walked up to the door just as my grandfather opened the front door.  The two soldiers (one of them had a cross on his funny looking army hat) talked to pop-pop and I saw him lean against the door-frame.  When they were walking back to their car, one of them touched my head.  Pop-pop told me to come inside.  I went into the house and saw mama crying.  My grandfather put me to sit on his knee.  He asked me if I remembered when my fish died.  I told him yes.  He was quiet as grandma sobbed in her chair.  I was confused.  He kissed my forehead and held my face.  When I looked into his eyes, I was a little scared.  “You mom isn’t coming home,” he said.  My mother had died.  Some bad men had used a bomb to blow up her truck.  That day, I learned the word orphan.

My mom died in January.  In February – that’s the month after January – we learned about Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.  It was Black History Month.  People did a lot of bad things to black people, but still Dr. King was not mean.  Sometimes they would spray water of them with big hoses or set dogs on them.  They started fires on their front lawns; they burned their churches and houses; they put ropes around their necks until they were dead.  Even after all this, some of the black people were still not mean.  We had to do a play in school, we all played different people.  I played Dr. King and said, “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.”  I’m not sure what that means.

Yesterday, I think I did a bad thing.  I should have been in bed, but I was sitting at the top of the stairs watching TV.  They stopped the show pop-pop was watching and I saw him sit forward and call mamma.  I remember what was written of the screen.  “Osama bin Laden killed!”  I remember the name because one time when we were watching TV we saw his picture and my grandfather told me that he – Osama bin Laden – was the reason I was an orphan.  I was very angry and very sad.  When I heard that my mommy’s friends had killed him, I was sad for him.  Even though I wondered if he had children or a family, many people were dancing in the streets.  It looked like everyone was having a party because a man was dead.  I know he killed a lot of people, but it seemed wrong.

Then I felt guilty.  Now I am just confused.  I think I have a good memory, I remember what I learned:

“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.”  

It doesn’t matter anyway.  I know he did bad things, but I choose not to be like him – I choose not to do bad things.  I choose not to hate.

~ ~ Full text and audio of President Barack Obama announcement : Osama bin Laden is dead.

United States President, Barack Obama:

Good evening. Tonight I can report to the American people and to the world that the United States has conducted an operation that killed Osama bin Laden, the leader of al Qaeda, and a terrorist who is responsible for the murder of thousands of innocent men, women and children.

It was nearly 10 years ago that a bright September day was darkened by the worst attack on the American people in our history. The images of 9/11 are seared into our national memory. Hijacked planes cutting through a cloudless September sky, the Twin Towers collapsing to the ground, black smoke billowing up from the Pentagon, the wreckage of Flight 93 in Shanksville,Pennsylvania, where the actions of heroic citizens saved even more heartbreak and destruction.

And yet, we know that the worst images are those that were unseen to the world, the empty seat at the dinner table, children who were forced to grow up without their mother or their father, parents who would never know the feeling of their child's embrace. Nearly 3,000 citizens taken from us, leaving a gaping hole in our hearts.

On September 11th, 2001 in our time of grief, the American people came together. We offered our neighbors a hand, and we offered the wounded our blood. We reaffirmed our ties to each other, and our love of community and country. On that day, no matter where we came from, what god we prayed to, or what race or ethnicity we were, we were united as one American family. We were also united in our resolve to protect our nation and to bring those who committed this vicious attack to justice. We quickly learned that the 9/11 attacks were carried out by al Qaeda, an organization headed by Osama bin Laden, which had openly declared war on the United States and was committed to killing innocence in our country and around the globe.  And so we went to war against al Qaeda, to protect our citizens, our friends and our allies.

Over the last 10 years, thanks to the tireless and heroic work of our military and our counterterrorism professionals, we've made great strides in that effort. We've disrupted terrorist attacks and strengthened our homeland defense. In Afghanistan, we removed the Taliban government which had given bin Laden and al Qaeda safe haven and support. And around the globe, we've worked with our friends and allies to capture or kill scores of al Qaeda terrorists, including several who were a part of the 9/11 plot.

Yet, Osama bin Laden avoided capture and escaped across the Afghan border into Pakistan. Meanwhile, al Qaeda continued to operate from along that border and operate through its affiliates across the world. And so shortly after taking office, I directed Leon Panetta, the director of the CIA, to make the killing or capture of bin Laden the top priority of our war against al Qaeda, even as we continued our broader efforts to disrupt, dismantle and defeat his network.

Then last August, after years of painstaking work by our intelligence community, I was briefed on a possible lead to bin Laden. It was far from certain, and it took many months to run this thread to ground. I met repeatedly with my national security team as we developed more information about the possibility that we had located bin Laden hiding within a compound deep inside Pakistan. And finally last week, I determined that we had enough intelligence to take action, and authorized an operation to get Osama bin Laden and bring him to justice.

Today, at my direction, the United States launched a targeted operation against that compound in Abbottabad, Pakistan. A small team of Americans carried out the operation with extraordinary courage and capability. No Americans were harmed. They took care to avoid civilian casualties. After a firefight, they killed Osama bin Laden and took custody of his body.

For over two decades, bin Laden has been al Qaeda's leader and symbol and has continued to plot attacks against our country and our friends and allies. The death of bin Laden marks the most significant achievement to date in our nation's effort to defeat al Qaeda. Yet his death does not mark the end of our effort. There's no doubt that al Qaeda will continue to pursue attacks against us. We must and we will remain vigilant at home and abroad. As we do, we must also reaffirm that the United States is not and never will be at war with Islam. I've made clear, just as President Bush did shortly after 9/11, that our war is not against Islam, because bin Laden was not a Muslim leader. He was a mass murderer of Muslims. Indeed, al Qaeda has slaughtered scores of Muslims in many countries, including our own. So his demise should be welcomed by all who believe in peace and human dignity.

Over the years, I have repeatedly made clear that we would take action within Pakistan if we knew where bin Laden was.  That is what we've done. But it's important to note that our counterterrorism cooperation with Pakistan helped lead us to bin Laden and the compound where he was hiding. Indeed, bin Laden had declared war against Pakistan as well and ordered attacks against the Pakistani people.  Tonight, I called President Zardari, and my team has also spoken with their Pakistani counterparts.  They agree that this is a good and historic day for both of our nations. And going forward, it is essential that Pakistan continue to join us in the fight against al Qaeda and its affiliates.

The American people did not choose this fight. It came to our shores and started with the senseless slaughter of our citizens.  After nearly 10 years of service, struggle and sacrifice, we know well the costs of war.  These efforts weigh on me every time I, as commander-in-chief, have to sign a letter to a family that has lost a loved one, or look into the eyes of a service member who's been gravely wounded.  So Americans understand the costs of war. Yet, as a country, we will never tolerate our security being threatened, nor stand idly by when our people have been killed. We will be relentless in defence of our citizens and our friends and allies. We will be true to the values that make us who we are.  And on nights like this one, we can say to those families who have lost loved ones to al Qaeda's terror: Justice has been done.

Tonight we give thanks to the countless intelligence and counterterrorism professionals who have worked tirelessly to achieve this outcome. The American people do not see their work or know their names, but tonight they feel the satisfaction of their work and the result of their pursuit of justice.  We give thanks for the men who carried out this operation, for they exemplify the professionalism, patriotism and unparalleled courage of those who serve our country. And they're a part of the generation that has borne the heaviest share of the burden since that September day.

Finally, let me say to the families who lost loved ones on 9/11 that we have never forgotten your loss, nor wavered in our commitment to see that we do whatever it takes to prevent another attack on our shores.

And tonight, let us think back to the sense of unity that prevailed on 9/11. I know that it has, at times, frayed. Yet today's achievement is a testament to the greatness of our country and the determination of the American people. The cause of securing our country is not complete, but tonight we are once again reminded that America can do whatever we set our mind to. That is the story of our history, whether it's the pursuit of prosperity for our people, or the struggle for equality for all our citizens, our commitment to stand up for our values abroad, and our sacrifices to make the world a safer place.

Let us remember that we can do these things, not just because of wealth or power, but because of who we are: One nation, under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.

Thank you.  May God bless you, and may God bless the United States of America.