Thoughts on the death of Osama bin Laden

I've never wished a man dead, but I have read some obituaries with great pleasure - Mark Twain

There has been a lot of discussion regarding the reaction people are having to the killing of Osama bin Laden.  Is it appropriate to celebrate the death of another human being, even if that guy is a terrorist kingpin?  I don’t know and I’m not going to dictate how others celebrate this day.   Personally, I'm pleased that he's dead.  And I'm happy with the way it happened.  Justice has been served and our SEALs have proven once again that they are the best in the world.  As for dancing in the streets, I'm really not that kind of guy.  But, if I lived near Ground Zero or 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, who knows?  The thing to remember is that they are celebrating more than the death of a mass murderer who received his just desserts.  They are celebrating the end of an era, loved ones who have been avenged and a moral (if not a tactical) victory in the War on Terror.  Contrast this to the idiots who danced in the streets on 9/11.  They were celebrating the deaths of unsuspecting, innocent, unarmed civilians and, more importantly, an attack on a culture of freedom that they despise and are bent on destroying.

Some ask if the images of people joyful over the death of bin Laden will push the terrorists to action or cause more youth to sign up for the terrorist cause.  To this I simply ask:  Would our candlelight vigils and sober reflection on the death of bin Laden stop these things from happening?  They hate us.  They want to kill us.  Nothing we do or do not do will change any if that.

Will this end the war?  No.  It will make no more difference than did the death of Saddam Hussein.  The people we are fighting do not follow bin Laden, they simply believe the same.  They are racist, intolerant fanatics who kill their own children if they do not do as they are told.  This will make no difference to them.  There is still much to be done.  This war is not like World War II where we were fighting a single evil entity wearing a uniform.  When Hitler was killed (I know, the coward did himself.) the leadership of the Reich was finished.  In this case there are leaders and cells all over the world.  We will never get them all.  But, we must fight.  Appeasing Hitler brought misery, slavery and the Holocaust, not peace.  It was the efforts and sacrifices of the Allied soldiers that brought an end to that war.  Nothing has changed.

Some people are saying that President Obama is taking too much credit for this.  Whether or not you're a fan of the President, this happened on his watch.  He gave the order and he deserves the acclaim.  That's how it works.  When the Bay of Pigs turned in to a disaster, JFK took the heat.  When the rescue attempt in Iran failed, Carter took the blame.  When Desert Storm was a huge success, George H.W. Bush took the praise.  It was fine with me then and it's fine with me now.

Reports are that his body was identified through several methods and quickly buried at sea in accordance with Muslim law.  This is one of the main differences between us and them.  They mutilate the dead bodies of our soldiers in the streets and we treat the corpse of their hero with respect.  But, there is a benefit to following their law in this case.  There is no martyr's grave.  He's still a symbol, but there is no tomb to wail over.

One last thought.  Some people are complaining that bin Laden was not armed at the time he was shot.  So what.  When a soldier confronts an enemy combatant, it's not his responsibility to determine if that man is armed.  This was not a social call.  It was Navy SEALs assaulting the compound of the most notorious terrorist in the world.  A man with the blood of thousands of innocent men, women and children on his hands  He and anyone who was harboring him were fair game.  That may sound harsh, but this is war and war is hell.  Forty SEALS flew in to that compound in an effort to secure the safety of citizens all over the world.  I am unspeakably grateful for their skill, training and courage in carrying out their mission.  The last thing I am going to do is second guess their actions

An Ode to The Who*

(*Not really an Ode, more of a Limerick, actually.)

The first one to go was Keith Moon
Next Entwistle went by the spoon
Pete's got child porn
Who fans ask, forlorn,
Is Roger the last one in tune?


Check out the sweet t-shirts:  http://www.cafepress.com/SweetShopShirts

Ashley Simpson vs. Entertainment

Sad news.  Ashley Simpson is getting a divorce.  Not really surprising, but what bothered me was this line from the article:  The singer, who was slammed for her now-infamous lip-synching performance on “Saturday Night Live” in October 2004, blah, blah, blah...

Really?  Is this such a big deal in an industry where everything from Kim Kardashian's "reality" to John Travolta's sexual preference is fake.  You'd be hard pressed to find a middle aged actor who hasn't had a face lift, nose job, tummy tuck, implants, botox, capped teeth or liposuction.  And are you telling me that 99.9% of men in Hollywood just happen to keep all their hair?  So, why does everyone feels a need to slam this girl for not being "real".

Nobody is complaining about the artificial breasts on ridiculously thin actresses (no men, anyway), so why is everyone concerned with a performer actually singing on stage?  It's entertainment.  When the General Lee jumps over a 100 foot ravine tooting its Dixie horn and drives away without breaking an axle, blowing a tire or bending the frame do people complain that it's not real?  No, they go with it.  It's fun.

In the late 80's Milli Vanilli rose to fame with catchy radio songs and everybody was happy to jump on the band wagon.  They even won a Grammy.  When it came out that the songs were actually performed by talented, albeit unattractive people, Rob Pilatus and Fab Morvan became pariahs and their "friends" jumped ship.  To cope with this Rob turned to drugs and crime.  It ultimately lead to his death.  For what?  Because he was a good looking guy who didn't really sing the songs he performed on stage for thousands of screaming fans?

For me, when it comes to "entertainment" I want to be entertained.  It's nice that Jackie Chan performs his own stunts.  It adds to the fun of the movie.  But, when Jamie Lee Curtis is dangling from Arnold Schwartzenegger's massive arm, leaning from a helicopter over the burning wreckage of a bad guy's limo, I don't care that it's all green screen.  It's entertaining and nobody got hurt.

I think the same can be said of Ashley.

The Law of the Hurdle

The Law of the Hurdle:

We ask for strength and God gives us difficulties to make us strong.
We pray for wisdom and God sends us problems, the solution of which develops wisdom;
We plead for prosperity and God gives us brain and brawn to work;
We ask for courage and God gives us dangers to overcome;
We beg for favors and God gives us opportunities.
(The Laws of Success - Sterling W. Sill)

Why do books like this go out of print?  I don't know.  However, I do know that this is the year I jump the hurdle that's been in front of me for a very long time.

Crazy People Are Crazy

There are a lot of people pointing fingers regarding the cause the shooting rampage in Tuscon, AZ.  The only problem is that they are pointing them at everyone but the responsible party.  Namely, the guy who pulled the trigger.  He alone is the responsible party.

It's true that there are people in this country, on both sides, with large followings who don't realize the power and impact of their words.  But, they can't be blamed for the decision of one unhinged man.  When the Son of Sam went around killing people at the instance of his dog, did the media blame the hound or the man?  What's the difference now?  The only difference I see is an activist media who put a man in office and can't stand the idea of him being a one term president.

I've never been a fan of Sarah Palin, but when I see people going to such extremes to discredit her it makes me wonder.  What are they afraid of?

There's one thing I know they're not afraid of, sacrificing their reputations and credibility to a complete lack of objectivity and integrity.  By twisting the horrific act of a deranged maniac to their own ends they are an embarrassment to their profession and absolutely disrespectful to the victims and their families.

Holiday Reflections

We had our first Christmas with seven in our family rather than six.  Eliza and Cory spent the night Christmas Eve so they were both here on Christmas morning.  He didn't seem quite ready for our strange family traditions.  When the kids came in to our room at 7:00 AM to wake us by singing a Christmas carol then jump in our bed while I go check to see if Santa came he was conspicuously absent.  I can't really blame him, new family, singing in your in-law's bedroom.  Weird.  But, he was a good sport and we love having him in the family.

Another first was that I grabbed a handful of popcorn and while tossing it into my mouth had a piece land in my ear.  What are the odds of that?

We spent New Years Eve helping Eliza and Cory pack up their stuff so we could take them up to Rexburg to start school.  We borrowed my dad's truck, but they had so much stuff we couldn't fit the bed.  So, they are now living in a cute, tiny, old (really old, like 100 years old) apartment over a pizza place and sleeping on an inflatable mattress.  Ah, to be young...  Seriously, I think it's awesome and I'm sure they are loving finally being on their own.

Rexburg is also fun because we get to see the Nelsons.  They are our best friends and we just have a great time hanging out and playing Sequence.  Our kids get along and have a fun, too.  Plus, they have plenty of Nerf guns so Mark and I can take care of the kids.  (On a side note, Wilson is betrothed to their daughter Mikenna.  We decided to make it easier on the two of them by arranging their marriage so we can be not only friends, but family.)