Tuesday, May 3, 2011

L.W.,

Something happened on Sunday.  When you are older, I imagine that you will read about it in history class.  I won't go into it much right now, except to say that a very bad man hurt very, very many people some time ago, and on Sunday something happened that will keep that man from ever hurting any more people, ever again.  Nobody else.  Never, ever again.

That means you, Cooper.

And so the world gathered when this news was announced.  In front of televisions, and on the internet.  We talked about it, and texted about it.  Facebooked and tweeted about it.  More than anything else, though, we rejoiced.

That means me, Cooper.  You mother and I rejoiced that this particular bad man will never have the opportunity to hurt you.  Anyone else, for that matter.  But especially you.

Since then, some people have begun to wonder if celebration was the proper response.  Whether jubilation was really appropriate.  Is relief not sufficient?  Would satisfaction not do?  It's a fair question, Cooper, and one I've given some thought over the past 48 hours.  The best answer I've come up with, and I can speak for only myself, is that I can speak for only myself.

That very bad man personifies some ideas and emotions that in a perfect world I would never have to introduce or explain to you.  Certainly at not yet ten months old, you're not ready for them.  Nor will you be at ten years old.  And yet, nearly a decade ago, the actions of this bad man forced this premature lesson on thousands of ten-year-olds across the United States.  Worse than that, after prompting this rude awakening of ten-month-olds and ten-year-olds and every other age of an entire generation, he cruelly denied some even the chance to learn about it from their parents.  I cannot even fathom.

As Sunday's news spilled over into Monday, and then into today, I reflected on the actions that bad, bad man took to cause pain to so many.  I recalled wondering why. Even now, a decade later, the same question reverberates.  There is no sense to be made from it.  No character to be built.  It's nice to think that our country is stronger by having gone through something so awful, but if it is, that strength was forged in a fire fueled by a determination to seek retribution.  To enact revenge.  To serve justice.

It's not something I'm easily comfortable with, Cooper.  Certainly not an emotion that I want you to rely on regularly.  I understand the sentiment of those uneasy with the jubilation.  At the end of the day, though, what I return to is the certainty that this very bad man can never, ever, EVER hurt you.  After witnessing the hurt he is capable of producing, relief or satisfaction will not suffice.  I will rejoice that you will only read about Osama bin Laden in history books.  I will celebrate it.  Unabashedly.

Sleep soundly, L.W.  I love you!

BW