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| Courtesy of NYTimes...Ladder 4 The Pride of Midtown |
Disbelief. Closure. Anger. Sadness. Bittersweet. That pretty much sums up the feelings of the news that Bin Laden was killed. When the news of the President making an "unannounced subject speech" was made, three things came to mind: UBL was caught, peace in the Middle East was secretly secured or someone accidentally pressed the red button in Moscow and nuclear annihilation was imminent. Geraldo was the first I heard say anything about Bin Laden. Everyone assumed it was news about Libya.
Who knew the day would be capped with news of Bin Laden's demise. There was the initial - wow-finally. But the was soon followed by the thought of "it's not over." No, the death of Biden does not signify the end of AQ or terrorism, it is more symbolic if anything else.
As terrorism goes, Al Qaeda was not ruled by Bin Laden so much anymore, he was more like the Queen of England, a figure head, but a powerful one at that. His death, which some may call a martyrdom, could be a catalyst for the extremists. It is time for us to be more vigilant - we have stirred the hornets nest indeed.
For the families and friends of those who have lost loved ones on 9/11, from the Deutschebank fire, and who died fighting overseas, I wish them a sense of closure. Bin Laden was the face of 9/11, although we all know the enemy is faceless and an extremist theology wrought with hatred and retribution. This has been going on since Isaac and Ishmael (look it up - it's in the Bible).
3500 days have passed since that blue sky September day. Once I got home tonight - I watched familiar faces on the news, men I call friends relieved that their brother firefighters received justice. They rushed to Ground Zero - as they did over 3500 days ago - this time to celebrate then seeming closure of a wound that will always remain open. I watched the Concert for New York: Mike Moran telling Osama to kiss his royal Irish Ass, Paul McCartney talking about his father, a fireman; Cop, Fireman, Rockstar there to heal with Music. Tears and memories of our world that changed so quickly 10 years ago.
No matter how you feel about today -- I ask that you simply follow this: Never Forget.
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