Miami Herald Logo

Why this mom didn't celebrate Osama's death | Miami Herald

×
  • E-edition
  • Home
    • Site Information
    • Contact Us
    • About Us
    • Herald Store
    • RSS Feeds
    • Special Sections
    • Advertise
    • Advertise with Us
    • Media Kit
    • Mobile
    • Mobile Apps & eReaders
    • Newsletters
    • Social
    • Facebook
    • Twitter
    • Google+
    • Instagram
    • YouTube

    • Sections
    • News
    • South Florida
    • Miami-Dade
    • Broward
    • Florida Keys
    • Florida
    • Politics
    • Weird News
    • Weather
    • National & World
    • Colombia
    • National
    • World
    • Americas
    • Cuba
    • Guantánamo
    • Haiti
    • Venezuela
    • Local Issues
    • Crime
    • Education
    • Environment
    • Health Care
    • In Depth
    • Issues & Ideas
    • Traffic
    • Sections
    • Sports
    • Blogs & Columnists
    • Pro & College
    • Miami Dolphins
    • Miami Heat
    • Miami Marlins
    • Florida Panthers
    • College Sports
    • University of Miami
    • Florida International
    • University of Florida
    • Florida State University
    • More Sports
    • High School Sports
    • Auto Racing
    • Fighting
    • Golf
    • Horse Racing
    • Outdoors
    • Soccer
    • Tennis
    • Youth Sports
    • Other Sports
    • Politics
    • Elections
    • The Florida Influencer Series
    • Sections
    • Business
    • Business Monday
    • Banking
    • International Business
    • National Business
    • Personal Finance
    • Real Estate News
    • Small Business
    • Technology
    • Tourism & Cruises
    • Workplace
    • Business Plan Challenge
    • Blogs & Columnists
    • Cindy Krischer Goodman
    • The Starting Gate
    • Work/Life Balancing Act
    • Movers
    • Sections
    • Living
    • Advice
    • Fashion
    • Food & Drink
    • Health & Fitness
    • Home & Garden
    • Pets
    • Recipes
    • Travel
    • Wine
    • Blogs & Columnists
    • Dave Barry
    • Ana Veciana-Suarez
    • Flashback Miami
    • More Living
    • LGBTQ South Florida
    • Palette Magazine
    • Indulge Magazine
    • South Florida Album
    • Broward Album
    • Sections
    • Entertainment
    • Books
    • Comics
    • Games & Puzzles
    • Horoscopes
    • Movies
    • Music & Nightlife
    • People
    • Performing Arts
    • Restaurants
    • TV
    • Visual Arts
    • Blogs & Columnists
    • Jose Lambiet
    • Lesley Abravanel
    • More Entertainment
    • Events Calendar
    • Miami.com
    • Contests & Promotions
    • Sections
    • All Opinion
    • Editorials
    • Op-Ed
    • Editorial Cartoons
    • Jim Morin
    • Letters to the Editor
    • From Our Inbox
    • Speak Up
    • Submit a Letter
    • Meet the Editorial Board
    • Influencers Opinion
    • Blogs & Columnists
    • Blog Directory
    • Columnist Directory
    • Andres Oppenheimer
    • Carl Hiaasen
    • Leonard Pitts Jr.
    • Fabiola Santiago
    • Obituaries
    • Obituaries in the News
    • Place an Obituary

    • Place an ad
    • All Classifieds
    • Announcements
    • Apartments
    • Auctions/Sales
    • Automotive
    • Commercial Real Estate
    • Employment
    • Garage Sales
    • Legals
    • Merchandise
    • Obituaries
    • Pets
    • Public Notices
    • Real Estate
    • Services
  • Public Notices
  • Cars
  • Jobs
  • Moonlighting
  • Real Estate
  • Mobile & Apps

  • el Nuevo Herald
  • Miami.com
  • Indulge

Latest News

Why this mom didn't celebrate Osama's death

Mama Sass

    ORDER REPRINT →

May 03, 2011 07:00 AM

Sitting in the glow of the TV late Sunday night, watching our president announce the death of Osama bin Laden, I searched for something to say to my 12-year-old on the couch next to me.

I didn't know what to say, but I knew it wasn't "USA! USA!"

Sign Up and Save

Get six months of free digital access to the Miami Herald

SUBSCRIBE WITH GOOGLE

#ReadLocal

I didn't feel elation, closure or relief. And I certainly didn't feel any safer. I just felt terribly sad, and a little fearful, at the thought that global hatred has defined the most important years of my daughter's childhood.

She was 2 ½ years old on 9-11, too young to remember the horror, the sadness and the anger. She doesn't know that I wore sneakers that morning so I could run better with her in my arms if another attack occurred closer to home in Miami. She doesn't remember that I stuck one of those mini American flags left over from a July 4 parade in the back pocket of her little jeans as we left the house for breakfast at the Latin American café in the Grove. But she certainly grew up seeing his face everywhere.

Osama was her generation's bogeyman. The enemy. Evil personified.

Yet when I sat with her watching the celebratory mosh pits at the White House and ground zero Sunday night, the first thing out of my mouth when I turned to her was, "It's not right to celebrate bloodshed."

Life is not a game. This is no Super Bowl with a winner declared on the scoreboard.

They say that character is how you act when you think no one is looking. But for me, at least in this moment, character is how you act when the whole world is looking.

When I watched our leader invoking death in the name of God and country, and heard the cheers and merrymaking in the streets by people drunk on patriotism, it only made me feel that we had become our worst enemy.

"Uh oh," my daughter said next to me. And she was right.

Was this a historic moment? Yes. Did Osama bin Laden deserve to be punished for the overwhelming loss of human lives in this country? Yes.

But does this put an end to the hatred that has fueled the last 10 years of war (and the past decade of my child's life)?

On Monday, the news reports were full of conflicting expert opinions about whether Osama's death will lead to the demise of al-Qaeda or reinvigorate further hatred and attacks. That isn't a question that makes me feel like celebrating, and it's certainly not one I want to leave for my children to have to answer over the next 10 years.

  Comments  

Videos

Honduran Immigrant Reina Gomez Ramírez, who has a rare blood disorder, can stay in the U.S. for one more year

Miami brothers sell some of the most expensive homes in the world

View More Video

Trending Stories

Federal prosecutors broke law in Jeffrey Epstein case, judge rules

February 21, 2019 02:51 PM

Americans arrested in Haiti with arsenal of guns won’t face U.S. charges

February 21, 2019 04:06 PM

These players Miami Dolphins are discussing in team’s plans. These they’re not, probably aren’t

February 21, 2019 03:08 PM

He quit the NFL to save lives. Now this former FSU star is accused of sexual harassment

February 20, 2019 12:04 PM

Kyler Murray available to Miami at No. 13 overall would be great for multiple reasons

February 20, 2019 12:34 AM

Read Next

Miami Beach 8th-grader ‘began to act crazy’ before falling to his death. What happened?

Miami Beach

Miami Beach 8th-grader ‘began to act crazy’ before falling to his death. What happened?

By Howard Cohen

    ORDER REPRINT →

February 22, 2019 09:00 AM

Marlon Cárdenas, 14, was found dead after a fall from a 17th floor balcony at a Collins Avenue condominium in Miami Beach, FL. Family and friends, and police, wonder if drugs were a factor. Services are Friday.

KEEP READING

Sign Up and Save

#ReadLocal

Get six months of free digital access to the Miami Herald

SUBSCRIBE WITH GOOGLE

MORE LATEST NEWS

Miami-Dade spent $80 million on transit studies. Now obsolete, they’re being redone

Miami-Dade County

Miami-Dade spent $80 million on transit studies. Now obsolete, they’re being redone

February 22, 2019 08:12 AM
She won’t stop stalking her ex even while cops are present, police say

Florida Keys

She won’t stop stalking her ex even while cops are present, police say

February 22, 2019 08:34 AM
This plan for a greener Wynwood could mean broad new sidewalks, shade trees and plantings.

Midtown

This plan for a greener Wynwood could mean broad new sidewalks, shade trees and plantings.

February 22, 2019 08:13 AM
These area teams opened the regional round of the FHSAA boys’ basketball tournament with wins

High School Sports

These area teams opened the regional round of the FHSAA boys’ basketball tournament with wins

February 22, 2019 08:11 AM

Venezuela

Keeping up momentum in Venezuela hinges on getting humanitarian aid in on Saturday

February 22, 2019 07:00 AM
As you age, so do the valves around your heart. New treatments are much less invasive

Health & Fitness

As you age, so do the valves around your heart. New treatments are much less invasive

February 22, 2019 07:45 AM
Take Us With You

Real-time updates and all local stories you want right in the palm of your hand.

Icon for mobile apps

Miami Herald App

View Newsletters

Subscriptions
  • Start a Subscription
  • Customer Service
  • eEdition
  • Vacation Hold
  • Pay Your Bill
  • Rewards
Learn More
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Newsletters
  • News in Education
  • Public Insight Network
  • Reader Panel
Advertising
  • Place a Classified
  • Media Kit
  • Commercial Printing
  • Public Notices
Copyright
Commenting Policy
Privacy Policy
Terms of Service


Back to Story