rumiNATION

No man is an island, entire of itself; every man is a piece of the continent, a part of the main. If a clod be washed away by the sea, Europe is the less, as well as if a promontory were, as well as if a manor of thy friend's or of thine own were. Any man's death diminishes me because I am involved in mankind; and therefore never send to know for whom the bell tolls; it tolls for thee. - John Donne


Images that outrage.














Somalia, 1993 - locals drag the body of the pilot of a downed Blackhawk helicopter through the streets of their town as others jump up an down on the rotor blades of same helicopter.






















Multiple Middle Eastern Nations, 2001 - Following the September 11th attacks on the U.S., images are repeatedly broadcast of large groups of people celebrating the loss of American lives while burning our flag.


I'm sure one could go on for hours recalling such vivid memories - but these are two that stand out most readily in my mind at this point in time. Events that surely made the blood of countless many boil and sickened the stomachs of countless more. And yet, as I sat watching the news at work last night, there were the images of a large crowd gathered outside of the White House. "USA! USA!" they chanted while holding signs boasting such clever slogans as, "Ding Dong - Bin Laden's Dead." And while they watched, I'm sure there was little sense of outrage in the hearts of most Americans. Why? Because "our team" won this time.
















Was Bin Laden's killing justified? Even necessary? I'm sure it's not a hard argument to make. But if we, who are so sickened by the celebration of death on foreign shores, are reduced to the same jubilation at the death of a man... are we any different than the ones who outrage us? It doesn't seem so in my mind.


Somewhere east of here people are watching that same news footage that I watched last night; and they are furious. They are no doubt making plans for how they can get vengeance for this outrageous behaviour. And so the circle will continue. Death for death. Righteous indignation for righteous indignation. One side will win, one side will lose. And in the end, we all will be the lesser for it.


The bell tolls for us all.