By Augusta Statz
The morning after the announcement of Osama Bin Laden’s death, there was supposed to be a rally in Forsyth Park to celebrate, May 2. Turns out that only three people showed up to support the rally while seven people from various local media sources, including myself showed up. The media teams consisted of more people than actual supporters for the event.
What does this say about how much people care about Bin Laden’s death?
I was in fourth grade when 9/11 happened. I remember watching it on TV and knowing that a horrible thing had happened to our country. But maybe since I was so small, I didn’t completely grasp the gravity of the situation.
Is that what has happened for a lot of people? Maybe SCAD students were too young to understand what was happening on 9/11. Is that why now, 10 years later, the death of Bin Laden maybe isn’t that big of a deal?
What about for people who were adults when the twin towers fell on 9/11—is 10 years just so long that they are more relieved than excited? Are they thinking that it’s been 10 years, so it’s about time?
Do people still really care? Was the “rally” just not well organized? These are questions that I asked myself.
35-year-old Savannah native, April Boyette who was in attendance said that 10 years “hasn’t been to long for [her].” “I’m here,” she said in reference to the not so much of a rally.
“I’m very happy today. I think it’s a joyous thing. I found out about it this morning, not last night, but I first thought about the families who lost their loved ones and the families of soldiers who lost their loved ones. I’m happy for them, too. This was a long time coming,” said Boyette.
The other two members in attendance of the “rally” were 47-year-old Margie Standard and 62-year-old Paul Levin. Levin is an Army veteran who served in the Vietnam War from 1968-1969. They hope to see a bigger rally organized over the weekend sometime.
Whether a bigger rally is organized or not, I think all Americans should be happy that this day has come. Although, it does seem unethical, to me, to celebrate a death of a person, Bin Laden was not a good person. So that helps a part of me feel more justified in celebrating his death. But, who am I to decide what type of punishment a human deserves? Were we justified in killing him? I have mixed feelings about this. It won’t help bring the loved ones that were lost back, but hopefully, this will bring some closure to all Americans, especially those who lost a loved one during 9/11. Maybe some good will come from this, after all.
