Keller @ Large: OK To Celebrate A Death?
BOSTON (CBS) - Late Sunday night after he heard of Osama Bin Laden's death, James Fallows of the Atlantic wrote on his blog: "It is almost never right to celebrate a death. Almost."
Listen to Jon's commentary:
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Obviously, Mr. Fallows felt Bin Laden, one of history's most horrendous mass murderers, was a worthy exception to the rule, and I agree with him.
But let me start a conversation with you about this by confessing that I have mixed emotions on this subject.
I feel no sympathy whatsoever for Bin Laden's fate. It was richly deserved, and probably too quick and gentle. It is always satisfying to see justice done, and I challenge anyone to argue that death was an unjust end for Bin Laden. I am a supporter of the death penalty, and find it hard to muster much concern when an especially vicious criminal is ushered out of our midst.
But I don't love the sight of a bunch of beer-guzzling college kids partying outside a prison when an execution takes place, and was hoping the kids parading in the streets Sunday night were clear about what they were celebrating. This was not a local sports team winning the championship, it was a long-awaited and successful battle in a long, ugly war.
On September 11, 2001, savage idiots celebrated the slaughter of innocent civilians in the streets of some Middle-Eastern cities. We recoiled at that, and Bin Laden is no innocent non-combatant. But his removal seems like it was deserving of more somber commemoration.
Believe me, I am glad he's dead, as glad as I can be at the death of another human.
I'd compare him with a rabid animal, if it weren't so unfair to rabid animals.
But can it ever really be right to celebrate a death?
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You can listen to Keller At Large on WBZ News Radio every weekday at 7:55 a.m. and 12:25 p.m. You can also watch Jon on WBZ-TV News.
