Puke

The rejoicing in the death of Osama Bin Laden is enough to make one want to puke. I listened to the World at Six on CBC Radio One this evening and it was sickening to hear the joy that a bullet to the head caused. It just shows how violent and screwed up we all are. Revenge, revenge, revenge! The media, as ever, took sides, instead of just covering the news. Beating the drums of war and never, ever risking discussing complexity to confuse the plebs.

And these were grown adults rejoicing in death. The only moment of sanity came from the mouth of a babe. The comments of a little boy, whose father had been killed in 9/11 or the numerous trillion dollar wars that have followed (I'm sorry I don't remember which one) were conveyed by his mother. She happily told him bluntly of the brains splattered on the mansion walls in Pakistan. His response: "Why didn't they put him on trial"? Bless you.

Children at least know something about justice, unlike the madmen and women who lead and follow.

And never, ever do we wonder if, for all his own brand of madness (not far from our own clearly), does Bin Laden have (excuse me, had) genuine grievances. A quick list: the occupation of Palestine, Arab dictators, torture (and Bin Laden surely used it too) and secret police, corruption demonstrates that he had some fair points (Hitler had some good ideas right?).

Incidentally check out this great opinion piece from Robert Fisk. Fisk interviewed Bin Laden on three occasions and, unlike most reporters, he doesn't serve power.

Now I can get back to puking as the Conservatives win their majority. I'm sure Bin Laden would have died happy had he lived to see this result.