The news of the death of Osama Bin Laden has stirred up many feelings in me, some layered beneath my thoughts, buried for safekeeping. It is a good thing for the U.S. of A. and other nations around the world to gain a sense of closure from any acts of terrorism associated with him and his organization. But the brief moment of relief becomes fleeting as I realize that someone will step up into his role, as someone invariably does.
I am of the opinion that there is no such a thing as the concept of justice, as one loss does not wash away another loss. I had a friend who died during the attack on 9/11, and the death of Osama Bin Laden has not brought him or any one else back for that matter, nor made the forces of terrorism or hatred any less potent and alive.
The truth as I see it lays in separatism. Instead of humans seeing other humans as humans, barriers are constructed, walls are erected, and reasons created why one religion is better than another, one nation is better, one color is better, one race is better, one class is better, one’s sexual preference is better, or one gender is better. The roots of hatred, racism, sexism, classism, and ultimately separatism continue to prosper as long as humans stop seeing humans as humans. The seed starts as a thought, and then becomes spoken, and ultimately destructive action, stamping out tolerance of any kind.
If you think about it seriously, most of us are guilty to some degree of separatism. How tolerant are we of those who do not look, think, and act like we do? How willing are we to accept everyone who is different? What exactly is a human life worth?
This is why there are Osama Bin Ladens prospering out there still. This is why people cannot respect other people. Look at a history of the oppressed, and the reasons for suffering boil down to the same answer. Separatism, intolerance, hatred, and finally destruction.
What is the global responsibility? The better question is what is our own responsibility. Change starts with each individual, first by thought, then by word, then by action.
Humans seeing humans as humans.
