Still processing

I'm still not really sure how to respond to the whole "death of OBL" thing. Or, better stated, I am having a hard time reconciling a vast array of emotions. I must resort to bullet-pointing (ha!) a few of them, because a narrative seems overwhelming:

1. Frak yeah! So glad that terrorist is dead! Kinda wish I was one of those badass Spec Ops guys that got to train for and execute (ha!) this mission.

2. What does it even matter that OBL is dead? We're still at war(s), we're still living in a post-9/11 world, and that's not going to change any time soon...scratch that: EVER.

3. If anything, his death makes him a martyr for his cause, which galvanizes Al Qaeda and gives them more reason to hate US and act on it.

4. I'm not much of a conspiracy theorist, but it's kinda wild, the political timing of this mission. I mean, last week the news was about S&P dropping the US's rating! But really, who would have the balls to downgrade #1 Awesome US of Frakin' A today?

5. Finally, finally, the hunt is over! (But isn't it the hunt we love?)

6. I don't agree with Islamic fundamentalism, but I do believe they are expressing an undercurrent of political and social sentiment that sees the Foucaultian hypocrisy of a democratic capitalism. And even though I would much prefer that they find a nonviolent way to bring that to our collective attention...even Batman bows to the powers that be, dark knight that he is.

7. I just finished an incredible book that I will no doubt post about at greater length called The Ascent of Money and, well, it seems that our entire economy is in some way dependent on the ideological and economic continuation of deep divides between groups of people across the world. It's what causes the ups and downs, the disputes over prices and value, the tariffs that, 100 years from now, will be claimed by some historian as the early roots of WWIII (the battle with China). And the democratization of the Arab nations and the US's interference/assistance in that part of the world will be just a causal footnote on the steady march of humanity towards an uncertain future.

8. Sweet. Now that's done, we can end all our wars, revitalize our nation, and stop messing about in other countries' affairs, right?!

9. Vindication though this may be, it doesn't bring anybody or anything back. I will never again lie in the sun, the crown of my head just touching the inside corner of Tower 2 and look up along that distorted vertical plane into a cloudless September sky. So much was lost. I hope we can appreciate what we've gained...though I'm not sure what that is, exactly.

I'm not sure whether I feel like crying for the loss of innocence, or from futility. Maybe both. I was so young then.