Exposes Western Society’s declining values.
First, let me assure the reader that I support Bin Laden’s summary execution (although I do not think myself capable of shooting anyone who is unarmed).
Second, his hurried burial at Sea was, I believe, for the best.
Where I diverge from conventional thinking is in regard to the release of photos and to the underlying issue of Torture.
First the Photos.
Two Schools’ of Thought have immerged in regard to the release of photos showing the corpse.
First – revengers who want to display this handiwork for all the world to see and be damned with the consequences. Let’s call it the Sarah Palin School of Thought.
The Second School of Thought is that held by President Obama who is fearful that the release of such Photos would only encourage retaliation by Radical Muslims against the West. Let’s call this the Fearful School of Thought.
I subscribe to neither.
Dealing with the Second School first.
We in Western Society have shown enough Fear since 9/11. My message to extremists is “bring it on” (i.e. in the words of Churchill, as I mentioned in an earlier Blog) – ‘You do Your Worst and We’ll do our Best’.
But that said, I would not release the pix – not out of fear but out of a conviction that it is not the Christian Thing To Do. You don’t parade bodies around – even if our Enemies consistently doing so.
And of course my belief here applies equally to the Palin School of Revenge. Western Society in the 21st Century should rise above that.
Bin Laden’s killing has also caused a revisit to the Issue of State Sanctioned Torture.
Again two sides have immerged in this debate.
Obama has consistently come out against Torture because it is Ineffective. Let’s call this the Position of the Left.
The Right (e.g Fox News) has pointed out, with some support of its position, that torture has yielded valuable information that has ended up saving society from further hardship.
More specifically in the case of Bin Laden, Fox argues that Water-Boarding resulted in information that eventually led to his death.
I, though, am opposed to any Torture. Again, just because Evil does it – does not give us the right to do the same.
Sadly, neither the Right nor the Left advances this Basic Christian Tenet.
And in a broader sense, I consistently see the lack of such Values and Convictions in our Modern Societies.
Unless Reversed, we are headed for trouble.
As I see it …
‘K.D. Galagher’
