My Mommyology

Learning from Motherhood.

Rambling Thoughts Set Off by the Recent bin Laden Killing

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My Mommyology bin Laden's death

Yes it is historical news... but why don't I feel "good"?

The Daily Babble today had an article on Osama Bin Laden’s death and whether or not the world is safer for our children with him gone.  Interestingly enough I had a similar thought bubble in my head the other night when we caught the news.  I realized that I may one day have to talk about this with my girls since it will most likely be a part of their World History lesson.  So I watched the ABC news videos .

While I’m sure bin Laden’s death is a victory in it’s own right, I would tend to agree with the article in saying that the world is not necessarily a safer place.  That is a scary thought as much as it is a sad one.

The fact that people are celebrating that he was killed too makes me uneasy.  Killed!  Yes I know he did horrible unforgivable things, and I did watch the two towers crumble ten years ago — but do you really publicly celebrate that someone was shot in the head?! (and another bullet in the chest.  He resisted, but was reportedly unarmed too.  His wife was shot in the leg, and five other people were killed in the raid, so says the news).  What do I tell my Sam when she looks through the history books and sees these while at the same time learning that the 6th commandment is Thou Shall Not Kill?  That he killed first, so he deserve it?  Am I teaching her that revenge is okay (occasionally)?

On another note, the bin Laden story joins the list of current events in Jamie’s baby book, along with the  Japanese Tsunami and the Nuclear Crisis,  the tornado disasters, and the Royal Wedding.  During Sam’s time it was the Global Financial Crisis. Seventy-five percent of what we will talk about 20 years from now when they inherit their books will be tragic or depressing, and quite far from the rose-colored painted world they’re brought into as kids.

That should say something about the state the world is in now.  So as parents, what do you say when they ask you why such people like bin Laden exist?  Or why people are too greedy that it costs others their jobs?  What do you say when what you’ve taught them to be morally sound and true is far from the realities that they face on a daily basis?

It is scary to think that I’ll have discussions like this with them in the not-so-distant future.

Sigh.  It would be so much easier if they could just watch Barney forever.

Author: mymommyology

I am the mom that I am because of my two wonderful little girls. They teach me everyday.

0 Comments

  1. Double sigh. I know exactly what you mean.

  2. I’m sure for you it feels much closer since your kids are older! Must be hard-er! Hugs to all us moms! 😉

  3. Reality is so far from the ideal. How will we moms ever know what the right thing to do or say is??

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