That's what's scrawled across the bottom of my screen on CNN right now. I wasn't watching TV when the news broke, but then again, by the time I turned on the TV on 11 SEP, 2001, the second tower had fallen, America had been attacked, and the war against terrorism, and Osama bin Laden, had begun. I don't actually know what to feel right now. Is it good that this man is dead? Yes, of course it is. Hatemongering and terrorism have no place in a civilized world. In a world in which peoples should be able to communicate their differences, work through them, and compromise, there is no place for people in this world who believe that the only way to communicate is with a gun and a bomb.
Today, or more accurately, tonight, the country celebrates the death of a tyrant, a terrorist, a murderer. While I celebrate this victory of American intelligence gathering, American military planning, and American shooting, it does not end all of our problems. Tomorrow there will still be US servicemen in harm's way. Sons and daughters, fathers and mothers, tomorrow will don that uniform and take their places on the metaphorical guard towers of this country. Tomorrow, they will stand in harm's way so that we can continue to be, as we have been for more than 200 years, a free country. Is the war on terror ended? I have no doubts that what the experts say is true, that Al-Qaeda has no other leader like this man. This does not mean that there will not be attacks tomorrow. An angry army of jihadists has lost its leader, and I hope we understand what that means besides the death of bin Laden. In my mind, this does not end the war on terror. This ends this chapter of the war on terror. There will still be hate in this world. There will still be people bastardizing the peaceful texts of Islam. There will still be brainwashed young men who are taught nothing more than to hate us, to hate what we stand for, and to believe that there is no greater good in the world than to kill Americans. Tomorrow, and every day after this, my friends remain in harm's way. I hope that Americans, during this once again rediscovered sense of unity, are able to remember that the death of this one man, no doubt one evil man, does not make us all safe again. We must remain vigilant of our surroundings, protective of our rights, and supportive of our troops. This is a great victory for our military, for our government, and for the American people. I couldn't be happier to see the celebrations taking place in Washington DC, New York, and around the world. To all the men and women of our military, thank you, and God bless you.
