By: Christine Nicco/Online Reporter
May 1, 2011
Osama bin Laden, mastermind of the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks on the U.S., was killed after a firefight with a small group of American forces on May 1st. According to President Obama, the U.S. quickly took custody of his body following the shooting.
Located in Abbottabad, Pakistan, bin Laden was hunted down in a million dollar compound, which had been under surveillance for several months. The target operation was authorized by president Obama once enough security intelligence was gathered to authorize mobilization, he said in a statement. However, the war on terror is not over.
“[Bin Laden’s] death does not mark the end of our effort,” said President Obama in an address from the White House. “There’s no doubt that al Qaeda will continue to pursue attacks against us. We must — and we will — remain vigilant at home and abroad.”
In Massachusetts, the Governor’s Office congratulated President Obama on his handling of the top-secret mission.
“On behalf of the people of Massachusetts and all others who suffered the profound loss of the September 11, 2001 attacks, I congratulate and thank President Obama and the soldiers and intelligence personnel who carried out this mission,” Gov. Deval Patrick said. “We also remember our Massachusetts servicemen and women who continue their extraordinary efforts to rid the world of terrorism. Let us heed the President’s call to unite, as we did in the months of mourning following that terrible day, to make a better, safer and more just world.”
MassEquality’s Executive Director, Kara Suffredini, remembers the real 9-11 heroes and the struggles that LGBT families without rights suffered due to the LGBT inequality under the law.
“With the news of Osama bin Laden’s death, the LGBT community is called to remember the courage and strength of 9-11’s LGBT heroes and surviving family members. We remember Mark Bingham, a gay man who was among the passengers of Flight 93 who saved countless lives by wrestling control of the plane from hijackers’ intent on crashing into Washington D.C.,” said Suffredini. “We also remember Father Mychal Judge, a gay Catholic priest who was killed tending to the wounded and dying at Ground Zero. And we reflect on the acute struggle with inequality that surviving partners of LGBT victims faced when their unimaginable grief was compounded by denials of worker’s compensation benefits, access to the Victim’s Compensation Fund if surviving blood relatives submitted a claim, and aid from the American Red Cross, all because of our country’s unfair treatment of same-sex couples.”
In a press release, Democratic Massachusetts Senator John Kerry issued a statement about the mission of justice.
“The killing of Osama bin Laden closes an important chapter in our war against extremists who kill innocent people around the world,” Kerry said. “We are a nation of peace and laws, and people everywhere should understand that our ten-year manhunt was in search of justice not revenge.”
Kerry had words of praise for President Obama and those involved in the operation that finally killed bin Laden for “never forgetting the need to secure justice for those who lost their lives nearly 10 years ago and for those who have lost their lives in the war against extremism that continues today.”
A former Navy officer from New York expressed relief over the killing.
“For the sake of all those who’ve given their lives, it’s about time,” said former Navy Lt. Everett Earl Morrow.
Members of the LGBT community weighed in with their thoughts concerning the killing of bin Laden.
“I lost a dear close friend, a single mother of two young boys,” said David Balog, New York, NY, via The Rainbow Times’ FaceBook page.
“Osama bin Laden’s death leaves me numb … brings back very bad memories and anger at Bush. Sure, for the wrong reasons, Obama will benefit greatly, politically. He will win another term with this. Jingoism will rise, too.”
Given the fact that Obama has been getting a lot of negative press with the “birthers” contesting his place of birth and basically persecuting him racially, he definitely can use all the positive press he can get,” said Sandra Beck, Port Townsend, Washington. “Killing Osama bin Laden is certainly a coup in this respect.”
However, Hartford Conn. resident Holly Fontana disagrees on the effect such demise will have on Obama’s re-election.
“Obama will be and should be congratulated on this awaited capture,” she said. “It will not help him be reelected. Treating all US citizens with dignity and respect, by offering equal rights for all might help him get reelected.”
Bin Laden has been in hiding since the infiltration of Afghanistan under President Obama’s administration. According to reports from ABC news, the U.S. victory of over-throwing Afghanistan’s Taliban militia, the group that concealed bin Laden, helped lead to the eradication of the world’s most-wanted terrorist. No Americans or civilians were injured in the operation.
Fontana’s views of justice for the September 11 families resonated with other TRT FaceBook page friends.
“[The] news makes me think of all whom were affected and of all the victims,” said Fontana. “While they will never be at peace with what happened, they can at least have the knowledge that their murderer has received his ultimate punishment.”
But the news does not end the war on terror, according to Kerry.
“A single death does not end the threat from Al Qaeda and its affiliated groups. We must remain vigilant and committed to keeping the world safe and secure.”
