Deja Vu Unity

I was in seventh grade on September 11th, 2001.

It's one of those moments you don't forget. People who were alive when John F. Kennedy was assassinated can tell you where they were, what they were doing and who they were with. 9/11 was one of those JFK-like moments.

I was in history class talking to my best friend at the time. Our teacher was called out into the hall and came back crying. We turned on the television and sat in silence as we watched the events unfold. I don't think I'll ever forget that moment. I don't think any of us will.

Osama Bin Laden and his band of extremists attacked America and unleashed a war that we're still fighting to this day. Yesterday when my mother called me with the news that Bin Laden finally met his maker, I couldn't help but stop what I was doing to go into my living room to turn on the news.

Like many of you, I stayed glued to the TV for the next few hours. I couldn't help but get involved with the running social network commentary that everyone was doing about the event. I cheered along as Americans celebrated outside the White House chanting, "USA! USA! USA!"

A few weeks ago, I wrote a blog that proclaimed the bad guys always win. The thief gets away with it. The liar slips away untouched. The company that's no good will make record profits while we struggle.

This is one of those situations where good triumphed evil. All the while, I didn't rejoice at the death of Osama Bin Laden. I wouldn't rejoice at the death of any man. But I did rejoice that justice was served and those families affected by his actions may now find peace.

Just like we were united when Osama shattered the hopes of many of our individuals and brought our nation to it's knees, we're united as Osama finds justice.

But how long will the unity last? Not long. Not long at all.

Soon the news media will go back to the Royal Weddings and the Charlie Sheen's of the world. The White House and our government will go back to fighting and positioning for election year. We'll go back to work, get lost in the distractions of our entertainment and move on with our lives.

Maybe unity is just an ideal. Maybe it's not possible. And when it does happen, it's temporal. But for this brief moment, like so many of you--I'm proud to be an American. And I'm proud that good triumphed over evil and that this mass killer was brought to justice after ten long years.