Is Revenge the Answer?
The real issue now comes with the celebration of killing! It is sickening, non-Christian like, immoral and it sets a very bad precedent to our children watching. We tell our kids not to retaliate or seek revenge on people who wronged them or us, as we salute the death and demise of a man.
Look, I’m a proud American and a loyal Chicagoan. I wear my Chicago flag lapel pin almost daily when I’m wearing a suit or sport coat. However, I dislike the powers that be, the people’s government and anyone who is celebrating DEATH, even if it’s one of America’s most hated enemy.
Once again, and to all – I support the families who lost family members in 9/11, but I also support mothers and fathers who lost children to unexpected or violent crimes in urban or rural communities across this country. These people feel enormous pain from the loss of loved ones as well. I would bet any amount of money that if the father or mother of a murdered child hunted down the killer, and killed him or her, they would be arrested and convicted. Yes, the community may applaud their actions, but the city and state law officials would attempt to send that distraught mother or father directly to jail!
If my daughter (God bless her sweet soul) was violated and murdered by someone who broke into my home, and his identity was 100% known, as he remained at large; and if I pursued this dude, along with local police, and I came across his whereabouts and with premedtitated actions, I murdered this terrible guy, who happened to have several dozen murders and violations under his belt, I would be arrested and tried for 1st degree murder.
Once again, to some degree I support the effort, regardless of who was the president at the time of the enemy’s capture or execution. My only point here is the cheering of defeat and revenge. Its just not a good look for our children and other young people who will think its O.K. to hunt down their enemy (school bullies), and punish them for past crimes commited against them.
For me, I just don’t want to see our children and others across the nation get an incorrect image of what is right and wrong in terms of handling conflict resolution. I felt this way after the planes ripped a part the Twin Towers. I remember exactly where I was when I saw the news media show the actual planes crashing into the buildings consecutively. Days and weeks after, when the then President Bush used harsh words, I was upset with his reactions in relation to retaliation and revenge.
Revenge is never a good thing. Yes, you may feel some sense of satisfaction, but ask anyone who lost a love one to violent crimes. When the violator is captured and given a stiff prison sentence, it feels good for the short moment, but when they woke up the next day, their love one was still absent from their lives – forever!
I heard the media use the term ‘final closure’ for the families of 9/11. Yet, when you listen to the few who spoke, they were subdued and like – OK, now what? I’m sure they are all glad Bin Laden has been brought to some kind of justice, but it doesn’t bring back their wives, husbands, fathers, mothers, sons, daughters, friends or loved ones.
After ten years, most of the people have already found their own closure. They where not sitting around waiting on the government to find and execute Bin Laden. They’ve picked up the pieces and moved on.
Some men who lost wives have remarried, and women who lost husbands perhaps brought new men into their lives and babies have even been born over the last ten years. And yes, they’ll never forget, it’s impossible to wipe loved ones from your memory, especially if lost to natural distasters, untimely deaths or terminal illnesses.
If we claim to be a real Christian Nation, or whatever your faith and spiritual beliefs are, to cheer and applaud death and revenge is never the right thing to do – today, yesterday nor tomorrrow. Peace, one love, and God Bless America!
Carl DeWayne West is managing editor of TBN News Service (TBTNewsService.com).
