Osama is dead

So they have finally got him. I have been thinking about it since I heard the news today. Initially I was a little surprised that they had actually managed to accomplish this task. It has been nearly ten years and I think it has become something that most of us were not actually expecting to happen any more.

I am struggling with a bit of a dichotomy if I am being perfectly honest. I had friends who didn't make it out of the twin towers and there is something quite primal about hearing the news and realising that this is as a result of that. Which happened so long ago. I feel an element of closure, it may not be the end, but it is the end of the beginning at least. With that , there is the celebration of the death of a person. Who was hunted down and killed. I am not saying it was a wrong decision, it wasn't. Not sure about how I celebrate it though.

If music is appropriate in all circumstances, then it should be relevant now as well. Which songs am I listening to in order to help or define my mood?

Somewhat strangely this song comes to mind.

It is a very angry song about a false prophet. Listen to the lyrics of the song.

he had a lot to say
he had a lot of nothing to say

I am not for imperialism of any kind. Especially when it is so thinly veiled as an excuse to impose the right to make money in a foreign country. I do believe in self determination. However, the hatred and the anger that this now dead man preached is much more abhorrent to me. I can not understand how people can take the scriptures, of any monotheistic religion, and turn them to make people not only want to die for them, but also make them want to kill other people.

Another song that comes to mind in this . .

This is a much more primal state of mind, but very much along the same lines. It is an interesting song in so much that it has the power to empower the singer much more than intimidate other people. It is not a song about strength per se. It however manages to get that across extremely clearly. That must make this a good song. Obviously it comes to mind today because of the references to war and fighting.

This is perhaps a slightly different take on the whole thing.

Now Henry Rollins is about the coolest person on earth. Intelligent, articulate and also produces some kick ass music. I doubt very much he would be particularly happy with me putting his music into my little ode to the death of Osama Bin Laden, or the death of any person. But the anger and the confrontation of that song is appropriate. I realise that if you are on the left wing of politics then you will see this death in a slightly unusual way.There is so much anger still towards the Bush administration and the war that was seen as unjust by so many globally. However you feel about the war i think that it must be conceded that the person behind the killing of innocent people in an unprovoked , directly at least, attack, must have been aware that there was going to be retaliation.

Maybe now the world will be a little more like this.

I know, probably not, but we can hope a bit.