On the death of bin-Laden

I heard the news of bin-Laden's death after walking out of a community event yesterday, and getting into my car to drive home.  My sense of joy was irrepressible.  I'm a person that hardly talks even to my next door neighbors, but yesterday evening I found myself rolling down my car window asking complete strangers whether they had "heard the news".  I talked to a gas station attendant about it too--somehow there was an immediate connection between the two of us.

This morning as I sat down at my office desk at school, however, I felt compelled to send an email to my school staff.  It read as follows:

Just a quick note about yesterday's news about bin-Laden.  To the degree that the news is discussed or touched upon in the classroom, please go out of your way to make sure that any Arabic, Persian, or Muslim students aren't made to feel uncomfortable.  

I remember when I was in high school back in the 80's, Japanese corporations were perceived/portrayed as the enemy of the United States, and I felt very insecure whenever the topic would come up in my classes.  I'm sure some of our Muslim students may feel the same way.  

But back to my private thoughts--what wonderful news!  I read in one account that there was a helicopter malfunction that occurred as part of yesterday's military operation.  I don't believe in a god, but upon hearing that bit of information, I prayed to god in thanks that it didn't end in the same way as President Carter's tragic hostage rescue attempt in Iran back in 1980.  Such an error in execution would have been a death knell to the Obama administration, and the impact would have been unthinkably horrible and lasting.