"Canada receives the news of Osama bin Laden's death with sober satisfaction. Bin Laden's death does not end the threat of international terrorism. Sadly, others will take his place."
- Prime Minister Stephen Harper
The news of the demise of Osama bin Laden took me, as much of the world, by complete surprise. My initial annoyance that Brothers and Sisters was interrupted just as a plot twist was being revealed was soon overridden by my amazement at the announcement. Clearly it is a relief to people everywhere that bin Laden is no longer around to rally his followers. I share the sense of sober satisfaction that Stephen Harper expressed on behalf of our nation. Just the same, I find the cheering and celebration on the part of many people to be disturbing. When the towers were attacked, we watched Palestinians dancing in the street in celebration of the deaths of Americans. I remember feeling horrified by the actions of those people. Today, I have felt some of those same emotions, albeit on a smaller scale. It doesn't seem right somehow to celebrate the death of another human being, even one as evil as Osama bin Laden.
It is election day in Canada. I was annoyed with a friend this morning who suggested he probably wouldn't vote because he really didn't care about the outcome of the election. People in other parts of the world are sacrificing their lives to gain the very right that so many Canadians casually toss away. Only sixty percent of eligible voters even bothered to vote in the last federal election - absolutely shameful. I am about to head out to vote now. Admittedly I'm not very enthralled with the available choices but I will choose. When Jacob gets home from work tonight I will take him to the polling station to vote for the first time. I remember the first time I voted after I turned eighteen and I have not missed a vote since. Like me, I believe Jacob will always take his right and responsibility to vote with the seriousness that it deserves.
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