Why We Celebrate a Killing, Essay Example

Society as whole tends to forget that humans are, at root, animals. Humans are nothing more than evolved, highly intelligent primates. This idea is important when fully analyzing the role killing of any kind plays in today’s society. Killing, now punishable even in some self-defense cases, was an accepted form of settling feuds since the beginning of time.

The status, and often obligation, of serving in one’s Army can either be considered nationalism or patriotism, depending on its individual application. When discerning between the two, one must look at whether a superiority complex applies or not. While there are many reasons “killings” are celebrated in modern society, these celebrations can be beneficial when properly applied.

Americans, and many others around the world rejoiced when a black-ops United States mission ended in the demise of Osama bin Laden. The terrorist mastermind responsible for the 9/11 attacks, amongst others, such as the USS Cole, and had so much American blood on his hands was finally dead, and as far as many were concerned, justice was finally served.

A killing on this magnitude differs greatly from a street murder in many ways. The killing was organized and ordered, controlled, and most of all government-sanctioned. That is how we differentiate between the joy and justice involved in the celebration of death: the control, and the social acceptability. An inner-city gang member may also rejoice over the murder of a rival, and in this case, by perception, it is socially acceptable. It is not, however, sanctioned or controlled. The overwhelming international support to bring the terrorist responsible for so many lives, not all American (do not forget the London bus bombings), gave people an overwhelming sense of satisfaction–this is healthy satisfaction.

As stated in the New York Times article, Americans became equally as patriotic after the initial attacks on 9/11. This understandable need of humans to indentify forced the country closer together, and this was reflected in voting numbers during the next election.

Though the outcry was for sympathy rather than justice, the 9/11 attacks and the killing of bin Laden directly correlate because, although on completely opposite spectrums, they elicited similar reactions of patriotism among the general population. The author is led to conclude, as anyone would, that this similar response proves that the celebration of justified killings is healthy for an interconnected society.

Bin Laden is not the only example. A similar international response was seen when Saddam Hussein was tried and hung by the international court–a strong feeling that justice for one’s country was done–a feeling that obviously promotes healthy patriotism, rather than WWII German nationalism.