Local Reactions to Bin Laden's Death

A range of emotions has been displayed in the wake of Osama bin Laden’s death. Less than 24 hours after learning of the Navy Seal mission that killed the figurehead of al-Qaida – the terrorist group responsible for the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks on the United States – residents locally were unsure what to make of the news.

In particular, parents were uncertain how to frame the message for their children.

Manassas mother Suzanne Minskey, said that while she’s happy the world is rid of one more evil person, she fears retaliation.

“I want my children growing up feeling safe in their homes and I recognize the necessity of a military to protect that safety, but I also don’t believe in the eye-for-an-eye mentality,” she said. “Nor do I want my children growing up thinking that’s the way to solve problems.”

Tiffany Malin of Ashburn described her feelings with Mark Twain quote: “I've never wished a man dead, but I have read some obituaries with great pleasure."

Alison Sonak, an Ashburn mother, shares Minskey’s fear of retaliation.

“I’m thrilled that Bin Laden is gone and am proud of our military,” she said. “But realistically I am very fearful of retaliation. Bin Laden created a society of people whose hatred of America runs generations deep.”

Lyn Lindberg, a Leesburg resident and a Vietnam Veteran who served on active duty for the U.S. Marines, understands the symbol that bin Laden’s death represents to Americans, but also the need for our country to remain vigilant. 

“First of all, it shouldn't have taken this long for the capture of bin Laden; however, he's gone, thank God,” Lindberg said. “But I feel it's not the end. He's just one person and I feel America needs to be vigilant, maybe more so than when he was alive.”

On Sept. 11, 2001, Lindberg was controlling satellites in DC and watching the news when the Twin Towers were attacked.

“Word got around that another plane was headed for the White House or Capitol, close to my office, so as you can imagine, I was quite nervous. No errors could be made since I was controlling satellites worldwide. I was stuck on duty in DC for two days and couldn't leave,” Lindberg said.
Lindberg said that his heart goes out to all of the families of 9/11 and those who have sacrificed their lives for our country. 

“Bin Laden's death, in my opinion, is like a stimulus check from the government – a brief surge to make us feel better but with no long-term effects,” said Jessamyn Ayers, an Ashburn mother who tried to keep a sense of normalcy after the attacks. Ayers celebrated her son’s first birthday the day after the attacks. “If you looked at pictures of that celebration, you would see big smiles from all of us, but I think that was one of the hardest things I've ever done – give myself over to a celebration of life when the world seemed to be coming apart.”

Gene Wu, who was working at Aol near Ashburn on 9/11, recalled the sense he felt immediately after the attacks: fear. Wu admits that he bought guns shortly after the 2001 attacks as “a knee-jerk reaction and for protection.” His initial reaction to bin Laden’s death was positive.

“When I first heard that bin Laden had been killed, I was elated; he finally got his just desserts,” he said. “However, it will never bring back all the victims of 9/11 and all of those U.S. soldiers who died overseas to fight for our freedom.”

However, some of that fear Wu and others once shared has lifted to some degree.

Locally, groups of people amassed in front of the White House to celebrate the country’s victory and display their feelings publicly. Some, however, while searching for a sense of unity and solidarity among fellow Americans, found the celebration to be distasteful and negative.

DC resident Ted Garber, who drove down to the White House last night to be a part of the celebration, described his experience.

“I remember being at The Capitol for Obama's inauguration, and I very keenly remember Sept. 11, 2001, and the events that followed.  Each of those times I had felt a solidarity with my fellow citizens – a swelling pride from inside my heart that warmed my belly – a sense of hope, unity – a glorious shout to the heavens that, ‘We are all human beings, and we are alive and seeking to be the best we can be! This is the America of our Forefathers!’  I did not get any of that earlier this morning, and I was really looking.”

Garber described the scene as “an awkward mob,” comprised of a group of young people screaming profanities that did nothing to incite a sense of American pride, but rather resulted in an insulting demonstration of drunken madness. Young girls were taking off their shirts, a dance-off took place in the streets and people were heard chanting “Let’s Go Caps.”

Garber said, “I would have hoped for some more rallying behind the victims of 9/11 or the soldiers fighting the war on terror or the innocent civilian casualties abroad or maybe some sort of candlelight sing-along.”

When the news of bin Laden’s death broke late last night, people were shocked and elated, relieved yet fearful.

Paul Morse, who was working as the Deputy Director of Photography for President George W. Bush on 9/11, was disappointed that he first heard the news via social media rather than from President Obama himself.

“I felt crestfallen that the Commander-in-Chief couldn't have been the one to tell me of the greatest achievement of the Special Forces in our lifetime,” he said. “I knew this was the end of learning of big news through mainstream media.”

On 9/11, Morse was working in New York City when the World Trade Center was hit, yet made it back to the White House in time to photograph the then-president George Bush arriving back at the Oval Office. He described the action of the president at that time as “a very significant, symbolic move.”

On the news of Bin Laden’s death, Morse said, “the support of America going after our No. 1 enemy was so palatable that afternoon [9/11], and now that he is dead I feel, while it's fun to celebrate, the war still goes on.”

Ayers said she fears the politicization of the news, which could ultimately serve as a distraction.

“We will see an odd unity of disparate groups – former Bush administration officials, current administration officials, Republicans, Democrats – use bin Laden's death to support their actions in Afghanistan, Iraq and the war against terror,” Ayers said. “They will tell us that our military and security efforts are working. We will momentarily forget about rising gas prices, our wobbling economy and the tornado destruction in the South. We may even feel the worst is over.”

But the reality is that, she said, is that bin Laden’s death may change very little and could result is a surge of extremist hatred toward America.

“Bin Laden has been in hiding since 9/11 and we are still dealing with terrorism and unrest in the Middle East,” she said. “His death does not change these problems, nor does it move the world toward solving them in any lasting way. If anything, killing bin Laden probably mobilized a whole new generation of renegades.”

Many individuals are torn between their religious morals and their sense of justice.

“It feels sad to want to celebrate someone’s death,” said Kristi St. Peter of Arlington. “I guess it’s just that sense of justice or closure for what we lost that day, but him being dead won’t necessarily bring that.” 

And Kumar Iyer of Chantilly, who had trouble putting his feelings into words, shared a twist on words: “I can hear bin Laden say to U.S. troops, ‘I just died from your arms tonight.’”