Osama and the 1960s

Once news broke that the US had found and killed Osama bin Laden there was widespread rejoicing in many parts of the world, particularly in America and even more especially in New York. All of this is completely understandable, but the point kept getting raised in conversations I had with different people was that it seemed odd for so much celebration over someone's death. And I remember similar conversations coming up when Saddam Hussein was executed.

With these thoughts going through my head, I wasn't really surprised when some Facebook friends posted a Martin Luther King quote as their status update. The full quote read:

"I mourn the loss of thousands of precious lives, but I will not rejoice in the death of one, not even an enemy. Returning hate for hate multiplies hate, adding deeper darkness to a night already devoid of stars. Darkness cannot drive out darkness: only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate: only love can do that."

And even though this isn't entirely attributable to King (the first sentence of that quote turned out to be from the first Facebook user to include the rest of his quote in their status update), it made me realise once again what a profound man he was. Not only did he live a life of peace, he also preached a message of love. There have been many indictments made about some aspects of his life, but his words have stood the test of time and still ring true half a century later.

A few weeks ago I finished reading a book called Bad Blood, which dealt primarily with the rivalry between Lyndon Johnson and Robert Kennedy. It also focused on both of their efforts in advancing the cause of the civil rights movement and detailed how their rivalry has overshadowed the important work they did, particularly in the case of Lyndon Johnson.

But Kennedy was more visible in the civil rights movement. He was friends with Martin Luther King and made many impassioned speeches to African Americans even in the face of derision, condemnation and death threats, which ultimately were acted upon. One of Kennedy's most famous speeches was the one he delivered on news of Martin Luther King's death, where he said:

"We can move in that direction as a country, in greater polarization -- black people amongst blacks, and white amongst whites, filled with hatred toward one another. Or we can make an effort, as Martin Luther King did, to understand, and to comprehend, and replace that violence, that stain of bloodshed that has spread across our land, with an effort to understand, compassion, and love."

What both Kennedy and King both said over and over in different speeches to different people is eternally true: that light is the only way to overcome darkness and love is the only way to overcome hate. Both these men had a strong Christian faith, which is where they found the ideas of light and love overcoming darkness and hate. And its a faith that I share. Which is why I won't celebrate the death of Osama bin Laden either.

Now I'm going to start reading Strength To Love, the book of Martin Luther King's sermon that the original quote comes from.