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."