Osama

My sister and I stood tall.
We watched cars go by, people on phones, and we smelled the polluted air. People enter in and out, but this stopped without a doubt.
It was a memorable day, but not one we would like.
This was the day we would fall all throughout. Read more »

When 9/11 happened I was only 6 or 7, I remember sitting on the couch and looking out the window, watching my cat play by my swing set, my parents were watching the news, and as a child it didn't interest me, but suddenly my parents started panicing with what was being said on TV.  I don't remember it clearly exactly, I remember turning around and seeing burning buildings and people crying on the TV, I asked what was going on but my parents didn't tell me right away.  Later that night, as I kept asking what had happened that made them so upset on the TV, they decided to tell me, t Read more »

UPDATED: On Tuesday, May 10, the Burlington Free Press excerpted some of your blogs and comments on its editorial page. We hope you supported the Free Press' support of YWP by buying a paper! If you weren't able to find it, a pdf of the page is attached below or you can link to the Web version: http://tinyurl.com/5vru89c ... What your posts reveal, I believe, is the range of your opinion, your civility and your ability to articulate your point of view and observations! congrats.

Join the continuing discussion by posting your thoughts. Be heard. ... AND share links of thoughtful piece you've seen in comments section below.

In a raid deep in Pakistan, a U.S. military team, overtook the compound harboring Osama Bin Laden, killed him and buried him at sea, presumably so as not to create an earthly shrine of his burial spot. Bin Laden was the self-avowed leader behind attacks of American ships, embassies and military installations and, of course, the World Trade Center and Pentagon on 9.11.01.

What are your reactions to this news? How did you feel about news coverage of celebrations at ball games, in the streets, in front of the White House? How did you feel? Does this mean anything to you? Why or why not? Does it affect you? How/when did you find out? What does it mean for the U.S.?

Many of you were probably too young to have distinct memories of the actual event. Even so, it would be good to have you share what you know of the event, what you were told, what your thoughts are today with this news. Please take a moment to share. We may post the best work in our Newspaper Series and we've invited news organizations to look at what you've written, to learn of your viewpoints.

When posting a blog, use the keyword, Osama.

gg Read more »

 It's been a while since I've written, so this is exciting!  Sorry that I'm a bit late on this topic, but it's something that means a lot to me. Read more »

 When I was four years old the twin towers were attacked. I remember my mom telling me that a man had flown an airplane into the twin towers in New York city and many innocent people were hurt because of it. Since I was so young I remember feeling sad for all those people who died but I didn't understand much else about the event.  Read more »

Now that he is out reach
Six feet under and way down deep
It seemed to be he’d meet his fate
But that dose not compensate
For all the lives he stole
But as time took its toll
His watery grave took holed

When I heard about Osama Bin Laden’s death I thought it was a lie, but when I saw it on the news everywhere I started to believe that he was dead. that made me feel a little better that he had died but I don’t think the Al Qaeda group is done yet. Most of the people in the U.S are relieved that he deceased but there might be others that arise and there might be  a huge retaliation at the people in America. The world might have been relieved but I don't  think the world would be a better place with Osama Bin laden dead at all. Read more »

Osama bin Laden was hated by many people, but a role model for others. The news that he was killed was unexpected. I never thought that anyone would be able to find him, let alone be able to get close enough to shoot him. I'm very happy that he was killed. Now he can't do any more harm to the United States. Someone told me that people chanted “USA” in front of the White House all night long. I personally think that's a little crazy, but I do understand why people are happy and celebrating. Read more »

  I recently found out that the leader of Al Qaida, Osama bin Laden, has died. My reaction his death is kind of neutral. It is great that people found a man that caused so many deaths in our nation's history, but I feel that it is wrong to celebrate over someone's death. I don't think that it is right to fly with helicopters to a compound in another country, and kill someone in a firefight. I'm not saying that we shouldn't have killed him, but something just doesn't feel right about having parties because someone died. Read more »

 My opinion to Osama Bin Laden being shot and killed is that it is justice served. It is a cause for many people to be joyful. He was the cause of many peoples deaths and it is right that he has now been killed for what he has done. The only bad thing about Osama Bin Laden being killed is that there may be a counter attack by Al-Qaeda terrorists. Over all this is a good event and will go down in history.

     As a 12 year old it's hard to have an opinion about Osama Bin Laden's  death because I was very young when he planned the 9/11 attacks.  If I were a family member of someone that was killed for no reason, I would be very upset.  I would be happy that Osama Bin Laden is dead, but that would not bring back the people he killed.  I was at the World Trade Center a week before 9/11 and I felt safe and happy. Now,  knowing what happened,  I couldn't imagine if he had planned it a week earlier. Read more »

There are two sides to every story. Read more »

 Osama bin Laden

The resent events do not affect me. I am happy for the people who are happy of his death but because I don’t know much about him I have no feelings of my own. I found out when I woke up by tuning in on the morning news. My parents found out much earlier then I. They were called at one in the morning by my aunt who wanted more info on the subject. Read more »

When I first heard of Osama bin Laden's death, I could get myself to feel happy. I understand that he was a horrible man who orchestrated the deaths of thousands of people, but I can't feel joy at his death. I believe that he was a horrible person, and if anyone deserved to die for their crimes it would probably be him, but I can't celebrate about it. When I see the pictures of people cheering and celebrating, all I feel is sadness, that the world had to reach this point. The idea that someone's death is not mourned, but instead celebrated, horrifies me. Read more »

 Yes, Bin Laden was a person, but so were the 3,000 people who died on 9/11.  Not only were people hurt, America was hurt.  This was a great thing for America.  Through all of the political unrest, this seems to be the first time in months that Republicans and Democrats have sat together and celebrated the same cause, America and freedom.  I know I must sound like a conservative, but, in fact, my politics are American and whatever is right for the world.  Getting rid of him was worth the life.  

JG, 7th grade

 Lunaset was right.  We are acting just as low as they did.  Celebrating somebody's death!  It makes me sick.  America is supposed to be the better person.  Hey, we're American's remember?  Two wrongs don't make a right.  So, practice what you preach.  I don't care how many people he killed.  That's in the past.  Now, we need to worry about the future.  I know it was the only way for the Navy Seals, but we shouldn't make it bigger than it needs to be.

E.L. 8th Grade

ofinal.mp3

(NPR's Morning Edition.)

I've stayed away from media all day, on purpose. There's a limit to the amount of coverage of different people's opinions on one man's death I can take. But I turned on the radio this afternoon, just to see if anything's changed.

(Coverage and interviews in New York, VPR interviews, clips from youtube videos of last night.) Read more »

My mom woke me up this morning with the news that many of us had woke up to, on the news or the internet or shouted to us by our parents. Osama bin Ladin was dead.

Scarily enough, it reminded me of another time I had woken up to a death, when I was four and my great grandfather had died. Once again, it was my mother bringing me the news. That morning, I cried. This morning, I didn't. Read more »

Stumbling downstairs,

still half-asleep, blinking

Read more »

She asks me if I've been on the internet yet today, asks me if it's been working. I say no, I haven't checked. That's the truth.

I secretly hope that it's not working. I secretly hope that cyberspace has overflowed with life that it will never work again. I secretly hope that all the news reporters got sick and no one was around to care. I secretly hope I could say yes, yes I've been online and yes, I've heard the news. I already know what happened, so please don't tell me again. I don't want to hear it. I don't want to hear what people have to say. Read more »

It is okay, right?
That they can shoot down a man
Who shot down our men
Who shot down all men
That are sleeping
In beds in a quiet America
That never feels a thing. 

I wonder if the blood on the compound walls
Is a shrine?
Do you have a family, my dear?
Or did they disown you for wanting those virgins
Wrapped in Muslim heaven. 
My little American head doesn't know what that is called.  Read more »

My sister and I stood tall.
We watched cars go by, people on phones, and we smelled the polluted air. People enter in and out, but this stopped without a doubt.
It was a memorable day, but not one we would like.
This was the day we would fall all throughout. Read more »