Bin Laden, Terrorists, & the Mendenhall Controversy

Image by Hawk Eyes via Flickr

As the history-political science-professor-writer guy, people tend to ask me questions when big events happen around the world. As quiet as I’ve been about the recent death of Osama bin Laden, I still hear from plenty of folks wondering what I think.

Combine that historic occasion with today’s controversy over comments made on Twitter by Pittsburgh Steelers running back Rashard Mendenhall and these questions aren’t going away.

So let me offer a short perspective before asking you a question of my own.

First, what did I think/how did I feel upon hearing the news Sunday evening that bin Laden had been killed. A comment response I left at Lessons from Teachers and Twits on Renee’s thoughtful post should suffice. Quoting myself:

“I felt pretty unmoved when I first heard the news. Bin Laden was dead. Brought to justice is a fitting description of that. I thought of the forces on the ground and was happy they did not suffer a loss.

I turned on the news and saw the celebrants. I had an unpleasant feeling too. I thought of the Scriptures and wondered how I should react. Just me. What was the right thing for me to feel and do. The love your enemies part still makes my head twist.

Then I went back to work because my life is no different today than it was before Sunday.”

Secondly, when I awoke today the Rashard Mendenhall story was already raging. If you are unfamiliar, Mendenhall is the Steelers running back (yes, my hometown team) who led the team in rushing on the way to and fumbled during Super Bowl 45.