His teacher, Shawn Knabe, interrupted the normal Advanced U.S. Studies course work on Monday to shed a little light on that disbelief, one of many ways local residents reacted to the killing of bin Laden in Pakistan by U.S. Navy SEALs.
It’s a teachable moment, Knabe said.
“It’s one of the major news stories of the last 10 years ... It’s something everyone was going to be talking about and is relevant to their lives,” he said.
Many of Burroughs’ classmates also heard about the al-Qaida leader’s death through social media, including Da’Marie Harris.
She said it’s about time they found him and that bin Laden should have been taken alive.
“They shouldn’t have killed him,” she said while researching al-Qaida on an iPad. “They should have made him suffer. How else are they going to make him know what he did?”
Burroughs also pointed out — as did President Obama — that bin Laden shouldn’t be considered a Muslim leader and that the majority of his victims have been Muslim.
“He’s a not a Muslim leader, he’s a mass murderer,” Burroughs said.
Imam Mustafaa Islam of the Masjid An-Nur in Springfield agreed. Extremists and fanatics exist in all faiths, he said, and Islam is a peaceful religion.
He understands people’s feeling of justice and happiness around bin Laden’s death, but said his killing won’t solve the bigger problems.
“For me, the bigger question is why are there people in the world who have such negative feelings toward the United States and it’s government,” Islam said. “That needs to be studied more.”
U.S. Rep. Steve Austria agreed that the death doesn’t end the War on Terror. The Beavercreek Republican commended the Navy SEALs who raided the compounded and applauded everyone in the military and intelligence field who has worked on finding bin Laden.
Justice has been served, he said.
“We join the families and loved ones of those 3,000 victims in sharing much relief and gratitude,” Austria said. “But I would also caution that although many are relieved, we can’t let our guard down. There still remains the threat of al-Qaida.”
Stacy Lawson of New Carlisle said it’s about time bin Laden was tracked down. Her nephew is in the Marines.
“He’s really happy,” she said. “He called us last night around 11 and said ‘They got him!’”
Frank Sheeley of Springfield heard the news late last night.
“It took long enough ... I’m glad it’s getting to a close and this chapter will be over,” he said.
Phil Pitzer of Springfield agreed, saying he was happy and relieved.
“At the heart of any organization is its leader. (Bin Laden) was al-Qaida’s leader and he’s dead, it has to affect al-Qaida. (Bin Laden’s death) will do a lot of good for morale of the troops, who have paid such a high price over the last 10 years,” he said
But not everyone in Springfield is so sure, including Samuel Murph.
“I don’t believe it until I see it. When they show me the body I’ll believe it ... It’s just a gimmick,” he said.
Contact this reporter at (937) 328-0363 or ssommer@coxohio.com.
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