Dear Osama Bin Laden

With the recent election of Barack Obama as President of the United States, Al Qaeda has reared its head again with disparaging remarks about American black leaders. Listening to the news reports brought to mind a letter I had once written (but of course never mailed). It was written a time after the September 11 incident. I submit it now for review and maybe contemplation.

To: Mr. Osama Bin Laden

My name is Joe. I wanted to write to you this holiday season because I still think about the events of September 11, 2001 almost on a daily basis. I remember the grand scale of the event. The picture of a large commercial airliner flying into a massive skyscraper feels like a scene from a "Die Hard" movie starring Bruce Willis.

I remember how I felt that day as I notified my family of the events unfolding. I was at work at the time. Then a thought came to mind. What were the thoughts going through the mind of the man who masterminded this diabolic plan of destruction against so many innocent people?

After time had passed and revealed who you were, the real questions began to present themselves. Did you feel remorse or sorrow? Was your heart simply cold and bitter? What could possibly be your reason for attacking and promoting further attacks on Americans? Being an intelligent man, why choose violence as your means to right whatever wrong you perceived and needing restitution?

Osama...may I call you Osama? You see I figure that beyond the circus of politics, the idiosyncracies of religion and the madness of patriotism, you must first and foremost be a man...an individual...a sentient being with reason and feelings. You probably consider yourself a child of God or similar deity. You are a family man and a member of some community and thus grounded within certain beliefs and rules.

I believe this because I am the same. Thus, if we are similar, then logic dictates that I can understand ore even empathize with you. And yet, I cannot. How do I understand the senseless murdering of innocents who had no hand in whatever offense you feel was perpetrated upon you, your people or your country?

There is no reason or rhyme for the senseless type of attacks that you promote through Al Qaeda. Teaching other innocents to believe that the terroristic attacks are some kind of holy war is at best moronic. So, I find myself asking a new question. Are you a man? Or, are you a mere abhorration of life? I want to believe in the first, I truly do, but you make it very difficult. Still, I will wish you a happy holiday period. It is a time for reflection and maybe...just maybe...you will remember the good within yourself.

Sincerely,

joe

Perhaps I should mail it to the region where someone might pick it up and somehow get the message to Bin Laden. Maybe we should all do the same.