Its funny, I was in Africa when Bin Laden struck the Twin Towers and I am in Africa again when he was killed. I was 10 years younger, 14 years old. I was so far away from New York. I remember being so ignorant to the attacks. I was playing video games and my friend Taz came into the room telling us what had happened. I didn’t even know what the Twin Towers were so I kept playing Smash Bros.
When it started hitting me that this event was a much bigger deal than I had thought I started being more observant to what was going on. I went to a very diverse school. We had a student named Muhammad. He praised what happened to the towers. We had a student from Queens, New York who was shaken and told us all of his friends were fine. Our history teacher who was from Ohio took a day off to discuss what had happened. People were calling Bin Laden a mad genius for the way he turned the tables on the United States. I was not in the U.S. on 9/11 but I know one thing for sure. In Ethiopia I saw mixed opinions and I’m sure there was only one opinion on American soil: revenge.
I am now 10 years older, 24. I was told by my friend Kelsey that Bin Laden was killed as I was ready to extend my sleep that morning. I instinctively jumped up and ran towards the computer to read the news myself. It was true; Bin Laden was in fact… gone. Finally. I took a Peace Corps car that morning back to my village (I was in Ngaoundere for a meeting and banking). During the car ride we discussed what the death of Bin Laden meant for the U.S., for the world.
I remember before the Obama/McCain election I had a discussion with a friend on my floor of why I supported Obama. I told Aimee that living overseas exposed me to the absolute hatred the international community had for the United States. I told her that Obama’s victory would single handedly change the opinion of not millions but billions. She told me she respected me less for that opinion. The truth is she had never left the United States (and probably hasn’t yet either). There was no way of making her understand my point of view. Another truth is that the majority of Americans of whom I have met consider taking a cruise to the Bahamas leaving the country
The truth is I myself was once part of that demographic. I too once hated the United States. I realize now it was because I did not understand what the U.S. stands for. I now understand that ignorance is the first step to understanding something new. The truth is, I was young when I met people who praised Bin Laden’s actions. Aimee only got to see them cheering and burning American flags on CNN, she did not get to speak with them.
Obama did change everything. I cannot tell you enough how many Cameroonians I have met that praise Obama and America when I tell them I am from the United States. There are little children and adults who wear Obama t-shirts, holographic Obama belt buckles, Obama key chains or even Obama underwear! Obama’s victory gave millions of people hope for a (somewhat functional) democracy. Personally I don’t think the timing of the Arab Revolution starting directly after Obama’s victory is a coincidence.
Bin Laden is gone. Peace Corps and the American Embassy warned all of the Peace Corps Volunteers not to celebrate publicly the death of Bin Laden. They said it could potentially put us in danger. If I were in Niger, Morocco, Egypt or maybe Pakistan then maybe I would be in danger. But here in Cameroon, Cameroonians who actively sought my opinion praised his death. Some even told me they felt safer for it. Of course some also think that his death is a lie.
Bin Laden is gone, Arabs are demanding that their voices are heard, European help is being sought to remove oppressive dictators, African leaders are uniting to solve African challenges, progressive developing countries like Brazil are learning from the mistakes of developed countries’ welfare programs because they are now rich enough to provide it, the information age is opening the minds of the planet, more and more poor people are being empowered and educated, and people are calling this the end of the world? I don’t think so. This is without a doubt one of the best times to be alive. The way I see it, the world has never been falling apart. It never does. It has been putting itself together since the beginning of time. It is always the best time to be alive, as long as we all do our parts to help put it together.
May 10, 2011
