And why was he murdered? He was murdered because the United States didn't want to go through the political and tactical effort to capture him alive. With the most powerful and technologically advanced military in the world, you can not convince me that it could not have been done. We (And I'm disgusted, at this point, to use that pronoun) didn't want to have to put him on trial. It would have been a far less popular choice, and far more difficult. But it would have been right. I hoped we were better than this.

I hoped that when it came down to it, we would use this opportunity to prove that we mean what we say when we say that we care about the rule of law. Do we? Do we truly mean that? Do we mean that justice should be arbitrated by the court system, and not determined by the person with the biggest stick? I find that hard to believe.

I hoped that when it came down to it, we would use this opportunity to prove that we are different, and we do care about the dignity of human life. Obviously we don't. There may be a difference in scope and motive between us and the ilk of Osama, but ultimately, we are both willing to murder for our cause. We say we care about justice, but really, that's just a code word for revenge.

And so today, I am disgusted to be an American. I'm disgusted to be associated with some of the people on Facebook, suggesting that we use Osama's corpse as a "speed bump at the Jewish Community Center". I'm disgusted to be associated with a collective of people that, after an event like this, will gather around the White House and chant "USA". I'm disgusted to be associated with a culture that is currently celebrating a death.

But I'm comforted that one day we will live in a society where we have conquered death. I know that one day, we will discover the technology to extend life longer and longer, either by computers, or genetics, or medicine, until death is no more. I don't know if I'll make it to the singularity. I may be annihilated from this Earth today, tomorrow, ten years from now, never to return, and to be lost to the annals of history. But one day, we will have the power to stop death. One day, we will live in a society where every death is seen as the unnecessary tragedy that it is. One day is not today. But I hope it comes soon.