I'm about to piss a lot of people off.

Was 9/11 terrible? Yes. I was nine years old when it happened, and it stands out in my mind as the first truly terrible thing that I was aware of. Did wars and natural disasters happen in the years between 1991 and 2001? Yes, but I don't remember them. But yes, let's all agree (for the sake of argument and because it was) that 9/11 was terrible and lots of people lost their lives and it's basically shadowed American culture since. Never forget.

Was Osama Bin Laden a horrible, vile, disgusting man who deserved to die for what he did? Yes. Absolutely. He's probably sitting in a hell-as-a-bureaucracy right now, holding a will-call number and trading dirty looks with Hitler and Stalin. Which is right where he belongs. Because he killed innocents, lead a crooked, violent, dehumanizing regime, and spent ten years trolling our country with viral videos clips while we couldn't find the guy.

Is it terrific that our troops have finally managed to find and shoot him? Yes. I'm not going to argue with you. The world is better for him being dead. Absolutely.

I am a red-blooded American. I love this country and I love progress. (I would love to see more of it.)

Do I think that setting off fireworks, partying in the streets, and making t-shirts is absolutely the wrong way to behave upon hearing that we have killed the FBI's most wanted?

Oh my god, you fucking rednecks, are you kidding me.

Our army shot someone. We did not win the world cup. Have some class.

It is traditional to save the ticker tape parade for when the troops/politician/astronauts/whoever COME HOME. This is not a victory until every last American soldier is out of Afghanistan. We won a battle. Let's not forget that we still have to finish the war.