Is It Just Me?

Or is anyone else throughly creeped out by the intense bloodlust being flaunted by millions in the US right now? It's upsetting, right? I preferred it when we compartmentalized this particular hunger to the public and home theaters screening Eli Roth films and derivations thereof. For those of you actually in the US right now, are you seeing any of this apparently raucous and widespread celebration in the streets? Is it as intense as it seems to be on the internet?

Glenn Greenwald has some great thoughts, as always. Particularly regarding what this may portend:

"But beyond the emotional fulfillment that comes from vengeance and retributive justice, there are two points worth considering. The first is the question of what, if anything, is going to change as a result of the two bullets in Osama bin Laden's head? Are we going to fight fewer wars or end the ones we've started? Are we going to see a restoration of some of the civil liberties which have been eroded at the alter of this scary Villain Mastermind? Is the War on Terror over? Are we Safer now?

"Those are rhetorical questions. None of those things will happen. If anything, I can much more easily envision the reverse. Whenever America uses violence in a way that makes its citizens cheer, beam with nationalistic pride, and rally around their leader, more violence is typically guaranteed. Futile decade-long wars in Iraq and Afghanistan may temporarily dampen the nationalistic enthusiasm for war, but two shots to the head of Osama bin Laden -- and the We are Great and Good proclamations it engenders -- can easily rejuvenate that war love. One can already detect the stench of that in how Pakistan is being talked about: did they harbor bin Laden as it seems and, if so, what price should they pay? We're feeling good and strong about ourselves again -- and righteous -- and that's often the fertile ground for more, not less, aggression."

P.S. As I was typing this and about to press "Publish Post" the guy working the desk/bar at my hostel held up the local paper and said, "You see they finally got the fucker then?" And that's in FUCKING SWITZERLAND!