Osama bin Laden is dead. On the evening of May 1, news of Osama bin Laden’s death spread throughout television, radio and the Internet.
On May 2, Bakersfield College students could be heard discussing the news while walking through campus.
BC student Edith Jara, 18, was happy to hear the news.
“It’s cool – it’s not cool, I shouldn’t say that because someone died, but you actually feel like the terrorism is finally going to end. I was in fourth grade when 9/11 happened, and to see how everything started and how they were looking for them when Bush was out and they finally captured him when Obama’s president. It’s cool to see they finally grabbed him.”
Shirley Reeder, wife of a Vietnam War veteran and a BC student, said, “I’m relieved. I’m joyful that people whose lives were destroyed by what he did are now getting justice.”
However, Reeder believes that the United States should “keep our guard up.”
Political science professor Ed Borgens believes that the death of bin Laden will cause unwanted ripples.
“There could be some concern that for those still in al Qaeda now look at this guy as a martyr and the U.S. could be vulnerable to a backlash,” said Borgens. “Between this and the killing of some of Gaddafi’s family, I would think that some of the Libyans who support Gaddafi would strike back with that issue.
“This last weekend was a very busy weekend – we took out some of Gaddafi’s family and some of bin Laden’s family and he [Osama] himself. And it’s kind of a relief and sense of closure, but at the same time there could be concern about further terrorist attacks.”
While many were happy upon hearing the news other BC students felt apathetic toward the death of the al Qaeda leader.
Isaac Carrillo, 29, a former member of the U.S. Navy, said, “I didn’t know the guy. I don’t really have any feeling positive or negative.
“I was actually in the military, and I went to Afghanistan back when all this was happening. I was kind of pissed off at him. Not so much because of the stuff they were accusing him of. I was pissed off because of 9/11, I missed my trip to Australia. I had to go straight to war instead of Australia.”
“I don’t think someone’s death is good,” said Carrillo, who hopes that the death of bin Laden will mean U.S. troops will return home from Afghanistan soon.