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Blog Entry 21 of 68 The Write Words
I hope to write about anything and everything that comes into my mind, as long as it is in good taste. I hope to communicate effectively and stimulate thought and conversation. I can't wait to get started!

Blog Url: http://denver.yourhub.com/~ErinsBlog

Watching Saddam die

Contributed by: Erin Di Paolo   on 12/30/2006

Last night I turned on the news to find out that Saddam Hussein had finally been executed. Like millions of others, I was relieved. Hussein was an evil man, responsible for the deaths of thousands of innocent people and the oppression of millions of others. Justice was indeed served in this case.

CNN's Anderson Cooper, my journalist hero, was on air at the time of Hussein's death. Immediately, there was talk of photos and videos of the execution that Iraqi television may be broadcasting. Cooper reported that once CNN had viewed the images a decision would be made whether to broadcast them or not. I watched for an hour and a half, hoping to see them. And there were many others like me, emailing CNN to say that they would like to see the execution as well. I went to bed disappointed.

Is there something wrong with us? I think not. First, I think we want proof that Hussein is actually dead. Second, there is part of us that wants to see justice served. We are a voyeuristic society, after all. Look at the popularity of reality television shows, for example. My husband said it really wouldn't be a good thing to watch someone die. I agreed that it would more than likely be disturbing, but that I needed to watch it.

When I turned on the tv this morning, there were images of Saddam right before his execution and images of his body afterwards. So far I have not seen the actual video, if it exists, of the execution itself. Seeing Hussein's body does bring some sort of closure for me, and, I hope, to the millions of people affected by his brutal, oppressive regime. Defiant to the end, Hussein's last words were, "God is great. The nation will be victorious and Palestine is Arab." Yeah, right. Whoever made the decision to execute Hussein definitely made the right choice.

Last night hundreds of jubilent Iraqi-Americans were shown in Michigan, celebrating in the streets after learning of Hussein's death. I am sure the reaction will be the same throughout most of the world. While I rejoiced with those people, I felt sadness, however, because something was missing from their celebration: there were only men and boys in the crowd; no women at all. I commented to my husband that even though Hussein was indeed gone, there is definite liberating left to do. Women should have been allowed to celebrate in public, tool.

No sooner had I made the comment than the reporter on the scene said there were no women present. He said what viewers could not have known: that women were indeed there, but were sitting in cars nearby. Perhaps the men were simply protecting the women, not willing to risk their safety? We all know that is not the case. Iraqi women still live in a repressed state, whether living in the United States or the Middle East.

Let's hope that with the death of Hussein comes the death of some other barbaric practices as well. Good riddance, Saddam.


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Showing 1 of 1 comments
Submitted By: Barbara Neff
posted on 1/2/2007 @ 1:03:05 PM
(Not Rated)
I find no glee in the death of another, even those whose transgressions weigh as heavily as those of Hussein's. The taking of a life under any circumstances is disturbing, in my opinion.
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CONTRIBUTOR INFORMATION

Erin Di Paolo

Denver , CO

Erin Di Paolo has posted 68 blog entries and 1 comment since joining on 3/18/2006. Erin Di Paolo 's average blog rating is 4.45.
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