Pennies for Your Thoughts
Today, I was cleaning a long overdue closet (just ask Muri how overdue) and as I was pulling pair after pair of jeans that no longer fit from the shelves, there was a crash … then the sound of coins … hundreds of them … rolling across the hardwood floor. For years, I’ve tossed my silver change into a decorative stone bowl for use later but the pennies are relegated to a Supersize Seven-Eleven soda cup … and now they were heading in every direction, anxious to re-enter the money supply. As I was painstakingly gathering them up again, I found a shiny new coin I didn’t recognize from its tails side. Even here in Socal, a Canadian penny occasionally makes its way into my pocket and often Asian coins of various denominations show up, too, so I turned it over to see what it was. There was old Abe facing right as he has for 102 years. I Googled new penny and discovered that I’d not only missed the Union Shield penny that came out in 2010, I’d missed the four Lincoln penny designs
minted in 2009 honoring our 16th president. In case you haven’t guessed by now, it’s Top Sites Tuesday Number 100, Two Thoughts on Tuesday and Thought Number One is this: if two new penny designs can slip by without the notice of an observant old guy like me, is the penny becoming obsolete? Or do I just have too much money (oh, if only it were true)?
So, to jump from the trivial to the significant, like all of you, I awoke today to the news that Osama Bin Laden had been killed by an elite team of Navy Seals in Pakistan. In the several days following the attack on the Twin Towers, the scenes that disturbed me most were people in the
Middle East celebrating in the streets. The truth is, these scenes hardened my heart and moved my political views substantially to the right, convincing me that the world was a more evil place than I’d previously believed. Today, I got to see similar celebrations in American cities over the death of the man who instigated the attacks on 
our soil. I remain fairly conservative, particularly with respect to national defense. I believe in capital punishment and have no problem with the strike to kill Bin Laden. But Thought Number Two is this: I wish our celebrations didn’t look quite so much like theirs. It seems to me that the taking of lives, though sometimes necessary, should be celebrated with restraint. Life is, after all, precious. I like to think that we, as a people, recognize that more than other cultures. And I’d offer my pennies for your thoughts on the subject. And whether you offer an opinion or not, I’d appreciate it if you’d push my button … gently … to make me Number One on Top Sites Tuesday #100.
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Tags: death, Lincoln pennies, memes, New Pennies, Osama Bin Laden, perspectives, postaday2011, Top Sites Tuesday
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Older Eyes 
May 3, 2011 at 7:47 am
While the hunt for Osama bin Laden took almost 10 years to find him -and I am grateful for our military, for the special forces that did that, like you, I too cringe at the thought, the sight, of Americans rejoicing in the streets over the death of one person, regardless of how much evil he represented to our country. Have we all forgotten how so many in the middle east danced and celebrated the tragedy of 9-11 and how offended we were at that sight? Why is it then that so many people here did the exact same thing when Osama met his demise and think it’s alright for us to do that but wrong for other cultures/nations to do the same? Kind of puts a mental quandry into the mix doesn’t it?
May 3, 2011 at 8:20 am
Yeah, I too, am struggling with that just a bit. I have compensated by not watching much of the news for now. I understand people’s relief and the finality of having a monster off the planet but the joyous nature of the gatherings seem unsettling considering the nature of war. Like you Bud, I don’t have a problem with the facts of the strike but I wish for a little more restraint, also.
May 3, 2011 at 8:57 am
So interesting that you say this. I felt the same way, as did a few of my Facebook (and real) friends, but we were criticized for making the comments. I think a broader worldview is called for in our modern times, and even though it’s only “bad people” who think our reaction to bin Laden’s death is insulting, that’s kind of the group we’d rather not anger. I had to think about it in order to define it more precisely for my own interpretation: what was happening was relief, and reassurance that we do, in fact, live in a country that can track you down and pull you out of whatever cave (er… rundown mansion) you’re hiding in. It’s also worthwhile to realize that the vast majority of the street-partiers (at least in Washington) were college students. They’re too young to understand the implications, and they’ve grown up with this man’s name as the reason for all the heartache the nation has suffered. It’s understandable… and it’s good that they remember what happened ten years ago. But it’s better if we teach them dignified responses.
May 3, 2011 at 9:40 am
I was surprised at the reaction here too so you are not alone. It seem a bit much although I might feel different if one of my loved ones died in the towers.
Here’s your click ………
Love and Blessings,
AngelBaby
May 3, 2011 at 9:58 am
The whole Bid Laden thing makes me think of this quote:
“I mourn the loss of thousands of precious lives, but I will not rejoice in the death of one, not even an enemy. Returning hate for hate multiplies hate, adding deeper darkness to a night already devoid of stars. Darkness cannot drive out darkness: only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate: only love can do that.” -Martin Luther King, Jr
That being said, I would be lying if I didn’t say I was happy he’s dead.
May 3, 2011 at 12:01 pm
Sometimes I don’t even recognize our own currency lately!
Agree 100% with you on us celebrating his death. But you know its the media promoting it. How many days will we hear about this. Something must cued to be passed in congress…. LOL
May 3, 2011 at 12:30 pm
Oscar, with respect… it’s not the media “promoting” it. The partying in the streets happened. The media got there after it started. One could argue that more people showed up after the media did, but that’s because they didn’t know about the partying until the media showed up. Media have a difficult decision to make in these situations; do we show the truth of what is happening, and risk the global perception being negative… or do we not show the truth of what’s happening, and abdicate our responsibility for the sake of censoring thought?
May 3, 2011 at 5:53 pm
Hi Bud,
You got me started on this one!
Some times the American government can Bite off it’s nose to spite it’s face.
During the 1970s, when Russia was the biggest threat to America and radical Islam was not as a concern of the USA at that time the USA began funding and training Islamic militants to fight our Russian enemies in Afghanistan. Including how to use car bombs among other things in gorilla warfare.
These militants, known as the Mujahideen would run the Russians out of Afghanistan and later become the Taliban, Al Qaeda and the Muslim Brotherhood.
One of the most prominent members of he Mujahideen was a wealthy son of a Saudi Arabian businessman named Osama Bin Laden.
I am not saying in the least that what he did was right by any means. An evil act is just that. Innocent American lives were lost and that is unacceptable!
But I quote from some readings about the deal made with the CIA…
“We know of their deep belief in God, and we are confident their struggle will succeed. That land over there is yours, you’ll go back to it one day because your fight will prevail, and you’ll have your homes and your mosques back again. Because your cause is right and God is on your side.”
Ronald Reagan was elected in 1981, U.S. funding of the mujahideen increased significantly up to 600 million dollars and the CIA Paramilitary Officers played a big role in training, arming and sometimes even leading Mujahideen forces.
This was a gross miscalculation on the American government and if were to help and play a role in their lives I just wonder what went wrong for such hate to arise against us or were we just played?
Nice post Bud, Clicks
Wolf
PS. The only thing missing was the burning of their flag in our streets.
May 3, 2011 at 7:16 pm
I didn’t know about he new pennies… I’d better look into getting a few for my collection.
Clicks!
–Trina
May 4, 2011 at 5:45 am
A very touchy subject Bud but I agree with you. It was unsettling to see the celebration of a death…sort of brought them down to the other level.