Foxborough Reacts to Bin Laden's Death, Remember 9/11 ‎

The news reached some of us late Sunday night, while others awoke Monday morning to hear the Osama bin Laden is dead. It is a statement that Americans have been waiting almost a decade to hear, and one that brings mixed emotions for many of us.

Chris Mitchell, founder of the group Foxboro Never Forgets, an organization dedicated to honoring the memory of those lost on 9/11, called the news “bittersweet”. Mitchell reminds us that for people like former Foxborough resident Cindy McGinty, whose husband was killed in the World Trade Center attack masterminded by bin Laden, the news does not return her husband, and does “open wounds again.”

Mitchell also points out that this is a time for us locally to embrace our patriotism. “The first thing I did was grab my flag and put it on my house,” he said, adding that this victory, for some Foxborough residents “brings back the love of their country.”

But some people seem to be reacting with skepticism. We have gone from last week’s favorite question -  ‘Where’s the birth certificate?’-  to this week’s favorite - ‘Where’s the death certificate?’.  With bin Laden’s body left to sea, it is an understandable reaction, but one that (I imagine) will be quickly put to rest, though conspiracy theorists are sure to have a field day.

In fact, DNA testing has determined that it was bin Laden’s body.

Others worry that celebrating death in such a high-spirited fashion is almost sinking to the level of terrorists, as they tend to value death in the way we value life.

One Foxborough mother said she is concerned about her children “seeing people so happy at the news of someone’s passing.”

Indeed, it is a difficult thing to explain to children, but this victory certainly is something for Foxborough to celebrate.  We owe much gratitude to the many brave men and women who have dedicated or even sacrificed their lives over the past decade. This is their victory, and ours. Today, Foxborough residents share the world with a little less evil, and that can’t be anything but good.

I think this sentiment is best expressed in a statement from Angela Davis, chairwoman for the Foxborough Republican Town Committee.

“The strength, honor and resolve that the US Military have sustained in locating bin Laden and bringing him to justice has been a source of pride for our nation. To those that would do America any harm, let this be a warning. To those brave military men and women throughout the world that defend freedom and our great nation, we say God Bless each of you,” said Davis.