Community Corner

Mixed Emotions in Tolland Over bin Laden's Death

Many said they want to celebrate anyone's death, but that they were happy, relieved and concerned upon hearing of Osama bin Laden's fate.

Monday afternoon, as the sun still shone through the emerging clouds, parents gathered at the Little League field on Cider Hill Road to catch a game.

Less than 12 hours earlier, many of them had heard the news that the man considered as the country’s public enemy No. 1 was dead. Yet, the reality of that an elite group of Navy SEALS had engaged Osama bin Laden in a firefight Sunday and that the leader of Al Qaeda did not survive the attack was still a bit shocking.

No one said they wanted to rejoice in someone’s death. Many said their initial feelings of shock turned to joy and then trepidation for what could be to come. All said they hoped the news brings some closure to the family and friends of the roughly 3,000 people who died on Sept. 11.

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“At first I was happy, but a lot of people died on September 11th, and this still doesn’t bring them back. It takes care of unfinished business,” Kurt Jorgensen said as he watched his son Tyler play left field for the Mets.

“It was surprising,” Sukoshi Club said of the news as she watched her son Luke warm up to pitch for the Angels.

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Club said she understands the great pride people are feeling about the government’s accomplish, but that she, personally, finds it more troubling than comforting.

“I don’t think it makes us any safer, and there is a reasonable possibility of retaliation. His death did not wipe out terrorism,” Club said.

Slightly more than one-mile away, Judith Picard had similar thoughts and wondered aloud whether over the past near decade, preparations had already been underway for bin Laden’s successor.

“It’s not like with his death terrorism is over,” Picard said Monday evening as she loaded bags of donated clothing into a bin along Route 195. “And he hadn’t done anything significant for nearly 10 years.”

Although another terrorist attack on par with those on Sept. 11th has not occurred in the country, residents’ memories of that day and the affect it had on their personal lives remain vivid.

Jorgensen was working in the aerospace industry at the time. His son Tyler was 2½ and his wife was pregnant with their second child. Because of the attacks, and the scare of flying, he lost his job. Now employed, Jorgensen said it was a very difficult time for his family, particularly his wife.

Monday morning, before work and school, Jorgensen talked with his sons about the president’s announcement. They’ve watched the videos of two airliners hitting the World Trade Center towers and the destruction at the Pentagon. He shared the news of bin Laden’s death. He said they were happy and then they moved on with their business of the day.

At the Birch Grove Primary School, Principal Thomas Swanson said if students had any questions they would be answered by a teacher. He was not aware of any such discussions as of Monday afternoon.

Swanson said there’s a possibility that some will have questions later in the week as more time passes and there’s more of an opportunity for students to overhear a discussion about bin Laden’s death.


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