The Justice Coin

JusticeCoin.com has come out with a commemorative coin to mark the killing of Osama bin Laden. I’m reminded by the words of a good friend who lost his brother in the 9-11 attacks and what he said about retribution and closure following the death of Osama bin Laden.

The whole issue of closure means everything to others and trivia to us. To those who were stung by the attacks, but not necessarily struck by it, bin Laden’s death finally gives them their pride of settlement, of control, of eye-for-eye justice. Even Jesus be cool with that.

Well we the people, we got our man. We retook control and showed ‘em who’s boss.  I suppose that passes for “closure.” ‘Twas the one thing we all ever really wanted, and the only thing I’ll never ever get.

I thankfully wasn’t directly touched by the attacks, but I knew more than a few friends who were and I know that certainly many American and non-American lives have been impacted in ways that cannot be undone since then. I certainly don’t weep for bin Laden, I feel better he is no longer with us, but commemorating his death with a coin seems so jingoistically trite. I don’t know. Perhaps a scalp or an earlobe next time, so we can hang around our necks. For all to see. The suggested retail price for the coin is $100 dollars, but if you act fast, it can be yours for just $19.95.  Perhaps a commemoration of values not quite intended, but communicated to all loud and clear.