On Thursday, ruthless dictator Moammar Gaddafi was killed, marking an end to his 42-year rule over Libya.
The victory was monumental. Libyan rebels paraded in the streets glowing with pride.
President Barack Obama and his administration painted it as another win U.S. — just one more successful military operation in the Middle East.
When I heard of Gadhafi’s death, it pleasantly surprised me. Sure, I knew Gadhafi’s downfall was eminent for months, but it was still good news.
Gone was the man who was responsible for countless deaths. Gone was a conflict that had taken the lives of innocent people. Here and now was a time of revolution — if only it was that simple.
With the victories, though, came gruesome images and videos of Gadhafi’s final moments among Libyan rebels.
Libyan rebels found Gadhafi in a drainage pipe and captured him. Gadhafi was wounded, but he would receive the brunt of his injuries from the rebels.
“Within an hour, he was dead, but not before jubilant Libyans had vented decades of hatred by pulling the eccentric dictator’s hair and parading his bloodied body on the hood of a truck,” the Associated Press reported.
I was warned of these sickening images, and decided to avoid them. I didn’t have the heart to watch a man’s bloodied body paraded around town.
But Gadhafi still deserved to die, I told myself.
Later I realized, though, that my words have implications. The things I say can bring about actions, and I need to stand by those actions, too.
Granted, I didn’t tell those rebels to go out and kill Gadhafi, but I supported them nonetheless. I believed Gadhafi’s actions merited death, so why couldn’t I watch it happen?
As a nation, we are eager to offer an opinion or say something rash, but we don’t want to see the implications, even if they are for the greater good.
We are ardent with our words, but timid with our actions.
When I spoke to my father about Gadhafi’s death, he said something that struck me.
“The U.S. has been waiting to see a noose around Gadhafi’s neck for years,” he said.
Nevertheless, he admitted that it was hard for him to watch the gruesome images on TV.
If it came down to it, if the rebels ordered Gadhafi to be hung, through a just process, would you watch it? Would you put the noose around his neck?
I certainly wouldn’t.
But in preparation for this column, and in an effort to stand by my word, I decided I needed to view Gadhafi’s final moments.
I watched every possible video I could find, and I left CNN’s coverage of Gadhafi’s lifeless, beaten body lying on the floor playing for hours.
I won’t lie — it was hard to watch, and I certainly wish I didn’t have to.
But I would encourage anyone who believes Gadhafi deserved to die to do the same. You may reconsider what you truly believe, or at the very least, what you say.
Actions have consequences, or so the saying goes. Well, words do, too.
Reach the columnist at eeeaton@asu.edu.
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