Monday, May 16, 2011

The Bin Laden Pajamas

The debate over whether it was morally acceptable to kill Bin Laden has lasted just a few days in Europe, but U.S. has not lost a minute disquisitions. The renowned journalist Barbara Probst Solomon wrote an article in El Pais that summarized the American view: "According to the law it is lawful to shoot at the head of your enemies." The fact that he ordered the operation was Obama introduced a new element of confusion in the European intelligentsia, would have been easier if Bush had given the order to remove it.

Now comes news that the death of Bin Laden has become a juicy business for certain merchandising companies that have used the face or the name of public enemy number one. See the leader of Al Qaeda become a T-shirt that reads "Navy Seals 1, Bin Laden 0", "I killed Osama" or "Bin Laden, game over" crashes.

Much more surprising to see a bear that mimosine to go to sleep a baby that includes the expression Ding dong, Bin Laden dead. Or a pitcher of beer, which will celebrate the victories of the NBA playoff, decorated with the leader of Al Qaeda and the dates 1957-2011. Or ties with Bin Laden faces scratches or with the terrorist in sight (there are 28 different models to choose from).

Or a collection of women's pajamas, men and children with phrases such as "Justice has been done" or "Geronimo" mission accomplished or "We caught Osama, with several illustrations. A correspondent of the newspaper Expansion reported that the business is so lucrative (a textile company sold 100,000 shirts in 24 hours) that have come to manufactured items like baby clothes, maternity clothes and clothes for pets.

But also being marketed items like skateboards, watches, glasses, alluding to the death of the terrorist. Not forgetting perishable products such as loaves of bread with his face drawn into flour covers technological devices such as iPad 2 and iPhone. Ensure that the most requested online is the toilet paper with the face of Bin Laden.

If the operation Geronimo uncomfortable on this side of the West even those who are not willing to question it rather disconcerting this business ensued. Probably because the romanization marked us more than any other cultural influence. And because we were taught in schools with a sentence of Emperor Marcus Aurelius, in his time called the Wise, who was influenced by Stoic philosophy, who argued: "The best way to get revenge on a bad person is not like him." It was a way of saying that there was no need to proclaim the hostility to our enemy with a shirt with your face, especially when this has been wiped off the face of the Earth.

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