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Is it too soon for 'Zero Dark Thirty'?
Teen Editorial BY ALLISON HERR, 16, Freestyle Staff Writer
The much-anticipated release of the action-packed film "Zero Dark Thirty" was for good reason.
Already nominated for five Oscar awards, this film will have you zoned in the entire time. Based on a true story about the events leading up to the capture of Osama bin Laden after 9/11, "Zero Dark Thirty" shows all the intricacies it took to hunt down the man responsible for the attacks.
One thing that stood out to me most was the resilience of one (unnamed) CIA agent -- called Maya in the movie and played by Jessica Chastain. Her character never gives up; she shows strength and resilience that I could only dream of having. Even when everyone gave up on her or didn't believe her, Maya showed true heroism and cunning cleverness to take down bin Laden.
This movie may have come too soon for America. If you think about it, the killing of bin Laden happened only two years ago. Watching this movie, I was saddened that it was America doing all these things. It didn't make sense that the "land of the free" was capturing and torturing members of al-Qaeda or others who were thought to be involved. I had so many conflicting emotions during and after the movie.
However, I do feel that any intelligent American should see the film. It really makes you think about all the conflicts our government must go through to make any decision. The conflict the members of the government have between right and wrong; moral standards and keeping our nation safe; and what they should do versus what they choose to do. We may not always be happy with or see the reasoning behind our government's choices, but watching this movie brought on a new perspective -- and maybe a new respect -- for some of the decisions our government makes.
This was the first movie I've ever been to that, once the ending credits rolled, no one said a word. Everyone just seemed to be in such deep thought. And, one by one, audience members stood and left the theater. The emotions I had afterward ranged from anger to sadness to love for our country. I really didn't know what to think or how to feel, and slowly I had to face the reality that I will probably never know how to feel about what I saw, but I do have to face that it happened. Members of our forces did what they felt was right and safest for us, however wrong it may seem to the rest of the world.
Now, don't get me wrong, I love this country and the things we stand for -- life, freedom and liberty -- but after I saw what they did to hunt down bin Laden and, when they finally found him, what they did to his family, it brought forth a new viewpoint on these values.
Does our policy on life only pertain to Americans? Is the rest of the world less human than we are? When the Navy attacked bin Laden's family and house, they didn't seem worried about the lives of anyone. Even though there were children and innocent people, their lives didn't matter and they weren't spared.
It makes me wonder how President Obama and the government can turn a blind eye to the women and children they left in the house? Again, when Obama became president he stopped the torturing we were doing, saying it was inhumane; but the kids who watched their family get shot, and then were just abandoned in that house alone -- what about them? Some may say this is "un-American," but those children are just innocent kids whose lives will be forever demented and changed.
If it was my choice, I would have waited a few years to let everything settle before bringing out the anger that remains in our hearts from 9/11. This feeling of revenge is what makes us see what we did as OK.
We must see the world's view of us and what we are doing to others, because in the end, we're all part of one earth and we're all human.
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