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According to Yahoo, one out of five searches on Sunday was for “Osama bin Laden”. “Who is Osama bin Laden” ranked number 5 on the site, and 66 percent of those who searched for that term were ages 13 to 17.

Not quite sure who he is yourself, or why his death matters? Read on, babes, for a li’l bit of background.

Who was he?

Osama bin Laden (also called Usama bin Laden and shortened to OBL or UBL in the news) grew up in Saudi Arabia. His family was wealthy and religious, but as he got older, his beliefs became extreme. When the U.S. fought Iraq during the first Gulf War, he began to view the United States and their allies as enemies of the Muslim faith. He declared holy war on the U.S. in 1998, and used Al-Qaeda, the militant Islamist organization he started in the 1990s, to violently attack the United States.

What did he do?

With Al-Qaeda, bin Laden planned and executed numerous attacks on countries that uphold Western beliefs, like democracy. He bombed U.S. embassies and was responsible for the murder of nearly 3,000 people on September 11, 2001.

Why did he do bad things?

Bin Laden’s beliefs were radical, and are certainly not representative of all Muslims. He believed that Western ideals, like socialism, communism and democracy, were a threat to Islam. U.S. presence and influence in the Middle East and particularly in Israel infuriated him. His solution was jihad, or holy war.

How did we find him?

While he has been on the FBI’s most wanted list in 1999, the U.S. has been actively hunting him since September 11, 2001, when President Bush declared a War on Terror. The U.S. first attacked Afghanistan, which is where bin Laden was thought to be operating al-Qaeda in secret, on Oct. 7, 2001. On the morning of May 2, 2011 (still May 1 in the U.S.), a team of Navy SEALs performed a covert operation that ended in the killing of bin Laden and at least four others. The U.S. operatives removed his body, tested DNA to confirm the terrorist’s identity and buried him at sea according to Islamic custom.

How should I feel about his death?

Now that you know the basics, your feelings are up to you. We suggest speaking to your parents and teachers about the situation, and reading some of the many news stories online and in the paper so fill in the still-empty blanks.

We at GL think the outright celebration seen in the streets (and on Facebook) has been a disrespectful show of the otherwise apt and acceptable relief many feel at the thought of another dangerous man being taken out of the picture. And, as President Obama said Sunday night, “On nights like this one, we can say to those families who have lost loved ones to al-Qaeda’s terror: Justice has been done.”

Is the world any safer?

Unfortunately, sweeties, this is a question no one can really answer. There is little doubt that our nation’s leaders are doing the best they can to keep us all safe, and to root out those who present real threats to our nation.

Does that mean you should stop living, or start living in fear? Absolutely not, babes. Caution is always a good thing, as is knowledge, but not doing the things you would normally do, like visiting Grandma during summer break, is just want terrorists want.  Keep smiling, keep living and keep loving.

Did you know who Osama bin Laden was when you heard the news, babes?

by GL | 2/1/2016