My Thoughts on Saddam Hussein

I don’t know if you have heard this yet, but Saddam Hussein was executed over the Christmas holidays.

I knew about his trial and how he was going to be executed, but the day he actually was executed hit me hard for some reason. For awhile I analyzed why it would hit me hard. I don’t really follow world events, Saddam is more of a general knowledge thing to me, and I certainly haven’t been following this story. But there you have it, Saddam Hussein is gone. Forever.

I realized later on (as I shared this at supper with Eric, Annie and Mike) that what really hit me was not the fact that he was executed, but this was an end of an era. Saddam Hussein has been part of my general knowledge since watching the Gulf War on television in Grade 8? (Grade 7? What Grade was it? It was around there. 1990). That’s 16 years of my life where he has been in the background of thoughts whenever the word terror or middle east conflict comes up. He’s the person that made me start to realize that a lot more happens outside our nation. He made me realize that there are world issues. His presence, his stature, his outfits…they stick to the brain. He was OUR generation’s super-villain. We’ve never had one before. The Russians were long gone by the time we came around to general knowledge.

So, it’s an end of an era. We will never hear about what Saddam Hussein has been up to. He has been stripped away from our lives. I can’t say I disagree with his execution. I wholeheartedly agree. But it’s just strange to think that we won’t hear about his actions ever again (except for in history books).

Now, here’s a little rant about what is available for the public viewing. I have heard that there is a video taken from a cellular phone showing Saddam before being executed. I don’t really know the details of what is in the video other than him yelling at the crowd. I don’t really care to see what is in the video. I don’t live in the middle ages where everyone goes to the town square to see a good hanging. It turns my stomach to think about it.

Anyhow, so here I am avoiding all possible avenues of seeing any form of this video, but sure enough, like reading about the latest Survivor episode the day after you missed it, you can’t really avoid it. Sure enough, there is an article on Canada.com talking about how you can be a reporter also with the use of your wits, and heck, a cellphone or anything that can capture a newsworthy item.

Sure enough, there’s a nice picture of Saddam Hussein right before his hanging. Great. Strike one for Palmer. Ugh. I have this sick feeling in my stomach now. I think…hmm…how do I put this…there should be some strict rules in place about what should be shown on news outlets. I don’t know…is this prudish of me? People used to see hangings live and in person…should I have the stomach to accept this and cheer for it? I don’t know…I did my best to avoid any possible avenues of seeing photos/video of the event by avoiding all articles involving his execution. But it slips by in the form of a ‘You can be a Reporter TOO! YAY!’ article. I didn’t even read the article yet, I just caught the headline picture on the main page.

Anyhow, that’s Palmer’s thoughts for the day (or the past few weeks which have just now materialized into printed form.)

iplaying: Crazy on You – Heart (Dreamboat Annie)