Are we now a nation that celebrates the death of an enemy? Are we a nation that allows our president to call a man – any man – facing imminent death “a dog,” “a coward,” “whimpering,” “crying?”

Would our draft-dodging president whimper and run if facing a stampede of dogs and men who wanted to kill him? Would that make him “a dog?”

Once again, and not surprisingly, President Trump has shown a lack of discretion, of human empathy, of humanness. Once again, we’ve seen him face world politics as if it is a video game or a movie with, again no surprise, himself as superhero.

I do not mourn Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi. But I also do not celebrate, nor do I think our nation should celebrate, anyone’s death. And, as if this lack of humanity is contagious, follow-up media stories focused on the injured K-9 dog, while I have seen nothing yet about even the ages of the three children who allegedly died with al-Baghdadi.

Cathy Wolff
Kittery