Muted European reactions to the death of Osama bin Laden, along with cynicism about American celebrations, have angered some commentators on the other side of the Atlantic.
When Tony Metcalfe, the British editor-in-chief of the Metro newspapers in the United States, voiced European qualms over celebrations at bin Laden’s death, the backlash was swift.
Writing on his blog on Wednesday, Metcalfe said: “Given the celebrations around the U.S. on Sunday evening, the objections from France, Germany, Spain and parts of the UK came as no surprise, and fitted neatly into many Americans’ view of Europeans as a bunch of, well, cheese-eating surrender monkeys.”
Metcalfe explain how Europeans admire American commitment to shared values of democracy and the rule of law but are anxious that US policy risks creating problems for the future.
“Democratic states do not execute people without first going through the judicial process,” he wrote.
“If that process is circumvented, then you are no better than the terrorists.
“Is that harsh? Should I, a European, be sent back across the pond with mockery in my ears? You probably think so.
“But I defy you to argue with that logic.”
Many Americans, though, have reacted angrily to suggestions they should curtail their celebrations over the death of bin Laden.
“One friend told me she felt judged for feeling happy,” said Hyojin Jenny Hwang, a mother from New Jersey, who posted her feelings of unease on Facebook.
“And another one simply unfriended me on Facebook.’
For Kristen Breitweiser, who lost her husband in the 9/11 attacks, the scenes reminded her of Bin Laden supporters celebrating in the streets on that infamous day in 2001.
“Forgive me, but I don’t want to watch uncorked champagne spill onto hallowed ground where thousands were murdered in cold blood,” she wrote on The Huffington Post blog site.
“And it breaks my heart to witness young Americans cheer any death – even the death of a horrible, evil, murderous person – like it is some raucous tailgate party on a college campus. Why are we not somber?”
