I cannot begin to know the conversations on Hitler and certainly there were celebrations. Obviously the circumstances differed, but it would make for an interesting discussion.

If you are interested in finding out more about Hitler’s supporters, particularly women in Germany, you might consider Claudia Koontz’s challenging book, “Mothers in the Fatherland: Women, the Family and Nazi Politics.” In it she discusses the roles of various groups of women inplayed in Nazi Germany, both in their actions and their silence.

I wish you well.

Thanks for having the courage to request a dialog around a topic you knew had to have many different viewpoints. I love the respect with which we have been able to share our differences and learn from one another.

I think that’s one of the marks of a true leader, to foster communication when it’s easier to ignore things. It grows people together in ways that nothing else can. So, thanks for stepping out in courage today. I’m sure that your students are blessed to know you.

This is going to be my last contribution today on the subject, but as I was reading through the other comments and your replies, I couldn’t help but wonder what some of the discussions were like when Adolf Hitler died. He couldn’t have become as powerful as he was without some supporters. Too bad we can’t easily tap into the conversations they were having 60+ years ago to see what they learned from the experience…

My friend Lali once mentioned that she has respect for people that can disagree with her intelligently. I could not agree with her more.

Thank you Leigh.

As a surviving family member of someone who was a victim of murder, I am FOR the death penalty. Not because I cheer on death or the vengeance that drives some to seek the death of others. Instead, what I despise is the fact that my tax dollars went for 22 years to house, clothe and feed a man who ruthlessly killed another. While I love our country, that doesn’t mean I agree with what we’ve come to see as “justice.” How is it justice that this man is now free, after “serving his time,” when my uncle’s life was cut short at the ripe old age of 24? Andy’s gone while his killer gets a second chance at life. It’s not to say that his life wasn’t destroyed that day as well. But while he was waiting for his second chance, I paid (along with my fellow tax payers) for everything he needed to survive. How fair is that? My only hope is that this man makes something good come out of his own life.

In Osama’s case, his path was clear. He followed it unwaveringly, and showed no signs of ever changing his direction. He’s gone. That’s an accomplishment, not a reason to celebrate. It’s a step in the right direction, and now it’s time to forge a new future.

Peace isn’t always about a lack of fighting among peoples. Peace must exist inwardly before it can exist outwardly. I think this step in our nation’s history will bring greater inward peace to those who lost loved ones as a result of 9/11.

Brilliant Deborah. While I don’t think anyone would argue that Bin Laden’s death is bad thing, I do agree wholeheartedly that celebrating the death of anyone – regardless of how evil they were – shortens the gap between what we despise and what we aim to be as a society.

In terms of leadership, I think it also serves to remind us of the importance of focusing on purpose, which is why I loved your quote above. Sorry I missed it, by the way, as I would have gladly shared that nugget on Twitter. In fact, I’m going to do so right now.

For centuries, humans have been uncomfortable with “difference.” Different skin colors. Different religions. Different political views. We continue to kill one another over these things. I do not agree with bin Laden’s views or tactics. But dancing in the streets to celebrate his death does nothing to create a world where we dialogue constructively about difference, instead of judging, attacking and purging.