Community Corner

Little Silver to Obama: 'Prove It'

Few people in downtown Little Silver would speak on record Monday, and some demanded evidence.

Most residents in downtown Little Silver this morning and afternoon were either too busy to be concerned or did not want to go on record regarding the death of Osama bin Laden.

Those who agreed to speak did so under the condition the camera be switched off, and many expressed skepticism about whether the man the U.S. killed was actually Osama bin Laden.

"To win in court, you need evidence right?" said one restauranteur. "Where's the proof? I'm happy he's dead, but I want to know it's really him and we got the right guy."

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In an ABC News report published this morning, senior U.S. officials said they used several methods to confirm bin Laden's identity, one of which matched his DNA  with that of several family members. The Navy SEALs also claims they used facial recognition technology and got visual confirmation from a woman believed to be one of bin Laden's several wives.

Some residents felt the U.S. should not have disposed of bin Laden's body, which was given an expedited burial in accordance with Islamic custom. The remains were thrown overboard the USS Carl Vinson into the North Arabian Sea early Monday morning.

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"I don't care about his religion," said one resident. "This man was a mass murderer. He doesn't deserve a proper Islamic burial. How many of the 9/11 families got to have proper burials for their loved ones?"

One resident thought the timing of the announcement was impeccable.

"Obama's ratings were down. Way down," she said. "I can't think of anything, save for a quick fix of our economy, that would give him a bigger boost."

Not everyone was a skeptic, however. Long Branch resident David Miller, who was visiting the post office in Oceanport this morning, said he was delighted when he heard the news.

"I was glad that they killed him rather than captured him. If he was captured, they would try to collect diplomats and hold him for hostage and so forth," said Miller. "So, I'm on my way now to buy a new American flag, which I'm going to hang out."


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