This past Sunday night, May 1st, President Obama announced to the United States that, through US Military Action, Osama Bin Laden had been captured and killed.
Word of this had gotten out via Twitter before anyone was talking about it on the news. When students at George Washington University heard that the man who had made our world crash down on September 11, 2001 was dead, they rushed to the White House to celebrate. Students were literally running across campus and down Pennsylvania to post up outside as Obama made his statement to the United States.
Devon Horowitz, a sophomore at the GW, tells Her Campus about the madness and excitement that was 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue on Sunday night.
HC: How did you find out about Obama’s statement to America about Bin Laden’s death?
Devon: I actually didn’t even hear the news that he was going to make an announcement. I was finishing a paper and I had been really disconnected from Facebook and Twitter all day, so I didn’t hear. But as soon as I got home, I saw on CNN that the news had just broken. I called my boyfriend and told him and he said the CNN website hadn’t even announced it yet. So I must have walked in right as they announced his death.
HC: Why did you choose to go to the White House? What thoughts were going through your head when you heard the news?
Devon: My roommate and I decided to go once we kept seeing all of our friends on the news when they panned the crowd outside the White House. We were like, “are we really going to miss out on this because we’re tired and already in pajamas”? So we got up, put real clothes on, and walked over. I don’t think I fully grasped the magnitude of the situation until I actually got down to the White House and saw how patriotic everyone was.
HC: What time was it when you got there and how long did you stay?
Devon: We went down about 12:30 and stayed for like 45 minutes. We left right after the speech.
HC: Describe the situation at the White House as it got later. What do you think was the most moving thing you saw?
Devon: I don’t know if I really saw anything particularly moving, as the crowd was pretty rowdy. But I did really respect that someone was waving a poster that said “Never Forget”. It made me realize why people were overjoyed.
HC: Where were you on 9/11 and what was your reaction to the event? How did that reaction compare to how you felt when you discovered Osama Bin Laden was dead?
Devon: I was in school in Florida on 9/11, in the fifth grade. I obviously didn’t understand what the terrorist attacks actually would mean for our country at the time, but I was still very upset. I think this situation is similar even though I’m ten years older. I don’t think any of us will understand what this enormous turn of events will mean for our country and our generation.
HC: What do you have to say about the way social media blew up after the news was discovered?
Devon: I’m not surprised at it at all. I definitely participated in it. I’m a pretty active tweeter, and it’s quickly becoming my main news source. It’s the easiest way to deliver, exchange and receive information about this fast-paced world.
HC: What does Osama Bin Laden’s death mean to you? What do you expect to happen now that we have captured and killed the world’s most wanted terrorist?
Devon: Bin Laden’s death, to me, is not so much a celebration of the defeat of a single person, but definitely of the entire movement. I think that what’s most important is that an event like this allows us to reflect and thank all those that are overseas fighting for our country. This victory shines a light on all the good that they are doing, risking their lives for us every day. I’m not sure what’s going to happen, but if anything, I think our country will be stronger for good.
HC: GW Students are so lucky to be so close to the White House and to be able to celebrate such monumental moments in history. How have last night’s events made you appreciate GW?
Devon: The fact that we can just walk down to the White House and become a part of history is just one of the many reasons why I love GW. Nights like last night are truly “only at GW” moments. You have to take advantage of these experiences, because they are unforgettable and truly life changing.
Crowds outside the gates of the White House lasted until the wee hours of the morning, as students took breaks from studying for finals to participate in a moment that could only be felt by people who are so lucky to live in the nation’s capital. People were shouting “USA! USA!” and singing school songs. There were people climbing trees and light posts, hanging flags wherever possible. People were smoking celebratory cigars and taking pictures with their friends. There were painted faces, election posters saved from Bush’s presidency and Obama’s campaign, red white and blue unitards—everyone went all out.
This was a monumental moment in history, but it was also a monumental moment for GW. Just one more thing to brag about, besides living up the street from the Lincoln, having classes at the Newseum, and, for people who are juniors and seniors, having participated in inauguration festivities in 2008.
Photos courtesy of Lindsay Life GWU ’12