Young people revel in the moment

It was around 11 p.m. Sunday in Washington, D.C., when CNN’s John King let the news ring out — Osama bin Laden is dead.

A small crowd started to form at the gates of the White House when President Obama announced he would address the nation with important news that night. But when that news broke, hundreds joined the gathering, and the crowd continued to grow into the early hours of Monday morning.

The crowd was young, made up primarily of college students who were 11 or 12 years old on Sept. 11, 2001. This is a group who has not known a world without the threat of terrorism, without the shadow of 9/11. Many can’t remember walking through airport security with shoes on, or being allowed to travel with liquids.

Sunday night, for the first time in their memory, these kids caught a glimpse of a world without that fear, and they did not hold back in their celebration.

The atmosphere was part frat party, part Fourth of July, and all jubilation. An odor of beer and liquor lingered in the crowd. Beach balls flew overhead, and so did some students as they attempted to crowd surf. Several young men attempted to scale a light post near the White House gates to hang a flag. When it seemed as though they wouldn’t make it up, the crowd chanted, “Yes, you can!”

There was rarely a moment when the crowd was not chanting, cheering or singing. From patriotic chants of “USA! USA!” and singing of the national anthem to singing “Na na na na, hey, hey, hey, goodbye,” the crowd did not hold back its joy.

This was not the first time crowds rushed the White House gates to celebrate. One Georgetown University student recalled Election Day 2008, when Obama won the presidency. He and his friends celebrated at the White House then, but he said it wasn’t nearly as crowded or raucous as Sunday night’s celebration of bin Laden’s death.

You couldn’t see any action inside the White House. Obama never popped out of a window to wave, and you could certainly not see his news conference, but it was where the world was told the face of terror was dead.

Local congressional representatives have warned that this is not a time for dancing in the streets.

“Unfortunately, this isn’t an occasion where we can throw up our hats and take a victory lap,” said Judy Biggert, a Hinsdale Republican. “Osama bin Laden wasn’t alone, and the threat of terrorism remains as real now as it was yesterday.”

While there is still much ground to be gained in the fight against terrorism, young people still seized the moment to celebrate. Not even looming final exams, work or classes Monday morning could hinder the party. Students could be heard shouting “I have a final tomorrow!” But they continued to cheer, hoist American flags, and revel in the moment.