by Thomas Beaumont
Associated Press Writer

CEDAR FALLS, Iowa (AP)—First lady Michelle Obama said Saturday that the U.S. military specialists who killed terrorist leader Osama bin Laden showed “the very essence” of public service.

Mrs. Obama made her first public remarks about bin Laden’s death during the commencement address at University of Northern Iowa. U.S. officials have said Navy SEALs shot and killed bin Laden and four others May 2 at his luxury compound in Abbottabad, Pakistan.

CALL FOR PUBLIC SERVICE—First lady Michelle Obama gives the commencement address at the University of Northern Iowa graduation May 7, at the UNI-Dome in Cedar Falls, Iowa. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall)

Week of May 14-20

May 14

RAMONA AFRICA, JOHN CONYERS JR.

1885—Erskine Henderson, an African-American jockey, wins the Kentucky Derby on “Joe Cotton”—a horse trained by Alex Perry—an African-American trainer. Henderson was the sixth Black jockey to win the coveted race. Indeed, Black jockeys and trainers dominated the Kentucky Derby from 1875 to 1902. However, while some of the reasons are not entirely clear, it appears that as the race became more and more prosperous Black jockeys and trainers were forced out.

ORANGEBURG, S.C. (AP)—Colin Powell told graduates of South Carolina's premier historically Black university that they were graduating during a tumultuous time that saw a royal wedding, a pope’s beatification and a U.S. military assault that killed Osama bin Laden, “the worst person on earth.”

But the former secretary of state and Joint Chiefs chairman told South Carolina State University’s 400 graduates on May 6 that he particularly enjoyed another recent event: “That was when President Obama took out his birth certificate and blew away Donald Trump and all the birthers!”

GEN. COLIN POWELL

by Stacey Patton

(NNPA)—Understandably, the killing of Osama bin Laden unleashed strong emotions among Americans—relief, satisfaction, fears of retribution, denial, and even exuberance.

But, there was something distasteful about the raucous celebrations that took place outside the White House, in Times Square and at Ground Zero. The late night news coverage gave us a one-night affair of fists pumping in the air, jubilant cries of “USA! USA!,” and demonstrators singing that famous post-game victory song “Na Na Na, Hey, Hey, Hey, Good-bye!”

NO BIN?LADEN?PHOTOS—In this image taken from video and released by CBS, President Barack Obama is seen during an interview with “60 Minutes” correspondent Steve Kroft at the White House, May 4. Obama told Kroft that he decided not to release the photos taken of Osama Bin Laden after he was killed by Navy SEALS in Pakistan. (AP Photos/CBS)

The next morning, a Muslim Community Center in Portland, Maine reported that it had been attacked by graffiti artists overnight. Scrawled across the base of the building were the words: “Osama Today, Islam Tomorrow” and “Long live the West.” Those hateful words underscore the fact the war on terror is not over. And, neither is the war on ignorance.