The Family that Spawned 9/11

The Bin Ladens: An Arabian Family in the American Century, a book detailing the lives of Osama Bin Laden’s extended family, is now on the shelves of bookstores all across the nation.

Steve Coll’s new book is causing quite a stir. News outlets across the country are seizing this news story from a variety of different angles. “The Bricklayer’s Sons: The Family That Spawned 9/11,” by Michiko Kakutani, was published in the New York Times, and “Blood Brothers: The Bin Laden’s Represent Two Tales of Arabs in America,” appeared on FoxNews.com.

This story presents an interesting issue: people who have chosen to be political actors, and those who are thrust into the position. For example, Bin Laden himself has (or had, depending on the ambiguous state of his well being) clearly chosen to cast himself as a political actor. Now, study this photograph. These are some of the Bin Ladens listed in Coll’s recent book. Do these people look as though they have all chosen to live under the harsh light of the political spotlight? Sometimes, people chose this role.

Other people are given no choice.