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Ling and Lee Should Have Been Blonde and Blue-Eyed
- By Roy Douglas Malonson
- Published 08/11/2009
- Editorial and Opinion
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Roy Douglas Malonson
Roy D. Malonson is publisher of the African-American News&Issues.
View all articles by Roy Douglas Malonson
Kim Jong II, the leader of North Korea issued a “special pardon” freeing American journalists Laura Ling and Euna Lee, after talks with former U.S. President Bill Clinton. Ling and Lee were arrested five months ago near the China-North Korea border. A report by the State media said the former president apologized on behalf of the women and relayed President Barack Obama’s gratitude.
It continued that the visit would “contribute to deepening the understanding” between North Korea and the U.S. The families of Ling and Lee, who were rightfully ecstatic at the women’s release (they both had been sentenced to 12 years) stated, that they were “overjoyed by the news of their pardon. We are so grateful to our government: President Obama, Secretary Clinton and the U.S. State Department for their dedication to and hard work on behalf of American citizens.
“We especially want to thank President Bill Clinton for taking on such an arduous mission and Vice President Al Gore for his tireless efforts to bring Laura and Euna home. We must also thank all the people who have supported our families through this ordeal, it has meant the world to us. We are counting the seconds to hold Laura and Euna in our arms.”
As it happened, President Obama’s “Let-us-damn-anything-he-has-a-hand-in’ critics,” didn’t see it that way. This in light of the fact that the White House described Bill Clinton’s surprise visit to North Korea as a “solely private.” John Bolton of the Washington Post clearly established the mind-set of Obama’s enemies when he wrote on August 4, “While the United States is properly concerned whenever its citizens are abused or held hostage, efforts to protect them should not create potentially greater risks for other Americans in the future. Yet that is exactly the consequence of visits by former presidents or other dignitaries as a form of political ransom to obtain their release. Iran and other autocracies are presumably closely watching the scenario in North Korea. With three American hikers freshly in Tehran’s captivity, will Clinton be packing his bags again for another act of obeisance?”
Political Activist Dick Morris, who helped Clinton become the youngest governor in the U.S. stated, “It was wrong to do it. This trip gives North Korea the ability to act like the good guy in world public opinion by releasing people they shouldn’t have seized in the first place. Considering their record, bomb explosions, and missile tests, we should not be in the business of letting North Korea score propaganda victories.”
Let’s see. Clinton peacefully negotiated the release of American citizens found guilty of a “grave crime” by North Korea’s highest court, which sentenced each of them to 12 years of reform through labor. Decisions made by that court are final. Yet, many of those same critics celebrated when U.S. Navy snipers fatally shot three pirates holding an American cargo-ship captain hostage.
It makes me wonder how would the critics feel if Ling and Lee were blonde and blue-eyed? I suspect that if they were, criticism would be null and void. There would be “atta boy, Bill,” in all corners of America.
I find it amusing, although hypocritical that the whole U.S. cheers when there is a “save” of someone White, but levels criticism when someone of another race is released by only using talk. It’s akin to wanting to send more troops in harm’s way, when you or your family members do not qualify for active duty. President Obama has said time and time again that we cannot get anywhere doing the same thing over and over again.
We cannot bully our enemies. The world does not see the America of 2009 in the same light it used to. We have lost respect and the first step to reconciliation in any relationship is conversation.
It continued that the visit would “contribute to deepening the understanding” between North Korea and the U.S. The families of Ling and Lee, who were rightfully ecstatic at the women’s release (they both had been sentenced to 12 years) stated, that they were “overjoyed by the news of their pardon. We are so grateful to our government: President Obama, Secretary Clinton and the U.S. State Department for their dedication to and hard work on behalf of American citizens.
“We especially want to thank President Bill Clinton for taking on such an arduous mission and Vice President Al Gore for his tireless efforts to bring Laura and Euna home. We must also thank all the people who have supported our families through this ordeal, it has meant the world to us. We are counting the seconds to hold Laura and Euna in our arms.”
As it happened, President Obama’s “Let-us-damn-anything-he-has-a-hand-in’ critics,” didn’t see it that way. This in light of the fact that the White House described Bill Clinton’s surprise visit to North Korea as a “solely private.” John Bolton of the Washington Post clearly established the mind-set of Obama’s enemies when he wrote on August 4, “While the United States is properly concerned whenever its citizens are abused or held hostage, efforts to protect them should not create potentially greater risks for other Americans in the future. Yet that is exactly the consequence of visits by former presidents or other dignitaries as a form of political ransom to obtain their release. Iran and other autocracies are presumably closely watching the scenario in North Korea. With three American hikers freshly in Tehran’s captivity, will Clinton be packing his bags again for another act of obeisance?”
Political Activist Dick Morris, who helped Clinton become the youngest governor in the U.S. stated, “It was wrong to do it. This trip gives North Korea the ability to act like the good guy in world public opinion by releasing people they shouldn’t have seized in the first place. Considering their record, bomb explosions, and missile tests, we should not be in the business of letting North Korea score propaganda victories.”
Let’s see. Clinton peacefully negotiated the release of American citizens found guilty of a “grave crime” by North Korea’s highest court, which sentenced each of them to 12 years of reform through labor. Decisions made by that court are final. Yet, many of those same critics celebrated when U.S. Navy snipers fatally shot three pirates holding an American cargo-ship captain hostage.
It makes me wonder how would the critics feel if Ling and Lee were blonde and blue-eyed? I suspect that if they were, criticism would be null and void. There would be “atta boy, Bill,” in all corners of America.
I find it amusing, although hypocritical that the whole U.S. cheers when there is a “save” of someone White, but levels criticism when someone of another race is released by only using talk. It’s akin to wanting to send more troops in harm’s way, when you or your family members do not qualify for active duty. President Obama has said time and time again that we cannot get anywhere doing the same thing over and over again.
We cannot bully our enemies. The world does not see the America of 2009 in the same light it used to. We have lost respect and the first step to reconciliation in any relationship is conversation.