Sad for the family? Of course. tragedy that this young life is lost? Certainly. But I have to stop there when you say North Korea caused this. This young man’s cavalier attitude towards a VIOLENT communist country caused this. He was responsible for his choice, he went into a country where he should never have been, thinking that he was, I guess, someone special. All these American kids et al think that they’re not going to get touched elsewhere in the world ‘cuz they’re Americans I guess.This is the real world that we live in and unfortunately youth are being indoctrinated Not educated so they do not realize that when people say ‘don’t go” to certain places they mean don’t go to certain places!! I will reserve my sympathies and my outrage for the military lives that are lost going into these countries sometimes to pull these ppl out. I would also prefer if my tax dollars didn’t go to private citizens being rescued but rather our military being supported.
Dittoes.
This story reminds me of Rachel Corrie.
He went on a tour.
Get off your high horse.
It is possible to see different sides, but I guess seeing his Dad talk to Tucker Carlson is what got me in the soft spot. I’ve never had to face this kind of loss. Prayers for them.
Yes. And if someone can let me know please. Were the kid and his parents “progressives”?
If my kid said they were going to N Korea on Holiday, I’d either stop them, or disown them.
Why do I suspect that this kid was brought up on the-world-just-needs-more-hugs mush? COEXIST!
Bump
My sentiments exactly. He went, ignoring all warnings, apparently believing he was “special”, and that the rules that applied to everyone else; do not apply to him.
Then he left his room and went to a Staff Only part of the hotel and defaced a portion of the Dictator, believing again, he was “special”’.
His parents financed his foolishness, they did not instill any common sense, leading this fool to provoke a Government that dislikes America; and his education cost him his life. Sorry, no sympathy.
My sympathy lie with the people who have no choice, but to be there. Namely our Military and the people forced to live there.
I have to agree, yet it was a very tough way to spend what should be the best years of a young life. I hope he serves as an example to his peers and makes them consider their place in the world more thoughtfully. We should have a moratorium on travel to NK.
Man, are you ever an arrogant ass.
Dear Connyankee,
I agree with you absolutely. You wrote a carefully nuanced and clear commentary on the incapability of our young people to understand the meaning of “no” and what being “special” means since they have been “so special” since infancy.
And that brings me to the point of asking why our government, as lead by President Trump, is not telling the sanctuary cities “no” they will not be supported by the US Gov and our taxes no matter how long they are sanctuary cities and if their citizens don’t stop the immigrant protective acts, we will not support them in any way, and, going further, telling the BLM and CAIR, etc., “no” they are not ordinary groups but are terrorists and arresting them and charging them with sedition and other crimes.
Why is “no” so hard to say?
I understand what you’re saying, but we’ll never know what was in his mind when he chose to go there, and we’ll probably never know what the people around him were saying to him (they’ll never admit it).
If I had to guess, this kid could have just been a typical Bernie supporter, thinking that Socialism is great and people are happy there. Given how recently he grew up, and the fact that he went to a major university, other than his parents, who was around to possibly tell him just how horrible Communism is? I grew up decades ago and NEVER ONCE in high school (and earlier) was I told about the mass killings and forced labor under Communism - I had to learn that myself (and I did). It seems like the Communists ‘teaching’ me would prefer that not be discussed (I wonder why, LOL).
So perhaps this kid went there to see just how wonderful the ‘purest’ Communist country in the world operates. I think even most of us would find it interesting to go there, just to see it ourselves, but then again we understand the huge risks. Perhaps no one really bothered telling him? Perhaps his parents were like most parents today and simply feel that that the child has to be left alone to ‘find his way’?...which would otherwise be fine, but his teachers and professors have no intention of doing the same. Or perhaps his parents are leftists (like Rachael Corrie’s), and only now are trying to cover their tracks by saying that they warned him not to go there? Why knows?
I have to agree. How many people don’t realize that NK is a death trap? I especially condemn those who teach our children that “It’s OK, travel and see the world.” No, it’s not OK, there are places where you can get KILLED! I blame the parents - grieving or not, they let this kid go there. Another example of lib parents who got their kid killed. Wake up people!