Here's to the Crazy One: Kim Jong Il is Dead

Ever since I spent about three days worth of time watching every documentary on North Koreas available on Netflix and researching as much about the oppression and brainwashing, I've been slightly obsessed with how in the world this situation can exist.     As an American who believes in freedom, fair news reporting, and the possibilities that human ingenuity brings about, I've been very against the work that Kim Jong Il, his father, and the government of North Korea have been doing.    Some people have compared his reign to that of Hitler's.    I don't think that's fair. Hitler influenced an entire nation and convinced many of them to obliterate millions of people for what seems like, in hindsight, no reason other than his own concerns.  Hitler was a horrible, horrible man.   Kim Jong Il is different. His power is not all his, by his own making.  He has convinced those within the North Korean walls that he is the continuation of Supreme leadership.  His followers, most North Koreans, worship his father (literally) and thank their Supreme Leader for the goodness he has given them.    But Kim Jong Il didn't give them goodness. He controlled everything. He denied them medical needs.  He denied them food.  He denied them, because of what came before him, of the rights that Americans believe all humans should have.    He threatened nations he didn't like. He didn't let outsiders in. And, if insiders wanted out...and tried to flee, they were killed.  He scared the world into thinking he would obliterate them.   Kim Jong Il was a bad, bad man.  He was probably crazy.  Jesus loved him, but I found him hard to love.   We need less leaders in our world like him.   As we learn more about the transfer of power that will happen and the potential uprising that may spring forth from the citizens, we should pray for peace.  We should pray for oppression to end.  We should pray for freedom. We should pray for humanity.   -B   He did this:

We May Not Think Our Judicial System is "Just"...

...but I'm constantly reminded about the nations around the world where people aren't treated like people. Instead, they're treated like puppets. Many citizens of North Korea worship their history of dictators who have oppressed them for years.

I'm reminded of this when I glance around the world on Google Maps and see the oddity that is the lack of information on North Korea. When the government gives out no information about their nation, the chances that heinous crimes against humanity are being committed and that the inalienable rights (especially life and liberty)are being revoked are very, very high.

I'm not one of those "America has to spread freedom across the lands" kind of crazies, but I think that all humans deserve the types of opportunities that I received from my life here, in my parents' house, in America. When I see these pictures, I know that that simply is not happening.

My heart aches for the citizens of North Korea and other nations where the leadership does not work for the people, but rather, works against them.

And by the way, that "all humans deserve" line refers to domestic humans as well as humans abroad. The guy down the street who is holding a sign that we all try to ignore deserves every shot I got, not because he is an American, but because he is a human.

-B

NOTE: I use the term "nation" here intentionally, in contrast to "country." I think most of us define "nation" as a group of people, many of which most likely share a common heritage, ethnicity (very literally, "nation"), race, and mindset. I recognize that many states (meaning countries) block off immigration and emigration with their borders, but I also know that some of the brainwashing that occurs is kindled by the idea that starting over simply doesn't seem like a reality. To start over means to leave family, friends, work, life, and all and move. Some are willing, but many are not. It is an interesting dynamic, isn't it, that sometimes the nation holds people in oppression just as much as the often evil leadership does? I think it is worth an in-depth study.