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I agree. It is as if the people on this thread, who seem happy that a college student from America, did not have due process, a fair trial, and a punishment to fit the crime. It is as if these people don't really value what our constitution is about. Who would have thunk that there are Americans who side with North Korea~!
North Korea is not part of the US.
Their country, their laws.
They hate Americans. Our State Dept says don't go there.
Why should North Korea abide by the US Constitution ?
I agree. It is as if the people on this thread, who seem happy that a college student from America, did not have due process, a fair trial, and a punishment to fit the crime. It is as if these people don't really value what our constitution is about. Who would have thunk that there are Americans who side with North Korea~!
I think the sentiment from the more sane posters here isn't delight at his plight, but an understanding that North Korea is a completely different world that the US does not and should not try to control. It's a terrible situation, but it is what it is, and the US has no say in how to run their country.
All the US can do is more prominently feature clear travel warnings with GRAPHIC descriptions of what can happen to travellers who go to the wrong country.
I've heard about Christian missionaries -- including Samaritan's Purse, led by the son of the Rev. Billy Graham -- going into North Korea, a Communist, atheist, totalitarian dictatorship. They do it to help the starving people of North Korea.
I suspect this kid was part of a program like that -- that he was an idealist who meant well.
Who knows whether he stole the poster or not? The video of him "stealing" it could have been staged. Torture is routine in North Korea.
Before, I blamed the kid for being dumb enough to go to North Korea. But maybe the true blame belongs to his church.
We have churches in this country -- practically all of them now -- that want us to do nothing about illegal aliens, even the ones who commit crimes. Their philosophy is "everyone is a child of God and must be helped." Never mind the impact on the rest of society.
If these churches have no respect for the law in our country -- specifically, the law against illegal immigration -- it makes sense that they would be oblivious to political nature of other countries -- such as falsely accusing people of crimes and making them confess under torture.
And why would a church do missionary work in an atheist Communist country that outlaws the Bible?
It seems that we no longer have adults and common sense in this country.
And this kid is the victim of that.
He put his trust in worthless fools -- not knowing that they were fools or what the consequences might be.
Boo Hoo! He got what he deserves for being an idiot. No common sense. Maybe some hard labor will bring him to his senses.
People have seen arrests in North Korea for some of the most minor things. Nobody gave this moron a heads up? Well, I feel sorry for people without common sense.
I agree. It is as if the people on this thread, who seem happy that a college student from America, did not have due process, a fair trial, and a punishment to fit the crime. It is as if these people don't really value what our constitution is about. Who would have thunk that there are Americans who side with North Korea~!
Their country. Their laws. Their courts. The US Constitution does not apply in a foreign country. How do you NOT know that?
Do you all see what I mean about the American-centric mentality? The post I've responded to is a perfect example. That mentality is why American travelers around the world are frequently known as "the ugly Americans." Wherever they go, they arrogantly and foolishly expect it to be an extension of America. It's not.
Yes he did something incredibly stupid, disrespectful and idiotic. And he's suffering the very real consequences of such.
But to say he "deserved it" is to excuse totalitarian oppression and disregard for individual liberty that as a freedom loving Western nation you should despise with all your being.
In a freedom loving country, people make mistakes and are punished accordingly, but relative to their transgression. The glee here over this young man's unimaginably heinous fate is appalling to me. I get the idea that plenty here would be just dandy living in lockstep with each other, in a world where individuality is completely frowned upon and everyone acts the same, thinks the same, and complies.
Yes he was stupid and is paying the price. But nobody deserves what has happened to that young man. That's what makes us better, we understand that. Well, I thought we did.
He wasn't in a freedom loving country when he committed the crime. Therein lies the consequences of his actions.
People are sentenced every day for their stupid acts.
Break into the home of a well armed person. Your sentence might be getting shot.
Drive drunk and your sentence might be a fatal accident.
Go to a hostile country and you might not like what happens. I love to travel and experience other cultures. We can learn much from developing nations. 1 thing I always do is look up the watch outs before I go. I love Singapore. Cleanest city/ state that I have ever been to. They are a marvel of recycling. Don't litter there, not even by accident. They have many laws that are strange to us..
Someone spoke of Thailand. I have been there. Don't bash the king. Don't know why you would want to, he is loved by the people and from what I can tell is a pretty good guy. Also don't step on money if you drop it. They look at that like stepping on the King's face.
Don't like these laws? Then don't go to these places.
This young man went to a nation that is openly hostile towards Americans. Not a trip for even a seasoned traveler. His actions, poor decision making and ignorance are what got him into trouble. I grow weary of our government bending over backwards trying to save people who visit hostile nations.
I don't disagree with anything you say. It was stupid to even go to N Korea, much less steal. My point is that we have all at some time or another done things we knew we shouldn't have. This fellows comment came across to me as very condecending.
I don't think that Americans consider the wider world to be an extension of America, but I do believe that some Americans certainly feel entitled to special treatment, as in "I'm American so I can do whatever I want!"
No, you are in another country. What rights you have as an American are discarded upon arrival.
No one is going to bow down to you and make exceptions just because you're American. Contrary to what many Americans have been conditioned to believe, the world doesn't owe everything to America.
We all agree that North Korea's laws and punishments are ridiculous, but it is their nation and they will enforce them accordingly.
Their country. Their laws. Their courts. The US Constitution does not apply in a foreign country. How do you NOT know that?
Do you all see what I mean about the American-centric mentality? The post I've responded to is a perfect example. That mentality is why American travelers around the world are frequently known as "the ugly Americans." Wherever they go, they arrogantly and foolishly expect it to be an extension of America. It's not.
Perfectly stated.
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