PrairieSpyder
New member
In 1993, I took a month and visited Russia. This was just after glasnost, but I had no delusions about the risks I was taking. I did everything I could to avoid provoking the authorities in any way and ultimately I had a wonderful trip (even though I was a little concerned when the police in Siberia confiscated my passport for a week.
This guy goes to the most repressive, possibly the most unhinged and paranoid place on earth and decides it will be fun to remove a propaganda poster from his hotel for a souvenir. WTF did he expect was going to happen to him?
I'll save my tears for the seven sailors who lost their lives in a maritime collision due to no fault of their own, while serving their country (us - you and me), not some entitled idiot who thought he should be able to get away with pranks in North Korea just as he doubtless did back home.
He ought to be facing treason charges for the difficult position he is putting the U.S. in. But, it doesn't work that way either unfortunately.
I think it's wrong to blame the victim here. He was studying in China and was invited on the excursion to N. Korea by fellow students. The NKs say he was stealing a poster, but it doesn't mean he did. And why do you think he was "entitled"?
He was probably spotted as a Yank and arrested as a hostage. However unadvisable it was to see foot there in the first place, he was victimized by that regime.
I mourn with his family.



We should get back the other Americans being held there and then go after the NK government with extreme prejudice.