I love the Olympics! My whole family looks forward to it every time it rolls around and all the bedtime rules go out the window for a couple of weeks while we watch it. I really enjoy the feeling of brotherhood that encompasses it, knowing that most of the world is watching excitedly just like us. It is an event that, for the most part (take note Ryan Lochte), models great life lessons to my kids; how to win or lose graciously, teamwork, discipline, and courage.
That being said...we need to talk about North Korea. Kim Jong-un, the dictator of The People's Republic of Korea, sent his sister Kim Yo Jong, and a huge cheerleader squad to attend the Opening Ceremonies and some events. I'll talk about the sister in a minute, but the cheerleader squad is making a big splash for all the wrong reasons. There are about 230 of them and they are clad in matching red and white uniforms (Handmaid's Tale, anyone?). According to a North Korean defector who was chosen as a cheerleader, they are selected because they are "those who are well assimilated to the North Korean regime, those who are exemplars of working collectively, those who are from the right families, and of course meet the height and age standards." NY Times The cheerleaders cheer in unison and are guarded by male chaperones so that they are unable to speak to anyone outside of their group. Several awkward things happened during the hockey game that they attended, including them sitting and singing long after the game was over and most people had left. The smiling faces and matching outfits are not things that should leave us feeling happy. They should be a reminder of the basic freedoms that the people of North Korea lack. The cheerleaders are slaves that are brought to the public eye to make the country look more normal-we cannot let that happen. The North Korean regime is anything but normal. They are also broke. North Korea is coming to the games, but South Korea has been kind enough to foot the bill for them. The games are definitely safer with North participating, however, so that is a positive thing.
Let's talk about Kim Yo Jong for a minute. She is an elite member of the North Korean regime and her official title is Deputy Director of Propaganda and Agitation. Let me say that again...Deputy Director of Propaganda and Agitation. She is reportedly one of Kim Jong-un's closest advisers and one of the people he trusts the most. She has even stepped in for her brother when he was sick and is blacklisted in The United States. This woman is not your average politician. This is a calculated move by North Korea and some media has completely fallen for it. CNN ran a story where they called Kim Yo Jong, "North Korea's Ivanka Trump" and saying that she "is a foil to the perception of North Korea as antiquated and militaristic". CNN It is concerning that a media outlet seems to be playing to this so much. Why are we glossing over the fact that she is a leader in a country that imprisons and kills it's own people (even their own family) regularly? I really think it's interesting that with so much talk about how women can be whatever they want, suddenly we assume that just because she's a woman, her outfit is more important than her actions.
Finally, Mike Pence is getting raked over the coals because he "snubbed" the North Koreans by refusing to stand when the Korean team came into the stadium as well as refusing to shake hands with Kim Yo Jong. He was also late to a dinner with the two countries and missed a photo with them. Twitter users tweeted things like "For a guy who gets so mad about someone taking a knee, he sure is comfortable taking a butt" infowars, and USA Today ran a piece arguing that Pence "embarrassed America". Pence also brought Otto Warmbier's father to the Opening Ceremonies and this may have played a large role in Pence's decision not to talk to Kim Yo Jong. Otto Warmbier was a college student who was touring North Korea and was jailed for allegedly taking a poster off of a hotel wall and was charged with "hostile acts against the state". He was convicted and sentenced to 15 years hard labor and shortly after lost consciousness from what North Korea claims were "food allergies". He was in a coma for 15 months before his parents were notified and he was returned to the US where he died soon thereafter. WashingtonPost
I understand that people think that Pence was acting disrespectfully by refusing to stand for the Koreans. I also understand that North Korea wrongly imprisoned and killed an American citizen and I don't think I would be able to stand for or shake hands with North Korean diplomats. Let me know what you think!
That being said...we need to talk about North Korea. Kim Jong-un, the dictator of The People's Republic of Korea, sent his sister Kim Yo Jong, and a huge cheerleader squad to attend the Opening Ceremonies and some events. I'll talk about the sister in a minute, but the cheerleader squad is making a big splash for all the wrong reasons. There are about 230 of them and they are clad in matching red and white uniforms (Handmaid's Tale, anyone?). According to a North Korean defector who was chosen as a cheerleader, they are selected because they are "those who are well assimilated to the North Korean regime, those who are exemplars of working collectively, those who are from the right families, and of course meet the height and age standards." NY Times The cheerleaders cheer in unison and are guarded by male chaperones so that they are unable to speak to anyone outside of their group. Several awkward things happened during the hockey game that they attended, including them sitting and singing long after the game was over and most people had left. The smiling faces and matching outfits are not things that should leave us feeling happy. They should be a reminder of the basic freedoms that the people of North Korea lack. The cheerleaders are slaves that are brought to the public eye to make the country look more normal-we cannot let that happen. The North Korean regime is anything but normal. They are also broke. North Korea is coming to the games, but South Korea has been kind enough to foot the bill for them. The games are definitely safer with North participating, however, so that is a positive thing.
Let's talk about Kim Yo Jong for a minute. She is an elite member of the North Korean regime and her official title is Deputy Director of Propaganda and Agitation. Let me say that again...Deputy Director of Propaganda and Agitation. She is reportedly one of Kim Jong-un's closest advisers and one of the people he trusts the most. She has even stepped in for her brother when he was sick and is blacklisted in The United States. This woman is not your average politician. This is a calculated move by North Korea and some media has completely fallen for it. CNN ran a story where they called Kim Yo Jong, "North Korea's Ivanka Trump" and saying that she "is a foil to the perception of North Korea as antiquated and militaristic". CNN It is concerning that a media outlet seems to be playing to this so much. Why are we glossing over the fact that she is a leader in a country that imprisons and kills it's own people (even their own family) regularly? I really think it's interesting that with so much talk about how women can be whatever they want, suddenly we assume that just because she's a woman, her outfit is more important than her actions.
Finally, Mike Pence is getting raked over the coals because he "snubbed" the North Koreans by refusing to stand when the Korean team came into the stadium as well as refusing to shake hands with Kim Yo Jong. He was also late to a dinner with the two countries and missed a photo with them. Twitter users tweeted things like "For a guy who gets so mad about someone taking a knee, he sure is comfortable taking a butt" infowars, and USA Today ran a piece arguing that Pence "embarrassed America". Pence also brought Otto Warmbier's father to the Opening Ceremonies and this may have played a large role in Pence's decision not to talk to Kim Yo Jong. Otto Warmbier was a college student who was touring North Korea and was jailed for allegedly taking a poster off of a hotel wall and was charged with "hostile acts against the state". He was convicted and sentenced to 15 years hard labor and shortly after lost consciousness from what North Korea claims were "food allergies". He was in a coma for 15 months before his parents were notified and he was returned to the US where he died soon thereafter. WashingtonPost
I understand that people think that Pence was acting disrespectfully by refusing to stand for the Koreans. I also understand that North Korea wrongly imprisoned and killed an American citizen and I don't think I would be able to stand for or shake hands with North Korean diplomats. Let me know what you think!
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