A Moment of Clarity on North Korea-US relations

The findings of these camps and the atrocities that go on within them are outrageous and scary, especially considering the treacherous leadership there, which denies the camps' existence. It is my hope that with some pressure applied on our representatives and support given to both state and non-governmental actors within the international community the dire situation in North Korea may be eased and ultimately phased out. At this time, however, while North Korea, in the cross-hairs for indictment, bears the abundance of the UN's admonition, it is at best prudent and at worst bitter to look inward at our own government. Before the US attempts to make any of its own judgments on the ethical character of North Korea, a cursory glance at the record of brutality which has been begotten by our own government around the world for years is in order.

Frankly, the US has supported world leaders who murder and torture their own people time and time again. To be sure, were there a strong enough economic or political interest in the country, North Korea's image in the west would be a lot rosier than the cold militarism with which the state has become synonymous. While the violence and oppression in North Korea is horrifying and urgent, so is this country’s ways. The violence that America perpetuates around the world needs to be squashed. In my head it is difficult to truly get more worked up about another country committing in the short term the kind of brutality that the US has caused over decades both directly and in the aftermath to people in other countries. Shah Pahlavi in Iran, Saddam Hussein, Mubarak in Egypt, Botha during apartheid, General Hernandez in El Salvador, the list goes on! It is up to you to educate yourselves on these instances, but innocent freedom fighters and peaceful supporters of democracy killed, raped, tortured, forcibly sterilized or made to abort their unborn, stolen from, humiliated and utterly dehumanized in the countless thousands is the composite picture that will be painted for you.