boston progress radio

The news today is kind of a stunner. Across the country, especially among API* folks, it seems safe to say that people tend to be glad that Euna Lee and Laura Ling have made it back to the States from a North Korean prison. If the Intertubes are an accurate representation of people’s feelings, the good part of Bill Clinton’s reputation is restored.

But over the past few months, as this situation has been unfolding, the assumption has been that these two journalists did not enter North Korea, and were arrested even when they were still on the Chinese side of the border – where they had every right to be. So then now that we know that was not in fact the case, does this change things at all? Consider this quote from CNN.com:

“She did say that they touched North Korean territory very, very briefly,” Lisa Ling, sister of Laura Ling, told CNN on Thursday.

“It was something that they were never planning to do originally,” Lisa Ling said. “I mean, I said this before, when they left U.S. soil, they never intended to cross into North Korea. She said it was maybe 30 seconds. And then, you know, everything just sort of got chaotic.”

I’m not trying to debate whether it’s morally right for North Korea to not allow anyone to enter their country. (In my opinion, the world would be more just if there were no countries period.) But North Korea has made it known to the entire world that if anyone tries to cross their border any time, those people are subject to arrest.

And so these two Americans did it anyway…

Was it journalistic prerogative? Was it just so important to their work that crossing the border just had to happen?

Was it American exceptionalism? Was it rooted in the idea that they could do whatever they wanted to do because they considered their motivations pure?

Was it done on a dare? Was it done because they wanted a good story to tell? Was it done by accident?

I don’t raise these questions rhetorically. I don’t know if I think it was justified or not, but I do think this detail adds a wrinkle to the story. No not a wrinkle, a huge effing tear down the middle.

But on the flip of this story, are the obvious questions that I have not heard many people asking. Like what about Ibrahim Jassam, the Reuters photographer who is being held illegally by American forces in Iraq? There was also Al-Jazeera journalist Sami al-Haj, who was detained for 6 years in Guantanamo Bay without ever facing charges. Why were we OK with that, but in such outrage over the Americans in North Korea?

What about Mumia?

Am I being irresponsible for even raising these points? Should I just be happy they’re home? Is the mistreatment of Americans by foreign governments a cause for outrage, whereas the mistreatment of foreigners (and perceived foreigners) by the American government is not?

I’m having a harder time today standing by the proclamations I made yesterday.

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