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Thread: Young man who dies after being in North Korean jail.

  1. #21
    Senior Member CathyA's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Tybee View Post
    I guess I can't get beyond the horror of him coming back in a coma and dying, and I hope he was able to be at peace with his family, at least.
    Me too Tybee. I get so sad just thinking about it. But.....I think it meant so much to them to have him here before he died......even a day or 2. And even though he was in a coma, surely he felt their presence.

  2. #22
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    Yes, I am thinking that is probably why he could be at peace and let go, because he was back with his family. It is so horrifying to think of what he went through.

  3. #23
    Senior Member jp1's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by CathyA View Post
    As far as a ban for people in the U.S. going to North Korea..........I know it ticks some people off for the government to tell them where they can't go, but it's unfair to go to such a place and then expect the government to use all it's resources to help get them back when they are treated badly, imprisoned, tortured, etc. And I'm sure the family members would certainly expect that help.
    I agree with you that it's unfair for the family to expect the government to intervene to try to get people back if they've gone somewhere like North Korea or Iran. The state department should be clear in their travel advisories that assistance won't be forthcoming in certain countries with governments known to be hostile to American citizens.

    While I don't understand the appeal of a trip to North Korea, and this is a terribly sad outcome, I absolutely don't think it should be the government's role to make risk taking or stupidity illegal.

  4. #24
    Senior Member bae's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by jp1 View Post
    While I don't understand the appeal of a trip to North Korea, and this is a terribly sad outcome, I absolutely don't think it should be the government's role to make risk taking or stupidity illegal.
    Agreed. I don't where I signed over to the Federal government the power to tell me where I can and cannot travel. And I don't see where I asked them to come rescue me if there's trouble.

    I maintain a high-risk S&R policy, through my satellite phone carrier. When I first started subscribing to this, only two countries were excluded: North Korea and Iraq. The list is longer these days: http://www.geosalliance.com/iercc/country-alerts/

    My daughter carries a similar policy. Earlier this year she was heading to Turkey for an archeological expedition, but due to the situation there, and upon the advice of the State Department and her academic institution's risk management folks (who have ample resources of their own...), the research has been put off for "a while", even though the initial plan included armed guards for the team. Nobody however stepped in to forbid it.

    It still irks me that I can't go to Cuba to visit, while just a few miles across the border, my Canadian neighbors can hop on cheap flights and have sun-and-fun. America....freedom....

  5. #25
    Simpleton Alan's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by bae View Post
    It still irks me that I can't go to Cuba to visit....
    But you can, there's a few more hoops to jump through but it's totally doable.
    "Things should be made as simple as possible, but not one bit simpler." ~ Albert Einstein

  6. #26
    Senior Member bae's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Alan View Post
    But you can, there's a few more hoops to jump through but it's totally doable.
    I hate hoops.

  7. #27
    Simpleton Alan's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by bae View Post
    I hate hoops.
    Agreed.
    "Things should be made as simple as possible, but not one bit simpler." ~ Albert Einstein

  8. #28
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    Some people will want to do risky and possibly foolish things. Travel to despotic pestholes. Cave diving. Dining on Fugu. Majoring in English.

    I don't necessarily think it is government's place to tell adults what activities they can engage in, or in most cases to bail them out. Although I do think it appropriate to consider some kind of action when our citizens are murdered or abused abroad. If only to discourage that kind of behavior in the future.

  9. #29
    Senior Member CathyA's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by LDAHL View Post
    Some people will want to do risky and possibly foolish things. Travel to despotic pestholes. Cave diving. Dining on Fugu. Majoring in English.

  10. #30
    Senior Member jp1's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by LDAHL View Post
    Majoring in English.

    .
    Is that one of those risky activities where the guy says "hold my beer. Watch this!"

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