Why Go To North Korea
The Arirang games are coming up and for some reason alot of Americans want to be part of this spectacle in more ways than one. On today’s NYPost an editorial highlights one tour group doing all it can to suck up to Kim Jong-Il
May 1, 2006 — HARVARD University has a bizarre idea of how to advance the education of its grads: Instruct them to bow down to North Ko rea’s paranoid dictators and show proper “respect” for the Axis of Evil.
It’s the ultimate in radical Stalinist chic - the Harvard Alumni Association’s $636-a-night totalitarian luxury tour of a rogue nation where thousands are deliberately starved to death.
“Demonstrations of respect for the country’s late leader, Kim Il Sung, and for the current leader, Kim Jong Il, are important,” instructs the Harvard Alumni Association’s tour memo.
“You will be expected to bow as a gesture of respect at the statue of Kim Il Sung and at his mausoleum.”
Harvard even tries to pretend that bowing down to thugs is perfectly normal - explaining that it’s because “North Korea, like every country, has its own unique protocols.
Now, one wonders why should we respect those who do not respect us and its own people. I, for one, want no part in going to North Korea unless it’s for a bit of cladestine “fact-finding” trips. No one should be contributing to Kim Jong-Il’s retirement fund.
Update: Okay, maybe
“North Korea is a destination that isn’t comfortable,” said Tony Poe, marketing director of Poe Travel in Little Rock, “but this is a chance to glimpse a society and culture that may not be around for very long.”
If only I’m as optimistic.
