Wednesday, August 05, 2009

I'm Happy...but



Like millions around the world, I was ecstatic to see Euna Lee and Laura Ling step off the plane today, safe again after confinement in North Korea. As a journalist (former, I suppose) and parent of a 4-year old, the sight of Euna and Hana reuniting also touched me deeply.

But, is it wrong for me to feel a bit off that it took a white dude to pull off the deal? How many times have we seen this happen in movies where the Asian female is "saved" by the dashing white dude? Not mad at Bubba at all, he did the damn thing. BC gets a lifetime honorary AZN pass.

Just wondering if flashbacks of "Come See the Paradise" were ringing for anyone else...

SD

8 comments:

Kim said...

I don't think it's wrong but let's keep in mind that BC was the *face*; there was a whole team of people from several countries who were instrumental in getting them home- as well as some women.
I hope this doesn't come off wrong but let's not over analyze; they are free and not spending 12 years doing hard labor. I'm not sure the women and their families are looking at what happened as being 'saved by a white man'.
All the best, I love your blog.

christina said...

Also, Kim Jong Il requested BC, not someone else.

Soccer Dad said...

Yeah I am overanalyzing; it's a blog. :)

I'm just saying it would have been nice to suspend reality and see Gary Locke or someone of Asian distraction have an integral role. Maybe it's all those ASAM media courses again questioning the storyline.

SD

O.W. said...

Ok...I gotta rant here.

I am ASTOUNDED at how many folks have managed to put a negative spin on this story. Doesn't matter what your political persuasion is.

The Right don't like that this happened on Obama's watch. If this had happened two years ago, they'd be cheering.

The Left don't like that a A) man and B) white person is to credit behind this (even though the whole "rescue" was engineered by many, not just Bill.

WTF people. Seriously. WTF.

Maybe it would have been better if Condi Rice had pulled this off? Then everyone could be happier.

O.W. said...

By the way TI - if you want to see some "Come See the Paradise" 2009 - check this out: http://formosabetrayed.com

I think "Taipei-ssippi Burning" is the more apt analogy but nonetheless...

thisislarry said...

Really? Come see the Paradise? I had to IMDB it, and dude, its Dennis Quaid.

If you really must wash that taste out of your mouth, I counter with The Lover / L'amant, where Tony Leung gets all Rice Daddy on Jane March.

Anonymous said...

Soccer dad...don't fret about what these others are saying. I am SURE you are not the only one who thought this way...you were only one of the few that had the courage to express it.

Anonymous said...

I'm glad she's safe, but what does it matter who saved her? The alternative is to be rotting in jail. Now that she's back, I can say this with 100% certainty...I will never be captured by N. Koreans! Funny how some get themselves in such a pickle.