Ling And Lee's Safe Return

The news, as we all know, is notorious for being doom and gloom most days. But for once, on August 5^th 2009, we got a chance to see something truly heartwarming. Laura Ling and Euna Lee were pardoned from their sentence of 12 years hard labor in North Korea. The two young women were reunited with their families and the joy and relief was undeniable. Seeing Euna Lee embracing her daughter after their many months apart could melt anyone’s heart, except of course Fox “News”.

As Jon Stewart parodied on the Daily Show, it only took Fox News 4 minutes to flip this humanitarian story into a tale of look at what the Democrats did this time. I wonder if the political pundits who makeup Fox News are aware of their brazen biases. For instance what if Ling and Lee were their reporters? I bet Fox News would have a completely different spin if one of their own was stuck in a North Korean prison.

I understand that it must be hard to fill a 24-hour non-stop news channel, but shouldn’t these news channels be accountable for fact cited reports rather than speculation and finger-pointing. They only took the negative stance of; "What was in it for Kim Jong-il?" I get how that could be a concern, but the journalists and their families were not even given a day of peace before the media started throwing the question out there of, “Were these women worth it?”

Laura Ling and Euna Lee are daughters, sisters, wives, friends and Euna is a mother, so in my opinion, yes they were worth saving, assuming that anyone has the right to calculate the value of a life. It shocked me to hear a snippet from Fox News saying that they should have been left in North Korea to serve their time for the crime they had committed (accidental border crossing). Now that the journalists are free they are worried that Kim Jong-il will be viewed in a forgiving light. I personally have higher hopes for the metal stature of Americans. To assume we would forgive Kim Jong-il all his wrongs due to one case of pardoning is preposterous. 

Alas, there is one answer to this nagging question that I find satisfying and it comes from Albert Hunt of the New York Times:

The advantages of making use of Mr. Clinton are simple: He is a respected figure in much of the world. The North Koreans would accept only him as an intermediary, such is his standing and prestige — and their desire for propaganda opportunities.

So North Korea gets a photo op with President Clinton in exchange for two women’s lives, sounds like a worthwhile humanitarian trip to me. All speculation and politics aside I’m just glad Ling and Lee are home safely with their families.