Dennis Rodman and North Korea

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Texashiker

Lifer
Dec 18, 2010
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It's strange, if unsurprising, that you would resort to such silliness in order to turn this into an anti-Obama discussion. President Obama has, on various occasions, sent food relief shipments to NK, as well as sending official liaisons to Pyongyang.

If obama delivered the food himself, helped cook it, and served it to the needy people of NK, then, and only then would I be impressed.
 
Feb 10, 2000
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If obama delivered the food himself, helped cook it, and served it to the needy people of NK, then, and only then would I be impressed.

You think it would be good for the United States and the long-term stability of international relations for the President to reward North Korea's nuclear development by publicly cooking for North Koreans handpicked by the government (or are you so deluded that you believe this could be done through anything other than a painstakingly choreographed exercise staged by the NK government)? Do you really believe the NK government would allow "needy" people to be publicly photographed being fed by the President? If this ridiculous scenario ever occurred, the people eating the meal would be anything but "needy" - they would be the best-fed, most attractive North Koreans available.

You really do live in a Bizarro World I can't begin to understand.
 
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Texashiker

Lifer
Dec 18, 2010
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You really do live in a Bizarro World I can't begin to understand.

I believe in doing good deeds for people.

Our differences with NK are with the government and not the people.

Besides, obama is lazy. If it does not involve screwing someone over chances are he is not going to do it.
 

piasabird

Lifer
Feb 6, 2002
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Technically we are at war with North Korea. We only have an agreement to quit fighting and to maintain a Demilitarized Zone between the two countries. Anyone that goes there is risking his own life and might be charged with spying.

We should consider Rodman a North Korean Spy.
 
Feb 10, 2000
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I believe in doing good deeds for people.

Our differences with NK are with the government and not the people.

Besides, obama is lazy. If it does not involve screwing someone over chances are he is not going to do it.

It appears to me you are lazy as a poster on these forums. If it doesn't involve saying something ridiculous and/or gratuitously criticizing one or more Democrats, chances are you are not going to post it.
 

Texashiker

Lifer
Dec 18, 2010
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It appears to me you are lazy as a poster on these forums. If it doesn't involve saying something ridiculous and/or gratuitously criticizing one or more Democrats, chances are you are not going to post it.

And when I say "good job", its oh how dare you.
 

Exophase

Diamond Member
Apr 19, 2012
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I believe in doing good deeds for people.

Rodman goes down to North Korea to be lavishly treated like a celebrity by a small group of elites. He's probably paid handsomely. None of this can be described as a humanitarian work. It's funny that you'd only accept Obama going there to make soup for poor people but you have no such stipulation on what Rodman does there.

All he did to try to change anything was make an incredibly half-assed request to get a prisoner released. End result was Kim Jong-Un instead convincing him that the guy deserves it. Big win for diplomacy.

The whole thing would be like if KJU was able to pay some out of work Hollywood actress an inordinate sum of money to have sex with him, and this was called a diplomatic act. Rodman is little more than the latest acquisition in the luxurious lifestyles of the Kims.

And he actually wants to be praised for this, for "helping this country." I'll give him one thing, him and the others who went with him to play basketball are brave for doing it. Probably out of desperation, or they're just stupid.

As for those wondering how the North Korean government can simultaneously push propaganda that the USA is ruthlessly screwing them over while palling around with an American celebrity idiot, I wonder how much the average citizen knows what's going on with this. Are these games being televised, and if so is there much explanation as to what's going on?
 

Texashiker

Lifer
Dec 18, 2010
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Rodman goes down to North Korea to be lavishly treated like a celebrity by a small group of elites. He's probably paid handsomely. None of this can be described as a humanitarian work. It's funny that you'd only accept Obama going there to make soup for poor people but you have no such stipulation on what Rodman does there.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Controversies_surrounding_Mahmoud_Ahmadinejad#Columbia_University

Bill Clinton made $106 million from talking - http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.co...clintons-106-million-speech-circuit-windfall/

We live in a capitalist society which teaches we should make money every chance we get.

But yet you complain when someone makes money?

Shoe companies can use child and slave labor, but that is ok?

What Rodman is doing is no different than GM, reebok, nike, levis,,,, or anyone else. You just do not see those companies exploiting cheap labor.

I do not care what Rodman does. If he can make money off the deal, more power to him.
 
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McLovin

Golden Member
Jul 8, 2007
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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Controversies_surrounding_Mahmoud_Ahmadinejad#Columbia_University

Bill Clinton made $106 million from talking - http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.co...clintons-106-million-speech-circuit-windfall/

We live in a capitalist society which teaches we should make money every chance we get.

But yet you complain when someone makes money?

Shoe companies can use child and slave labor, but that is ok?

What Rodman is doing is no different than GM, reebok, nike, levis,,,, or anyone else. You just do not see those companies exploiting cheap labor.

I do not care what Rodman does. If he can make money off the deal, more power to him.


As a former head of state, I would expect that he would be quite the draw as there have only been 43 other men who have held the position he has. Liked or not, people still WANT to hear what he says to say.

Rodman played basketball for a living and other than his basketball talent, he really doesn't have any redeeming qualities as a "citizen diplomat" to me. Nobody really gives a shit what he does except when he makes himself and the rest of us look like fools.

Don't think for one second anyone here doesn't believe there isn't corruption and dirty back room deals at the companies you listed. However, it's a lot easier to hold one person accountable for his or her actions then it is a giant corporation.

Sometimes it should be more about helping others and doing what's right for the benefit of everyone, then being self serving get your name out in the media circus that this whole event has become. I have no problem if someone wants to pay the cost of him going over to genuinely help them, but that doesn't seem like the case.
 

Zaap

Diamond Member
Jun 12, 2008
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I agree emphatically, but if the state forces down the throats of its people that Americans are dumb and ruthless bastards, then you have Dennis Rodman show up and be our "citizen diplomat", to me that totally sends the wrong message.
I know, but the fact is, the weak link that the little tyrant likes basketball, so he's only inviting in basketball players. Rodman just gets a lot of press, but he's not the only player that's been invited there; several Harlem Globetrotters have as well. Those guys actually are pretty good ambassadors for this country if you ask me.

I think we fall into this trap of believing in the propaganda powers of a corrupt bunch of nuts like the NK leadership ourselves. We're worried about how 'Dear Leader' there portrays us via Rodman, but we fail to figure in that many people there KNOW that everything that comes out of that little fool's mouth is a lie.

"No, no, you're not starving! Dear Leader provides plenty for the people!" said to people that resorted to cannibalizing their own children that already died of starvation.

"Dear Leader loves you!" said to people who's entire families have been killed or shipped off to prison camps for some minor sin against the state.

"Dear Leader has it all figured out! He's the smartest guy ever!" said to people who can see for themselves that literally *nothing* anywhere in the whole country works.

So now we're shaking over dear leader proclaiming (more than usual) "Outsiders are dumb and ruthless bastards!"


I'd wager there are more sneaked-eye rolls of total contempt per capita in NK than in any other place on earth.
 
Feb 10, 2000
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I know, but the fact is, the weak link that the little tyrant likes basketball, so he's only inviting in basketball players. Rodman just gets a lot of press, but he's not the only player that's been invited there; several Harlem Globetrotters have as well. Those guys actually are pretty good ambassadors for this country if you ask me.

I think we fall into this trap of believing in the propaganda powers of a corrupt bunch of nuts like the NK leadership ourselves. We're worried about how 'Dear Leader' there portrays us via Rodman, but we fail to figure in that many people there KNOW that everything that comes out of that little fool's mouth is a lie.

"No, no, you're not starving! Dear Leader provides plenty for the people!" said to people that resorted to cannibalizing their own children that already died of starvation.

"Dear Leader loves you!" said to people who's entire families have been killed or shipped off to prison camps for some minor sin against the state.

"Dear Leader has it all figured out! He's the smartest guy ever!" said to people who can see for themselves that literally *nothing* anywhere in the whole country works.

So now we're shaking over dear leader proclaiming (more than usual) "Outsiders are dumb and ruthless bastards!"


I'd wager there are more sneaked-eye rolls of total contempt per capita in NK than in any other place on earth.

This is true, but as an outsider it's hard to know the extent to which the citizens there are in on the joke, so to speak. I saw a very interesting National Geographic special shot in NK a couple of years ago and it really did appear that many people truly idolized Kim Jong Il (though obviously they were being filmed and had an incentive to act as though they did).

A Vice writer managed to get onto the basketball team sent to NK in early 2013 and they got a camera in to follow him. The piece ran on HBO last summer and it was fascinating. Among other things, they filmed an internet cafe, which NK was presumably showing off to demonstrate how their people had access to information. It was readily apparent that none of the people in the cafe knew how to use a computer, and they literally sat there blankly staring at the screen. One guy at least knew how to use a mouse, and it was clear he was just pretending to use the Internet but not actually doing anything. Really really strange . . .
 
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Zaap

Diamond Member
Jun 12, 2008
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^I saw both of those documentaries! Incredible stuff.

The Vice documentary actually changed my view of this whole subject.

The NK leadership is pathologically insane, of course- but really, the whole place is more absurd than it is "doomsday scary".
 

digiram

Diamond Member
Apr 17, 2004
3,991
172
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Don't you guys watch homeland? Obviously, Rodman is a CIA asset and this is all an act.. lol
 

Texashiker

Lifer
Dec 18, 2010
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what.
the.
fuck.

Its like William Wallace telling the general of the English army they need to go back to England and kiss the ass of every Scot along the way.


The NK leadership is pathologically insane, of course- but really, the whole place is more absurd than it is "doomsday scary".

The same thing can be said about our government.

We kill our own citizens overseas with drones, hold people in prison forever, shun the homeless,,, all while wall street makes record profits.
 

zinfamous

No Lifer
Jul 12, 2006
110,511
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Its like William Wallace telling the general of the English army they need to go back to England and kiss the ass of every Scot along the way.


huh?


The same thing can be said about our government.

We kill our own citizens overseas with drones, hold people in prison forever, shun the homeless,,, all while wall street makes record profits.

at first I was like :confused:o_O, and then I was like :hmm: