2014-10-24 Speech to Teachers/staff at N. Korean refugee schools

I had a great time giving a speech to teachers, staff and others working at North Korean refugee schools. It was an honor considering that I am an educator and activist, not a talking expert, about North Korean refugee issues. Some people want me to talk about their issues, to talk about solutions for all 24 million North Koreans in North Korea, or all 27,000 North Korean refugees in South Korea, reunification, landmines in the DMZ, six-party talks, etc., etc., etc. But I am targeted, focused.

Still, the teachers and staff seemed to enjoy my talk today. I let them know that there are a number of non-Koreans who are extremely interested in North Korean refugee issues, and that there are a number of activities going on around me. That was part 1 of my speech. Part 2 was about refugees--not just North Koreans--in the USA. Getting ready for this speech broadened my knowledge.

After the speech, we had dinner at the academy. I would have stayed overnight with them but decided to return to Seoul because of tomorrow's "How can I help North Koreans" session.

Support TNKR: www.lovetnkr.org/donate

Support TNKR: www.lovetnkr.org/donate

How can I help North Koreans? by Casey Lartigue, May 7, 2014, The Korea Times
http://caseylartigue.blogspot.kr/2014/05/how-can-i-help-north-koreans-korea.html (photos)
http://koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/opinon/2014/05/137_156646.html (no photos)

How can I help North Koreans? Brainstorming session (October 25, 2014)
https://www.facebook.com/events/767526569975524/

How can I help North Koreans? Question at North Korea Study Group
https://www.facebook.com/groups/NorthKoreaStudyGroup/permalink/870533126298908/?qa_ref=qd

Park Jin welcoming remarks to FSI (and Casey Lartigue)

National Assembly member Park Jin makes the welcoming remarks at FSI's conference featuring North Korean diplomats. Park Jin | Greeting message to FSI and Casey Lartigue mention - YouTube

Back in America, 4 days and counting

I got back a few days ago, I'm still unpacking... Some of the highlights so far: * Friday morning I was in the audience for a CNN/The Root discussion about being Young and Black in America . As a veteran of so many of these Washington talking events I am less than enthusiastic about them these days. Still, I bumped into a few friends, some of whom are neither young nor black. The discussion seemed so 1980s, with the panelists trying to figure out how to politically empower young black people. I guess it was appropriate then that the head of the NAACP was there. His most irrelevant concern was about hate talk radio...or I guess Rush Limbaugh being on the air all these years explains the high level of black-on-black crime. 20 years later, how is the Stop the Violence movement working out? The highlight of this particular panel was running into old friend David Plotz, who is now editor of Salon Magazine. I don't think I've seen him since college but he recognized me. I forgot...

Still writing (Korea Times, 2023-12-19)

Still writing by Casey Lartigue Jr. The Korea Times December 19, 2023 https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/opinion/2023/12/626_365284.html

Mentoring while Black (Korea Times 2/16/2023)

Mentoring while Black by Casey Lartigue Jr. February 16, 2023 www.patreon.com/caseylartigue

Michael Vick ain't got nuthin on me!!!

After football player Michael Vick admitted that he had been running a dog-fighting business I wrote that he was an idiot. If he was going to engage in such activity he should have gone to Indonesia or somewhere else. He certainly had the money to do so at that time. If he knew then what he knows now then he would have spent $10 million to run his dogfighting ring in Manila. Today I did something that probably not even Michael Vick ever did: I ate dog meat. I never expected that I would do so. It is a bit scandalous because Koreans don't just kill the dogs and eat them. Rather, they will beat them to death while they are still alive. That allegedly is to get the adrenaline flowing which allegedly makes the meat more tender which allegedly improves a man's stamina. I had told a friend that I wanted to give it a try. But as we sat down to eat I said: "I want to try this but don't give me any details until after we are finished eating." It just looked like regular me...

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