2020-01-23 Special Guest at a North Korea Freedom Coalition meeting

I had a delightful time participating in the North Korea Freedom Coalition's first meeting of 2020. Even better, I was able to introduce TNKR to the attendees.

They informed me that they already talk about TNKR very often! There are many difficult issues involved with rescues, disappointment with politicians and so-called leaders, and numerous other challenges that come with operating in the North Korea human rights sphere. So our kind of activity apparently can be a bright spot when dealing with issues related to the criminals running North Korea.

Thanks to Suzanne Scholte (chairman) and Jason West (Vice Chairman) for highlighting TNKR so often.

There were many great moments from the night.

* Meeting a North Korean refugee who was the winner of an English speech contest at which I was one of the judges. He whispered to his mentor, "Hey! There's the judge of the contest I won."

* And also thanks to Rachel Park, she joined last night so she could see me, and she is also responsible for all of the photos. I am still someone more used to enemies rather than fans, but I think I am getting better at embracing them!

* Hearing from a South Korean colleague who has published a paper documenting how South Korea's president has undermined the human rights of North Korean refugees as well as North Koreans. People say that South Koreans don't care, but for some reason those South Koreans who are engaged get ignored.

* Two other North Korean refugees came over to introduce themselves to me. One said that she has heard about me so many times, she couldn't believe she was meeting me. I invited her to visit TNKR, I have the feeling she could end up applying to join TNKR.

* It was great hearing the extended presentation from the Gallos about their refugee school. TNKR is focused on adults, so I was able to hear about their experience. They came to visit us at TNKR a while ago, we think it was in 2018.

* Suzanne Scholte has been at this activism for a few decades now. She focuses on action items. She is one of the first people that I met after I started getting more deeply involved. Prof. Park Sun-young's hunger strike in Seoul was the key moment at which I committed to make a difference. A month later, I was at a conference in Seoul, Prof. Park introduced me to Suzanne, then we were protesting in front of the Chinese embassy in D.C., in April 2012.

* Jason West was the main person I coordinated with. We first met back in 2014 when Yeonmi Park spoke at Georgetown University back in 2014, almost every time I come into town he hosts a fundraiser for TNKR. Yes, I was too busy this trip to even have a fundraiser, so the folks angry at me should realize that I had to get some other things done during this trip.

* The one surprise is that I didn't realize until about 45 minutes before the meeting that I would be speaking, and that I should speak for about 10 minutes. I tried a completely different speech. This morning I was talking to a colleague, he was saying that he would have panicked if he hadn't been giving notice of at least 1 day about giving a speech. I would have been fine even without notice, I probably give speeches about TNKR in my sleep.

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It is an honor to be a special guest at a NKFC meeting. There are many people and organizations doing great work, so hopefully more of their members will know more about us now.

People still get it wrong when they say I like taking selfies. I will JOIN selfies, but you won't see me taking any on my own.

Because people often jump to conclusions, I will also make it clear that I have no problem with people taking selfies. Life is short, I am always happy when people find their own kind of joy, regardless of what social critics and alleged know-it-alls think about it.

Rachel Park joined the meeting to see me. And she brought me this toy, which I have the feeling that one of the kids visiting TNKR will claim.

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Get rid of that watermelon!

Part 1: When I was a youngster I used to collect Confederate money, posters and photographs with caricatures of blacks, and "No blacks allowed signs." I loved the money because it was a reminder of how far the sorry Confederacy had fallen. I had one poster of a dark-skinned black boy munching on a watermelon. I would look at that small poster and wonder, "What in the world is wrong with anyone wanting to eat watermelon?" Yes, white people, I'm talking to you. Your parents, grandparents, and other ancestors who thought making fun of blacks for eating watermelon were crazy ! Even people who say that nothing has changed in race relations must acknowledge that the many stereotypes of blacks are no longer prevalent. But then, there are also some ready to remind us of days-gone-by by debunking stuff that doesn't need to be debunked today. According to the Washington Post: The sound you just heard was yet another racial stereotype going kersplat ! Some ...

Rich talking back

The rich are talked about very often in negative terms, but how often do the rich respond in kind? Australian billionaire Gina Rinehart, who inherited most of her money but apparently has also done very well with it, recently railed against class warfare and had some advice for the non-rich : "There is no monopoly on becoming a millionaire," she writes. "If you're jealous of those with more money, don't just sit there and complain. Do something to make more money yourself - spend less time drinking, or smoking and socializing and more time working." She complained about politicians raising taxes, regulations that slow investment, and other anti-business policies that harm the poor. "If you want to help the poor and our next generation, make investment, reinvenstment and businesses welcome."

Common Sense on North Korea (Korea Times, April 2, 2012)

By Casey Lartigue, Jr. As interesting as Kookmin University professor Andrei Lankov’s writings are, there is nothing quite like attending one of his lectures. He can barely restrain himself behind the podium, often pointing and waving his arms. I also enjoy his unscripted speeches, but his answers in Q&A sessions are like the difference between watching Michael Jordan shoot baskets in warm-ups and an actual game. I have finally discovered the secret behind Lankov’s consistently solid analysis about North Korea: Use common sense. At an Asan Institute conference last summer, he argued that North Korea watchers should try to understand North Korea from its perspective. Don’t most people know that you must understand the mindset of others you are dealing with? Yet, common sense in theory gets ignored politically. From the North Korean perspective, nuclear weapons are the best thing they’ve got going. They will NOT give them up easily, even if President Obama ...

Random photos from today

I went walking around today. Whereas some people like to go walking in the mountains, I enjoy walking around in the city. Well, not D.C. or other cities with many homeless, crazy and/or armed people walking around... * * * Here's where I had lunch today. About $1.90 for a hamburger hamberger. * * * Ha-ha! Bet you never would have guessed that Batman is a drinking place in Korea! * * * Man Clinic? The Koreans walking by seemed to be very curious about why I was taking a photo of a "Man Clinic." They may know something I don't know...Actually, I wasn't curious enough to go in and find out what it was... * * * Right down the street from the Man Clinic...there's a Love Shop! I love the euphemism. "Love Shop" sounds much better than Sex Shop. I'm guessing that if you don't go to the "Love Shop" to buy condoms that you may need to visit the Man Clinic a short time later? * * * Nobo...

Why I won't go to North Korea (Korea Times, December 27, 2012)

By Casey Lartigue, Jr. “Have you ever been to North Korea?” This is the question I am almost always asked here in South Korea when people learn that I have become an activist for North Korean escapees. My response is curt: “No.” “Do you plan on going?” they ask next. My answer remains the same: “No.” When they start to ask a follow-up question, I cut them off: "No." People are often just trying to make conversation, I know, but I am blunt for a reason: I am not interested in going to North Korea as long as North Koreans are held captive. I could go one day, but for now, I can do without a government-guided tour by " men-stealers and women-whippers ," to borrow a phrase from American abolitionist William Lloyd Garrison. I don’t mean to criticize people who have gone to North Korea for political, educational, business, religious reasons or just plain curiosity. However, some people push me on the issue, ― and I push back. A good friend wh...

The Casey Lartigue Show!

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