The world loses one great man, then rids itself of a tyrant
Have we even seen a day in which we learned two men of such great political stature — stature, that is, which they obtained for diametrically opposite reasons — died, unrelatedly, as we did yesterday? (Note: This has been edited to reflect the updated information that, although we learned of Kim Jong Il’s death Sunday, he actually died Saturday.)
First came the news about Vaclav Havel, the great Czech playwright-turned-political activist who led the completely peaceful overthrow of Czechoslovakia’s communist regime in 1989. From the New York Times’ obituary:
A shy yet resilient, unfailingly polite but dogged man who articulated the power of the powerless, Mr. Havel spent five years in and out of Communist prisons, lived for two decades under close secret-police surveillance and endured the suppression of his plays and essays. He served 14 years as president, wrote 19 plays, inspired a film and a rap song and remained one of his generation’s most seductively nonconformist writers.
All the while, Mr. Havel came to personify the soul of the Czech nation.
His moral authority and his moving use of the Czech language cast him as the dominant figure during Prague street demonstrations in 1989 and as the chief behind-the-scenes negotiator who brought about the end of more than 40 years of Communist rule and the peaceful transfer of power known as the Velvet Revolution, a revolt so smooth that it took just weeks to complete, without a single shot fired.
Among Americans, Havel may be underappreciated compared to other democrats along the Iron Curtain. As communism — and the Berlin Wall — collapsed in East Germany and Lech Walesa’s Solidarity movement captivated us from Poland, Havel’s writings and sufferings constituted a powerful moral case against totalitarianism.
Five thousand miles — and more than two decades of progress — away from Prague is Pyongyang, North Korea, from which later Sunday (already Monday on the Korean Peninsula by then) we learned of the death of Kim Jong Il.
Kim was sometimes mocked in the West as a madman (see: “Team America: World Police”), but he oversaw one of the most brutal dictatorships since Stalin. The Czechs, Poles and other peoples of Central Europe were well on their way to restoring their liberties by 1994, when Kim took over from his father, Kim Il Song. Far from modernizing the country, he continued the policies that have led to mass starvation, political imprisonment and executions. All while perfecting the political cult of personality, as this passage from Reuters’ obituary demonstrates:
North Korean propaganda said Kim Jong-il was born on February 16, 1942, at a secret camp for rebel fighters led by his father near Korea’s famed Mount Paektu. But analysts say he was likely born in the Soviet Union when his father was with other Korean communist exiles receiving military and other training.
His official biography said that in elementary school he showed his revolutionary spirit by leading marches to battlefields where Korean rebels fought against Japanese occupiers of the peninsula.
By the time he was in middle school he had shown himself to be an exemplary factory worker who could repair trucks and electric motors.
He went to Kim Il-sung University where he studied the great works of communist thinkers as well as his father’s revolutionary theory, in a systematic way, state propaganda said.
North Korea analysts said however, Kim lived a life of privilege in the capital, Pyongyang, when his family returned to the divided peninsula in 1945.
The lies continued to the end: According to CNN, North Korea’s state-run TV agency reported Kim “died due to ‘overwork’ after ‘dedicating his life to the people.’ ”
It is hard to believe matters will improve for the people of North Korea under Kim’s son and presumed successor, Kim Jong Un. Still, as great a juxtaposition as his death provided Sunday with Havel’s death, it is fitting that Kim should depart this world in the same year as his fellow mass murderers Osama bin Laden and Moammar Gadhafi.
– By Kyle Wingfield
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90 comments Add your comment
get out much?
December 19th, 2011
10:26 am
I wonder what song Zappa played to greet Havel …
td
December 19th, 2011
10:37 am
JDW
December 19th, 2011
10:20 am
Typical Democratic attack. When one does not have the intellectual capability to defend their ideology then go on the attack and accuse the person of not telling the truth (with not evidence attached), call them a name or dismiss them out of hand. I see you have two of the three points down. Why are you so afraid to defend your ideology? Are you ashamed of defending the welfare state?
MrLiberty
December 19th, 2011
10:41 am
Expect the CIA and US government to do everything possible to prevent peace from breaking out between the two Koreas now that Kim Jong-il is dead. Since the end of the Korean war we have done everything in our power to make sure that the two sides never came together to try to reunite the country. N. Korea is a devastated economy with no food, no resources, and no GDP. S. Korea on the other hand is a leading first world nation. There has been no reason to keep 30.000 troops stationed in S. Korea all these years except to perpetuate tensions, justify massive military spending, and to give the military yet another prostitution haven in the far east for its soldiers.
Let us hope that some sanity arises with the passing of this crazy man and that the US keeps its nose out of their affairs. The Korean people deserve the chance to reunite and to all share in the benefits of trade and exposure to the world community.
DawgDad
December 19th, 2011
10:43 am
Havel’s death rates page THREE news? Great job, AJC. And the page one sub-heads on Kim Jung Il’s death, two of them, the lead statement that his death may lead to “instability” (what about his LIFE, you editorial bozos?), and the other implying he built up his nuclear arsenal to trade for food (right, um huh). The lead statement from the AP: “North Korea’s mercurial and enigmatic long-time leader”. This is editorial bias at its WORST, and if any kids still read the paper, it is HARMFUL to our nation.
Shame on the AJC and the AP, once again. Utterly expected, utterly disgusting and disgraceful.
DawgDad
December 19th, 2011
11:04 am
Mr.Liberty: I can’t quite make out if your comments are tongue-in-cheek or not. I was born in the Korean War era and did a tour of duty in the service. I grew up around and served with a LOT of Americans who served and sacrificed to provide and protect freedom and liberty for the South Koreans. The Korean War veterans were by-and-large either veterans or sons and daughters of a war-weary American generation, eager for peace, but NOT peace at any price. The leaders in North Korea do not want peace, the leaders want South Korea, and we are preventing them from taking it. If you don’t get that, shame on you. Casting guilt of this nature onto the US Government and CIA demonstrates a fundamental lack of knowledge of our history and lack of appreciation for the freedoms and liberty our forefathers sacrificed to provide for you.
JDW
December 19th, 2011
11:15 am
TD wrote…”Typical Democratic attack. When one does not have the intellectual capability to defend their ideology then go on the attack and accuse the person of not telling the truth (with not evidence attached), call them a name or dismiss them out of hand.”
When you come up with an argument I will be happy to match “intellectual capability” with you? Until then you will remain so much blather and bluster. For example your recent gem of critical thinking…
“Democratic party of today = Socialism. Everyone knows it but you leftest seem to want to deny it for some reason.”
Is an unfounded and false statement on it’s surface. It would be like arguing against the position that pigs can fly…
Now as to your other burst of insight,
“I see you have two of the three points down. Why are you so afraid to defend your ideology? Are you ashamed of defending the welfare state?”
It is what is commonly known as a logical fallacy. It is a question with a false, disputed, or question-begging presupposition.
It’s like me asking you if you still have your pointy white hat in your closet? Of course I could be wrong that one could be grounded in fact.
Sister Sarah
December 19th, 2011
11:54 am
@JKL2
“Pot meet kettle”?? Yet another DUMB individual. And yes, you have proven your lack of intellect in my DIRECTLY addressing anothers’ penchant for empty slurs and euphemisms. I challenge YOU and anyone else to find a post of MINE ever referring to George Bush in any such term when he was president. I believe in providing a solid premise for any argument I make and seek to back it up with proper support. That is more that can be said for at least 70% of the zombies that post on Kyle’s blogs.
And to the other individuals concerned about my “stroke” potential. My blood pressure is a solid 120/80 consistently. Sorry to disappoint, but I have no reason to be stressed about this; YOU are the ones pissed off that Obama’s in office, not me! (Whoops..someone just keeled over! Cleanup on aisle 3!)
JKL2
December 19th, 2011
11:55 am
MrLiberty- N. Korea is a devastated economy with no food, no resources, and no GDP
A perfect example of how to screw up a country. South Korea: democracy, cutting edge country. North Korea: Comunists, stone age. All the same resource, the only difference being free market v. socialism.
I hope obama fails in his bid to turn us into North Korea. (but I’m sure we’ll turn out different since he’s the smartest man in the world.)
Lil' Barry Bailout (Revised Downward)
December 19th, 2011
12:01 pm
“N. Korea is a devastated economy with no food, no resources, and no GDP. S. Korea on the other hand is a leading first world nation”
————-
Thank you, Capitalism.
JKL2
December 19th, 2011
12:03 pm
Sister Sarah- I challenge YOU and anyone else to find a post of MINE ever referring to George Bush in any such term when he was president.
You’re obviously too STUPID to comprehend what I was saying. If you never said anything derogatory about President Bush then I’ll apologize. You would be the first liberal to do so. Air America was founded upon this. (a good reason why they are out of business). It’s easy to find plenty of people on here that still do it on a daily basis, even though Bush has been out of office for three years. It’s about time your boy started taking responsiblilty for something isn’t it?
td
December 19th, 2011
12:07 pm
JDW
December 19th, 2011
11:15 am
“It’s like me asking you if you still have your pointy white hat in your closet?”
ding,ding,ding!!!!!!!! Now you pull the last and final straw out of the left attack mode. “If one can not win the argument then it must be because the other person is a racist”.
Sister Sarah
December 19th, 2011
12:11 pm
@JKL2
Correct me if I’m wrong, but don’t you embrace PERSONAL RESPONSIBILTY?? I mean, this is the kind of stuff your type always preaches. You pull Air America out of the bag to try to make a point about ME?? Is that the equivalent of the “race card” or something?? You think AIR America speaks for ME?? Only one entity on or of this earth speaks for ME…and that’s ME. You could learn something from that. But oh my bad…you have boxed me already as a “liberal” as only a weak mind does. Woooooo!!!.
I know, I know…. your head just exploded. It’s ok.
Thulsa Doom
December 19th, 2011
12:48 pm
Havel just doesn’t get enough credit for his contributions to humanity. The velvet revolution where not a single shot was fired and communism fell is remarkable in human history.
Kim Il Sung deserves every bit of credit for his status as brutal, viscious dictator. Why is it that the most brutal and viscious dictators are almost all leftists? Stalin, Mao, Pol Pot, Kim Il Sung. I would include Hitler except some liberals strangely think he was conservative despite the Nazi party standing for national socialism party- the precursor of which was the German workers party.
Hillbilly D
December 19th, 2011
12:59 pm
Agreed that Vaclav Havel has been vastly overlooked for his contributions to the changes in Eastern Europe. Hopefully time will correct some of that.
southpaw
December 19th, 2011
2:08 pm
Sister Sarah @11:54
No disappointment here for your good blood pressure. If you want in to keep staying that way, though, my suggestion about calming down stands. Your words say you aren’t stressed, but the tone of your remarks says otherwise.
southpaw
December 19th, 2011
2:09 pm
want “it” to keep staying that way
GT
December 19th, 2011
2:52 pm
Real evil gets eaten up by it’s results and cannot last forever. No one wants to change a good thing like a good spouse or a good way of life. It is Darwinism at its finest.
JDW
December 19th, 2011
2:53 pm
@TD…“If one can not win the argument then it must be because the other person is a racist”.
Let me guess, you did not do very well at Debate.
phillistine comeback
December 19th, 2011
3:04 pm
No, no, JD, TD was brilliant at both parts of a debate, both the tort, AND the retort.
Big T
December 19th, 2011
3:07 pm
It appears we have a failure to communicate in a civilized manner here between those of the left and those of the right. Do you all want to know what’s wrong in Washington today? It’s exactly what’s going on on this board. Everyone is too busy driving their one liners into one another for personal pleasure at the expense of the rest of the country. While we bicker about who’s philosophy is correct, our enemies (and yes we have them) grow stronger and more determined to help us destroy ourselves. We are ALL Americans and that must come first. I would fight to the death to keep the liberties of my political opponents as well as those who agree with me. We must remember we are all on the same team here and we should all have the same goals – securing the future of our nation from our enemies for our children and grandchildren. That means financially, geopolitically, and socially. Our Constitution is and should forever be the beacon of light for the billions of unfortunate people across the world. We should thank God everyday for the grace of being born in this country and do everything possible to protect it at all costs.
JKL2
December 19th, 2011
4:00 pm
Sister Sarah- I know, I know…. your head just exploded. It’s ok
Sit on your couch watching Rachel Maddow and waving your American flag. It’s all rainbows and unicorns here in obamaland. Meanwhile I’ll keep doing the heavy lifting to protect your right to be an idiot.
Ron Burgundy
December 19th, 2011
4:03 pm
We have a communist leader we can let N Korea have.
Joke for the day…
A communist, a muslim and an ethiopian walk into a bar….the bartender say “Evening what can I get you Mr. president…”
Ron Burgundy
December 19th, 2011
4:05 pm
Way to get out in front of this story Obama and call for a transition to democracy there….oh wait….your a communist.
Ron Burgundy
December 19th, 2011
4:24 pm
Will Libtards hold a vigil for The Dear leader? Maybe the media can make the new Dear Leader out to be a trendy sex symbol like they try to do for MOOchelle.
Shaniqua Lavitra Jackson
December 19th, 2011
4:25 pm
Ya’ll some bustas talkin bout Obama like he not the greatest. My paper lookin real good with him as my prez! I may have another baby things are going so good!
williebkind
December 19th, 2011
4:28 pm
HDB
December 19th, 2011
8:03 am
Wow, HDB you remind me of Kim Jong Il!
““There can be no talk of democracy as long as the leaders of the state insult the dignity of citizens, control the judiciary, the mass media and manipulate election results.”
That is exactly what the liberals do and you stand before God and humanity and say it the Republicans. You have been indoctrinated!
Michelle Obama
December 19th, 2011
4:44 pm
Kim Jong IS DEAD??!! OOOHHH LAWD!!! WHY GAWD!!! ARAGGAKJHGS!!!!!
<<<>>>
Seamus
December 19th, 2011
5:18 pm
Sister Sarah: Is that you chanting, “Obama, bama, bama…Obama, bama, bama,” ad nauseum?
Great idea for you: Why don’t you get a one-way airline ticket to Madison, WI and join with the other infantiles “singing” (?), “Solidarity Forever” in the statehouse? Vaclev Havel is turning over in his grave.
Real Athens
December 19th, 2011
6:00 pm
TD:
Really, what do you know about intellect? You’re barely literate. You cannot conjugate verbs. Your spelling is atrocious. You’re computer illiterate as well (that red line under a word means it’s misspelled).
Then there is this. And I quote: “When one does not have the intellectual capability to defend their ideology then go on the attack and accuse the person of not telling the truth (with not evidence attached), call them a name or dismiss them out of hand.”
Huh?
lester maddox
December 19th, 2011
8:37 pm
Big T, It will never happen as long as a large portion of our country is susceptible to right wing propaganda aimed at their ignorance and racism.
Lynn
December 19th, 2011
8:55 pm
The gene pool seems to be a bit too tight in Atlanta.
bluecoat
December 19th, 2011
9:10 pm
grapevine,rumor I hope, troops gathering on Syria border?
bluecoat
December 19th, 2011
9:14 pm
Thulsa one smart lady.Bet she look like Michelle.
doggoneit
December 19th, 2011
10:18 pm
No jokes please, I’m still in mourning.
The Realist
December 20th, 2011
7:05 am
Run it Sister Sarah! You know the rule……I like the way you TALK! Obama 2012!!!!!!!!
Janice
December 20th, 2011
11:54 am
Ron Burgundy…You have to be one of the most immature idiots alive
Janice
December 20th, 2011
12:05 pm
@ Real Athens
December 19th, 2011
6:00 pm
TD:
Really, what do you know about intellect? You’re barely literate. You cannot conjugate verbs. Your spelling is atrocious. You’re computer illiterate as well (that red line under a word means it’s misspelled).
Then there is this. And I quote: “When one does not have the intellectual capability to defend their ideology then go on the attack and accuse the person of not telling the truth (with not evidence attached), call them a name or dismiss them out of hand.”
Huh?
Real Athens you said a mouthful!
Ron Burgundy
December 20th, 2011
3:01 pm
Good to see Hillary out in front of this power vacuum.She is such a great SOS that I cannot imagine what the middle east would be like without her.
itpdude
December 21st, 2011
1:21 am
ronery. . . .
Ron Burgundy
December 21st, 2011
3:38 pm
A Republican, in a wheelchair, entered a restaurant one afternoon and asked the waitress for a cup of coffee. The Republican looked across the restaurant and asked, “Is that Jesus sitting over there?” The waitress nodded “yes,” so the Republican requested that she give Jesus a cup of coffee, on him.
The next patron to come in was a Libertarian, with a hunched back. He shuffled over to a booth, painfully sat down, and asked the waitress for a cup of hot tea. He also glanced across the restaurant and asked, “Is that Jesus, over there?”
The waitress nodded, so the Libertarian asked her to give Jesus a cup of hot tea, “My treat.”
The third patron to come into the restaurant was a Democrat on crutches. He hobbled over to a booth, sat down and hollered, “Hey there honey! How’s about getting me a cold mug of Miller Light?” He too looked across the restaurant and asked, “Isn’t that God’s boy over there? The waitress nodded, so the Democrat directed her to give Jesus a cold beer. “On my bill,” he said loudly.
As Jesus got up to leave, he passed by the Republican, touched him and said, “For your kindness, you are healed.” The Republican felt the strength come back into his legs, got up, thanked him, and danced a jig out the door.
Jesus passed by the Libertarian, touched him and said, “For your kindness, you are healed.” The Libertarian felt his back straightening up and he raised his hands, praised the Lord, and did a series of back flips out the door.
Then, Jesus walked towards the Democrat, just smiling. The Democrat jumped up and yelled, “Don’t touch me …. I’m on disability.”