Good Thing It’s Pure Fiction

I first heard this at the rally, but I had to see it to believe it.

North Korea is praising “heroes” in Ryongchon who ran into burning or collapsing buildings–not to save their wives and kids–but to save portraits of the Great Leader, Dear Leader, and Dogs Playing Pool (not really, but wouldn’t that be a better story?). First reaction: as if. Second reaction: even the North Korean people have to quaking with quiet fury when they feel the indignity of that kind of excrement thrown on their raw wounds.

Frankly, I’m convinced that the real effect of the North Korean regime on the people has been to squeeze every last drop of idealism out of them. Not even the people who write that kind of crap could take it seriously. Even taking fear into account, the fact that they’re willing to do it for a living proves my point.

Unification is going to be very, very rough. Seoul can’t stop talking about how expensive it will be. It will be, but the real barriers will be psychological.