The weather has been a little gray and dreary the last couple of days, so to cheer myself up, I have tried The Big Bang Theory, Modern Family and reruns of Monty Pythons Flying Circus. What really got me out of my funk, though, was reading a piece of propaganda from North Korea. In the news story, the prison nations puppet media attacked Americas human rights record. I love irony.
The news hook was the 50th anniversary of the Civil Rights Act, or as the Korean Central News Agency out of Pyongyang put it, the citizen act. The bit started off, As the world’s worst human rights abuser, it pretended to be a model in human rights performance. More ridiculous are Obama’s remarks at the ceremony that as the president, he came to realize that it is hard to make progress in the American society and there are some discouraging points.
Really? The worlds worst? The U.S. doesnt top any list these days, good or bad. I think the North Koreans are exaggerating a wee bit here. But lets dig in a little and see just what has them so wound up.
Under the citizenship act, racialism is getting more severe in the U.S. The gaps between the minorities and the whites are very wide in the exercise of such rights to work and elect. Actually, there are gaps, but compared to even 20 years ago, race relations are better. North Koreas racial situation is different everyone is treated like a black person in Mississippi after dark.
On the jobs front, an average of 300,000 people a week are registered as unemployed, but any proper measure has not been taken. Presuming they mean 300,000 new unemployment claims, OK. But those people get unemployment benefits, as opposed to being declared enemies of the state.
As for living standards, The number of impoverished people increased to 46.5 millions last year, and one sixth of the citizens and 20-odd percent of the children are in the grip of famine in New York City. Well, the U.S. poverty level for one person is eight times higher than the per capita income of North Korea, so we’re comparing hamburgers to kimchi here.
As for the grip of famine in New York City, my local Trader Joes was out of the foccacini rolls I usually buy, but that doesnt quite rise to the level of famine.
When it comes to crime, The U.S. also has 2.2 millions of prisoners at present, the highest number in the world. This is incorrect. North Korea has almost 25 million people in prison that is the population of the hermit kingdom.
Meanwhile, Its chief executive, Obama, indulges himself in luxury almost every day, squandering hundred millions of dollars on his foreign trip in disregard of his people’s wretched life.
That was the line that broke my sour mood North Korea is using Fox News talking points.
Jeff Myhre is a contributing journalist for TheBlot Magazine.