Final Word: Dennis Rodman, hand over your passport
Jan 8, 2014, 7:57 PM | Updated: 7:57 pm
Is it time to take Dennis Rodman’s passport away?
I think so.
Rodman is on a crazed mission to play basketball in North Korea for Kim Jong Un’s birthday. He has appointed himself a diplomat, and taken 10 former NBA players (who clearly need the money more than they value their pride) to play in a basketball game.
Unfortunately, it is considered a news event and is covered by media looking for a controversial angle on this tired former celebrity.
CNN interviewed Rodman Tuesday and, unfortunately, asked him about Kenneth Bae, a former South Korean immigrant turned Chinese tour company operator who took as many as 15 groups to North Korea to see the country. He was arrested by North Korean officials in November 2012.
North Korea won’t say why they arrested him and has not produced any documents pertaining to his imprisonment.
He has a wife and children and suffers from diabetes. His family has been trying to get him freed, but have failed.
He was sentenced to 15 years of hard labor and his family said his health is suffering.
North Korea is considered to have one of the harshest prison systems in the world. As many as 200,000 people are believed to be held there in prison camps, subjected to mistreatment and torture.
So, in an effort to boost ratings, CNN’s Chris Cuomo asked Rodman about Kenneth Bae.
Rodman answered, obviously knowing little about the story. He yelled down the CNN host and proceeded to make zero sense in his comments about the North Korean government and its “Supreme Commander.”
All the while, Rodman said he is doing something “nice.” According to whom?
The U.S. has no diplomatic relations with North Korea and has repeatedly condemned its acts against humanity and efforts to start a nuclear weapons program.
Bae’s family said Rodman is playing games with Bae’s life and, in a way, they are right. He doesn’t have to play basketball in North Korea, but he’s obviously being paid a lot to do so.
It’s too bad he’s either too dumb or too crazy to realize he is being used by the North Korean PR machine, instead of making a political statement.
If we could only stop paying attention.
