While I find diary topics just about everywhere, I am trying to think if the Sports pages of our local paper ever provided that before for me. If it did, I can no longer remember it.
In fairness, the article wasn’t locally written. It’s an AP story picked up by the local paper, as I am sure it was in hundreds/if/not/thousands of other papers across the country. Written by Ted Anthony, the title reads: What happened in first weekend of Olympics, with a more intriguing subtitle: Two Koreas edged closer; US appeared to be odd man out.
(Two Koreas … hmm. How many do they think there are, I wonder?)
The second picture is the one I liked best (the first was of the Korean unified team arriving at the Opening Ceremony). It showed South Korean president, Moon Jae-in, conversing with Kim Yo Jong, SISTER of North Korean leader, Kim Jong Un! Beautiful!
I can’t include the photo because it is copyrighted, but Boston Herald posted a picture in the same series on this page.
The ‘money’ paragraph, for me:
And, while it’s too early to suggest that the tectonic plates of Korean Peninsula security have shifted, surely the inaugural weekend of the Pyeongchang Winter Games has already secured its spot in Olympic lore simply for its visuals. There were North and South, side by side in the opening ceremony, on the hockey ice and in the dignitaries’ box, with the U.S, looking on like a kid who didn’t get picked in the sandlot.
Hah! You can begin to see something of how the current administration has diminished our stature internationally with the sandlot reference. (Personally I think that overestimates it.)
But I don’t think it was the U.S. that didn’t get picked. I think it is the U.S.’s kid-in-chief, the U.S.’s ODD MAN-in-chief that came off the loser. Could there possibly be a clearer (wordless!) editorial of how insignificant he is?! How unimportant in real-world terms? Perhaps the world doesn’t see the message, but you may be certain that the ego-in-chief does.
And it’s worse because the purpose of the engagement that’s happening isn’t to troll him. It is mature and adult human beings relating AS mature adults. Looking to BRIDGE differences, not widen them. Looking to relate, as human beings, fairly, honestly, openly. MATURELY. Responsibly. All things HE is incapable of.
And it’s worse because of the clear message it sends to the rest of the world: that if North Korea truly sought the war that HE says they want, the very LAST thing they would do would be to mend fences with the South. They wouldn’t waste the energy. They wouldn’t waste the time.
I disagree with Ted Anthony about one other thing. The United States - WE THE PEOPLE - are NOT the losers in this. Because our world is a little bit safer than it was yesterday. And his task of demonizing North Koreans became much harder. Good.
(Please don’t misunderstand, I am not a fan of Kim Jong Un or his regime. I just don’t see him as the threat Trump ALWAYS tries to portray, because of his personal animus. And improved relations between North and South Korea could hold great promise on many fronts.)
Thanks for reading. On to tonight’s comments!
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From Abinold:
I am submitting this comment by TheGeneral for its clear approach to political (donor!) transparency! (Mogolori highlighted this earlier, still! Well chosen!)
Highlighted by LogORhetoric:
In LogORhetoric’s diary about some male pushback against #metoo, in this comment, ceebee7 believes that the #metoo movement will sustain, and hopes for good signs of that in November!
Highlighted by eosterberg:
Is this (one rec!, before mine!) comment by Sailor Jo, with a fine back-handed ‘compliment’ of Trump!
Highlighted by Heavy Mettle:
Is this comment by MBNYC on the ad absurdem extreme that is Trump, worst person who could have been picked for the job.
From BeninSC:
I am nominating this comment by Gwennedd, in Sara R’s diary about winglion’s heart attack. Once it became clear that winglion had already received a community quilt, Gwennedd advocated a direct fundraiser for the her and Sara, rather than buying Pootie pads and like products that would eat into their time, when their focus needs to be on winglion’s health and healing! Most considerate!
Then, in the same diary, with this comment, TrueBlueMajority lovingly explains who Sara and winglion are to us, and why! Excellent comment! One of my all-time favorites!
Top Mojo ala mik!
For Sunday, February 11, 2018, first comments and tip jars excluded. Thank you mik for the mojo magic! For those of you interested in How Top Mojo Works, please see his diary on the subject.
Top Pictures
2018-02-12, courtesy of jotter!