Ahh Trans,
Now there is a great question. But the truth is, there are over 315,000,000 of us. So there are lot of people that do things that would be considered dumb by the vast majority. Look at me, I jumped out of airplanes, perfectly good ones, for a living. People like to dive off of damns and paraglide down tot he bottom. That is insane to many. Heck, I once bungy jumped off of State Route One in California just for the heck of it. They say it takes all kinds. All that said, I have to agree with you though, this goes over the line. There is little doubt an American is going to be used as a pawn by the little fat boy who rules over there.
KN,
I agree with you… and that is probably one of the definitions of being dumb. I mean, when you think the rules apply to everyone else but you or the consequences only apply to others you aren't that bright. I did crazy stuff. There is no doubt. But I did it all knowing the danger involved and did it for the adrenaline rush. If I had died I'd want my friends not to shed a tear, instead saying he died doing what he loved. These people don't think about the danger and then want us to go running in to save them when that danger or those consequences land on top of them.
Don't get me wrong, I feel bad for this guy and especially his parents. But he made a very poor choice, or possibly a series of poor choices if he was dumb enough to go to a restricted floor and steal a banner, and he paid a very heavy price indeed for his decisions. That doesn't make it right for what the little fat boy who rules there did though.
You have to be a bit nutty to want to go to North Korea. I mean, their laws are crazy and they don't even have to the follow them if the nutcase in charge wants to do some thing for a political reason. No, staying as far away as possible from NK is the wisest course of action for a civilian.