On O’Reilly Tonight
by Richardson ~ August 6th, 2007. Filed under: Activism, Anti-Americanism, Religion, U.S.-Korea Relations, Washington Views.I had a chance to appear on The O’Reilly Factor this evening to discuss the reaction to the South Korean hostage issue. First of all, I would like to thank Michelle Malkin (who subbed O’Reilly) for the opportunity.
If I looked and sounded ghastly, please forgive me, as I was on the tail end of the worst flu I had in about 10 years. I was very nervous that I would start hacking and coughing uncontrollably, but, thankfully, that did not happen.
I hope I did an adequate job of applauding the courage and faith of the South Korean missionary/aid workers in Afghanistan. I expected the other guest, Rev. Sunny Kang, to be more hostile to them (and to the United States), but, whatever he may have said elsewhere, on the show he generally agreed that these were brave people of conviction and refrained from questioning their faith or judgment or blaming the U.S. for the tragedy.
Perhaps I’ll throw up a link, should the video segment become available on the Web.
August 6th, 2007 at 9:57 pm
Hm, it is not everyday people are invited to speak on a program like that. What prompted FOX to invite you? It is not like they pick any Joe off the street.
Either way, congrats on the appearance.
August 6th, 2007 at 11:53 pm
I just re-read my post, and it was typed out the wrong way looking like it was questioning your credentials to be on the show. That was not the intention at all, and I apologize if it came off looking like that. Let me re-word it.
I was wondering how FOX News asked you to be on the show? Was it because of the work you do, the things you have done in the past, or were you featured in another high-profile activity that made them take notice?
Again, sorry for thr poor wording before.
August 7th, 2007 at 7:31 am
Congrats! I’m looking forward to the clip!
August 7th, 2007 at 8:56 am
James,
Congrats! Please post any/all video/transcripts as they are available.
Jack,
More on James’ profile here;
http://novapolitics.com/2006/08/24/james-j-na/
August 7th, 2007 at 9:32 am
coverage of hostages in afgan is virtually nil…
no one cares…
at least not here in the u. s of a……
August 7th, 2007 at 10:20 am
I looked it up, and there is no video on it yet. Usually, the left leaning sites watch every word Bill says and am surprised it is not there yet. I’ll check YouTube or wait for the official transcript on FOX’s page.
August 7th, 2007 at 2:52 pm
great job getting on there and representing!!
looking forward to it.
i also hope to see the clip on youtube soon!!
August 7th, 2007 at 8:59 pm
Wow, congratulations!!
August 8th, 2007 at 12:41 am
Thank ya’all.
No video clip yet, as far as I can tell.
Some of my job colleagues TiVo’d it and razzed me about it all day.
August 8th, 2007 at 2:38 am
James,
I saw you on the factor and I think you looked and sounded fine. Great Job.
August 9th, 2007 at 9:13 am
Congratulations, James. I don’t have television and thus couldn’t watch the program. Unable to find any video, I did manage to dig up a transcript. I’d like to ask you about this quote:
“Having said that, I think it’s been very clear what the crux of the criticism has been about these Christian missionaries in Afghanistan. There has been a lot of recommendations, particularly within the South Korean government and media, that these people got what they deserved, which is outrageous.”
Some Korean netizens have said the hostages “got what they deserved” or made equally vicious comments, but I’ve not read any such statements by Korean officials or in the Korean media. Do you have any links to support that assertion? If “there have been a lot of recommendations,” then that shouldn’t be too hard to do.
August 9th, 2007 at 9:49 am
The transcript is here.
August 9th, 2007 at 10:57 am
“There has been a lot of recommendations…” Actually, I said, “There has been a lot of recrimination…,” not “recommendation.”
Also, by “media,” I meant the word in its broad sense, including the Internet, not just TV.
August 9th, 2007 at 11:43 am
I read the transcript, and it seemed to go pretty well and looked like it did not wind up to be a screaming match which is good. As for the content of the discussion, I cannot understand for the life of me why a hostage situation has to become a partisan issue. I mean if innocent people are taken hostage, should politics be put aside and try everything to release them?
I personally do not think a war protest is going to solve the problem. I guess some view these people taken hostage in Afghanistan to be connected to the war thus the US should be held accountable when the whole time it is the hostage takers that should be to blame here.
This is also not new either. I was reading Ronald Reagan’s Diaries and read about several hostage situations. This was way before Bush decided to do anything, so the protocol has not changed as far as terrorist actvities go.
I hope for the safe return of these people.
August 9th, 2007 at 11:51 am
As I understand, Rev. Kang suppoedly said ealier (before the show) that he blames America for creating the conditions in Afghanistan that led to these missionaries coming to help.
Furthermore, he also supposedly criticizes the missionaries for braving dangers, because there is a competition of sorts to go to dangerous places.
If he had repeated these lines on the air, there would been more of a debate, and I certainly would have been indignant in response.
But Rev. Kang was generally positive toward the aid workers on the air and refrained from either blaming the United States or the missionaries for the tragedy.
So it is hard to tell whether what I heard of him earlier is untrue or whether he simply clammed up on air.
August 9th, 2007 at 12:16 pm
Well, that is a pretty common feeling with some folks (espcially left leaning thought but is not always the case) as far as the events that led to that event and other negative events.
Personally, I have never heard of any “competition” with missionaries to go to increasingly dangerous places for the sake of bragging rights. The natural consequence of missionary work in various places may lead to danger which in my experience is something missionaries are aware of (my dear friend has been traveling around different coutries for years and his parents although worried and very aware of the dangers involved say they trust God to protect him) but do this for the sake of speading the beliefs they have as well as humanitarian ends wich in my view is commendable. People may disagree with this assertation, but that is OK.
As for Kang, I never heard of the person, and the overall discussion was positive as you say. Again, congrats on your appearance on the show.
August 9th, 2007 at 2:22 pm
“Also, by “media,” I meant the word in its broad sense, including the Internet, not just TV.”
When I hear the word “media” in the context of news events, I think of news organizations, not blogs or internet forums. If you say “Korean media,” I think the Chosun Ilbo, Donga, MBC, Yonhap, and other news organizations. I do not include the content of message boards with comments posted by anonymous netizens. In any case, what about those South Korean government officials who think the missionaries “got what they deserved”? Criticizing the missionaries’ trip isn’t the same as thinking they deserve their fate. One may criticize an action as an unwise or irresponsible choice without wishing ill upon the doer.