Speaking of what-the-heck

Decided to begin blogging at work. What the heck.

I was struck by this quote from a Slate.com article on South Korean perceptions of the North Korean nuclear crisis:

Kim also blamed the United States for having divided Korea more than 50 years ago without taking the nation's wishes into account. In essence, she thinks the United States brought the North Korean nuclear pest upon itself and the world.

I don't even know what that first sentence is supposed to mean. I'm hoping it's some sort of horrifying translation error, because my understanding of the history is that there wasn't really time available for a referendum, or at least not more than a very rough and Socratic one.

For, after having brought you into the world, and nurtured and educated you, and given you and every other citizen a share in every good that we had to give, we further proclaim and give the right to every Athenian, that if he does not like us when he has come of age and has seen the ways of the city, and made our acquaintance, he may go where he pleases and take his goods with him; and none of us laws will forbid him or interfere with him. Any of you who does not like us and the city, and who wants to go to a colony or to any other city, may go where he likes, and take his goods with him.

I'm not going to be an annoying American, and whip out the we-saved-your-ass-and-you-should-be-grateful card. I don't expect gratitude for events over half a century ago. I am a little alarmed that Ms. Kim seemingly believes that some sort of peaceful reunification process was on track until non-Korean forces derailed it. It bodes badly for an actual peaceful reunification that Ms. Kim would recognize, or find acceptable.

PS: This is perhaps the funniest thing I've read all week.

One reaction typical of young South Koreans came from Kim Min Jeong, a teacher at a Seoul language school who focused on the injustice of the balance of power: "I was quite surprised that North Korea really tested the nuclear bomb. But all the superpowers have nuclear weapons, so why not North Korea? Because Kim is a maniac? It doesn't make sense.

Something doesn't make sense, right enough. Zing!