Liberation

August 10, 2009

Last week’s pardon and release of the two Korean-American journalists from North Korea moved (some to tears) all the country. It was an answer to the prayers of many and a relief and cause for joy for all.  Who will forget Laura Ling, one of the former detainees, when she said?

 Thirty hours ago, Euna Lee and I were prisoners in North Korea. We feared that at any moment, we could be sent to a hard-labor camp. And then suddenly we were told that we were going to a meeting. We were taken to a location. And when we walked in through the doors, we saw, standing before us, President Bill Clinton. We were shocked. But we knew instantly in our hearts that the nightmare of our lives was finally coming to an end. And now we stand here, home and free.

 President’s Clinton’s trip was, in my opinion a diplomatic coup to his credit but also to the credit of the Obama Administration.

 However some have argued that President Clinton’s trip to North Korea to obtain the freedom of the two women was “rewarding bad behavior.” Among them former U.S. Ambassador John Bolton who said: “The symbolism of a former president going to meet with Kim Jong II. I think is something that benefits Kim Jong II a lot more than the United States, and it only encourages others to do the same thing.”

 The argument poses the question of whether one should make a deal with evil. Should we, for instance, pay ransom for kidnappings? If we do, we know that more kidnappings will occur. Should we agree to sacrifice the lives of a few to save many others?

These are complex ethical dilemmas. It is quasi impossible to do a risk-benefit analysis when the lives of human beings are at stake.

Maybe a better way to phrase the question would be to ask instead “How do you deal with evil?” We all at one point in our lives have faced or will face such a question. There are, of course no generic answers and each situation has to be addressed specifically.

However some guidelines might be helpful. I suggest the following:

We should, 

1) Remember that the ultimate goal is to stop evil and since it is rarely possible to do so, we have to do all we can to reduce its impact.

2) Identify the specific values involved in the situation such as life and compassion.

3) Try the best we can to put ourselves in the shoes of the person that will be most impacted by our decision. In other words, “do to others what we would like them do to us.”

4) Consider the long-term real (not hypothetical) consequences of our decisions.

5) Know that whatever decision we make, it will not be perfect but rather a lesser of two evils.

Max Lerner, the American educator and author was correct when he said:

“When you choose the lesser of two evils, always remember that it is still an evil.”

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