(This assignment was given to us to really show us how lucky we are to have a country built on freedom. And although America made some mistakes (human trafficing on African Americans in the 1800's, unescessary wars, etc.), we have a strong an independent American heart. I am priveledged to live in a country such as America. And I hope you enjoy! This was written in my 8th grade year. I was early fourteen years old.)
In a country like America, freedom is instilled in our behavior and our everyday lives. Our government is ruled by justice and the well-being of its people, for the most part. Often, we don't think twice about what a detriment not having freedom would cause on a country whose foundation is just that. We are fortunate enough to receive the basic rights of freedom of speech, thought, and knowledge of foreign countries. Others, however, are not so fortunate.
In November of 2008, Barack Obama made headlines everywhere as he broke the racial barrier in politics, becoming the very first African American president of the United States. For many, he proved that in a country so wonderful as ours, there is no meaning of the impossible. Moreover, he assured all Americans of every race and background to keep dreaming about what they can offer to their country. Respected because of his courageous movement to make a change, Obama now presides over all American affairs in government as our 44th president. With such freedom in our democratic country, it's practically unfathomable to hear about countries suffering from the lack of freedom in their government systems.
Across the sea in North Korea, the beloved leader Kim Jong-il has ruled in his deceased father, Kim Il-sung's footsteps for over a decade. Since then, he has lead North Korea into a downward spiral, excising every amount of freedom from each North Korean though processes of extreme brainwashing. His tactics to keep power over his people is maintained through one specific characteristic: fear. What seems to be the main focus is that whatever the Dear Leader speaks is veritable and infallible. Worshiped, as if like an immortal god, Kim Jong-il dictates over his fearful population. With such poor living conditions, it's exceedingly odd to see the population go into such a frenzy when it comes to their Dear Leader. Going beyond politics or even religion, Kim Jong-il is an obsession to the minds of his people. Odd, fanciful rituals are associated with his very name being spoken. His and his father's image is plastered everywhere throughout the country, each getting bowed to whenever one walks by. A twenty-five meter tall bronze statue of the previous leader Kim Il-sung stands tall in Pyongyang. Despite such praise and worship, North Korea's population has drastically decreased due to long-term famine, little to no health care, and millions of citizens thrown away into concentration camps for any threat against the Korean government system. Referring to the famine issue, North Korean families have been starving since the mid 1980's. In the late nineties, approximately 220,000 people died from the famine. An estimated five million North Koreans are malnourished today. What little food they do have is often given to those higher in social class such as the dictators and armies. Government has claimed to provide universal health care to all it's population but other sources claim that it is only given to those who can afford it. Health care systems are also severely underfunded by the government. Hospitals are dilapidated and often do not have access to running water or electricity. Prisoners kept in one of the fourteen concentration camps throughout North Korea are thrown into prison for violations against their government, against their Dear Leader, and for completely outlandish and ludicrous reasons. They work twelve to fifteen long hours and their diet is compromised of salt water and one hundred milliliters of broken corn. Their food rations are usually what get reduced if a prisoner is disobeying the rules. Torture and suffering are what all prisoners go through and have to witness on a daily basis. If your convicted of a crime, the government will not only send you, but three generations of your family as well, into these camps.
Even liberated North Koreans are still prisoners in their own country. Each individual person is under constant watch, being monitored for any disobedience. North Korea has belittled the thoughts of it's populations so that they don't suddenly start to think of freedom, the same approach taken by the American slave owners of the early 1800's. North Korea has been transformed into a robotic shell of a nation full of fear, the main puppeteer being Kim Jong-il. Democratic people's republic? Try “Country of Insanity”.
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