Although media focus and talk so far has been about whether or not American prestige and foreign policy was harmed or helped by the heroic intervention of former President Clinton I think the real story is the amazing courage of these two young women, and more importantly the fact that as journalists they've been showing this kind of fearlessness for a long time - it's well past time it was noted.
I'm sure when they're ready they will tell the story of their capture and 5 months of captivity in North Korea, but that time is not right now.
Before that happens, and going beyond the obvious joy of their coworkers and family - such as Laura's View Co-Host Sister Lisa and Euna's Daughter - I think this is really a journalistic triumph as well. Watching Laura Ling as a correspondent, I frankly haven't seen anyone this ballsy since Geraldo Rivera was putting his life on the line to get insiders reports on The Mob while working for ABC's 20/20 long before he sold his sold to Springer-styled info-tainment and nearly torpedoed himself with Al Capone empty tomb.
No one on American TV, short of Christian Amanpour on CNN or possibly BBC World News American does reports like Current TV's Vanguard.
They report with No Spin, No Sensationalism, NO B.S. - it's almost shocking to see Real Journalism again, I'd forgotten what it looked and sounded like.
I can talk about it all I want, but seeing is believing. Take some time - and seriously look at these reports presented by Laura before her North Korean Imprisonment on the state of Narco Trafficking in Mexico and you'll start to realize what we almost lost - and what we now have back again.
In Juarez Mexico nearly 1,400 people had been killed previous year as a result of the turf-based drug wars going on the area, which is a major access point to the American Marijuana Markets via El Paso, TX. While drugs flow north, guns AK's and AR-15's flow south. In this report Laura and her crew photograph the aftermath of 3 separate shootings all from the same DAY in Juarez, then travel deep into the back hills of Mexico where as many as ten armed bodyguards, armored cars and the support of the Mexican Army still isn't enough to maintain their safety in the territory of druglord El Chapo.
Or this report on the fate of America's 2 Million member inmate population after they've been released and attempt to return to "Normal" society.
"Lock Up" this ain't.
We should all be proud and happy to have journalist of this calibre back home safe and back at work.
Welcome Home Laura and Euna - you've been missed, and you are sorely needed.
Vyan
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