Former Chicago Bull Dennis Rodman has always been known for two things ? balls and charisma. Whether on or off the court, Rodman understand well how to make headlines with his daring lifestyle. His ties to North Korea over the last year or so have been no exception, and may have actually helped lead to the release of two American citizens being held in North Korean prisons.
Dennis Rodman will certainly tell you his trip to North Korea last year, and his developing friendship with Kim Jung Un, played a direct role in the recent release of Kenneth Bae and Matthew Todd Miller. Their release follows relatively after a kindly letter written and sent by Rodman last January pleading for their release, of which TMZ obtained a photo copy and posted to their web site.
The former basketball star travelled to North Korea last year to put on a four-day basketball camp at the Masikryong Ski Resort as a form of what Rodman refers to in his letter as ?Basketball diplomacy.?
You can read the full letter below:
January 23, 2014
To Marshall Kim Jong Un, the Supreme Leader of the Korean People:
My dear friend for life, Marshall Kim Jong Un
Thank you for being a gracious host to me, Christopher Volo, my Assistant, and the Former NBA Stars. I consider myself a very lucky man to have been able to present you with a birthday gift of a basketball game in person. I hope you enjoyed my birthday song to you, as it was sung from my heart.
I greatly appreciate your sincerity and well-being you provide for your people in making the DPRK the beautiful country it is. Every time my Assistant and I travel to the DPRK, we see the further growth and development of a nation happening in great ways, such as the new water park for your people to enjoy and the remarkable construction of a new airport terminal, which is looking like it’s going to be truly amazing. My entourage and I enjoyed our stay at the beautiful Masikryong Ski Resort. The slopes were the most beautiful trails I have ever seen. The staff made me feel right at home and the former NBA Stars went back home with a fresh knowledge of what make the DPRK such a very special place.
I love seeing you my friend, and I say that with much respect and great admiration for who you are. I want to always come to the DPRK for the rest of my life. Unfortunately, I write to you saddened because as you know my trips to the DPRK have provided a lot of problems for me and for my career here in the United States. I would like to come back to the DPRK as soon as possible to discuss the possible release of the American Citizen, Kenneth Bae. I understand the crimes he committed, and ask you my dear friend, the highly respected Marshall Kim Jon Un for his release to show my country how loving and compassionate you and DPRK can be. I believe this is the best way to keep my trips to the DPRK and Basketball diplomacy going. It will be almost impossible for me to come if my country doesn’t see how compassionate the DPRK is. I ask for your mercy to prisoner Kenneth Bae and would be eternally grateful for his safe return and make a big step towards bridging the gap between our two nations.
Your Friends For Life,
Dennis Keith Rodman
Christopher Volo
Eleven months later, Kenneth Bae and Matthew Todd Miller flew home, free from North Korean prison.
Rodman told TMZ:
?No doubt, our trips helped influence Kenneth Bae’s release and I’m happy he is coming home safely.?
As far-fetched as that may seem, the relationship between Rodman and Kim Jung Un never made much sense, but nonetheless there it was, complete with Rodman playing Marilyn Monroe singing ?Happy Birthday? to the Supreme Leader and a very drunken interview/rant standing up for Kim Jung Un from abroad, which gained heavy airplay at the time.
Yes, as unconventional as the pairing may be, one has to wonder if Rodman may be right, considering Kim Jung Un didn’t just release Bae as Rodman had requested, but also released Miller, as well. Kim Jung Un saw Rodman’s request for compassion toward Bae and upped him one Miller.
While Rodman certainly wasn’t the only diplomat working to gain Bae’s release, an odd friendship and willingness to offer respect to the oft-taunted leader may have been the foot that opened the door for those two jail birds. Now, as of Saturday, they have been able to fly free.
Bae is a missionary who has been incarcerated for the past two years as part of a 12-year sentence for ?anti-government activities.? Miller is a wacky tourist who was detained last April after insisting on asylum and tearing up his passport. He was facing six years in a North Korean prison.
Before you get too warmhearted and teary-eyed over good feelings that may be germinating between our two nations, though, allow the government’s cold hand to come in and slap a bit of reality back into you.
According to U.S. Director of National Intelligence James Clapper, Clapper traveled to Pyongyang as part of President Barack Obama’s envoy, but the State Department denies any negotiations regarding the release of the prisoners took place. He also stated that the release of the prisoners doesn’t change a thing between the two nations. With full acknowledgement of North Korea’s historical and social reputation around the world, as well as its role in the Bae affair, it’s hard to see all this and not feel like Clapper’s response makes the U.S. come off a bit like a bitter, stubborn jackass. Thanks for freeing our citizens who violated your country’s laws, but f#ck you!
Way to keep it classy, America. In this regard, Rodman in spite of his wild reputation, has out-classed the United States government in foreign affairs, and that’s even after his completely drunken international interview mentioned above.
Once again, well played, Mr. Dennis Rodman. Well played.
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H/T: Raw Story / (Featured image courtesy of politico.com)
Dylan Hock is a poet, novelist, professor and social activist. He is published in a number of little magazines and has an essay on the muzzling of Ezra Pound included in the anthology ?Star Power: The Impact of Branded Celebrity?. Currently, he also writes and edits for If You Only News, Addicting Info, Green Action News, and Take 10. Follow him on Ello, Google+, LinkedIn, RebelMouse and Goodreads. Hire him for freelance writing and editing work on Elance.
