By Jalita Moore : Dennis Rodman- Basketball Diplomacy

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Dennis Rodman and His basketball diplomacy

Is he hurting or helping U.S.-North Korean relations?
Jalita Moore

When Kenneth Bae was sentenced to 15 years of hard labor for conspiring against the North Korean government last year, the State department and other officials did little to fight for his release. This left Bae’s status practically stagnant and his family waiting on action to be taken. Around this time, America was also facing nuclear threats, credible or not, from North Korea. To smooth U.S. – Korean relations, who better to step in than the controversial basketball legend Dennis Rodman?

CNN has followed Dennis Rodman’s visits to North Korea extensively. Controversy surrounds the friendship between Dictator Kim Jong Un and Mr. Rodman. Although Kim is a renowned villain, Rodman is genuinely confident that his association with Kim is positive and even beneficial. After being constantly questioned about his complicity with Kim’s “policies”, Rodman assures that he doesn’t condone them, but still feels close to Kim as a person, not a politician.

Dennis has a conflict within himself. He constantly reminds reporters that he is not a politician or a diplomat. Yet, he feels that he is doing more to improve U.S. North Korean relations. Is he lying though? Just imagine if Rodman and Un never became friends, Un may have just decided to launch those bombs. Isn’t Rodman doing what the State Department is supposed to do, which is to improve our interest abroad?

With the public’s negative reaction towards Rodman’s and Un’s friendship, I wonder if the American media and government enjoy having an antagonist. While Rodman’s public battle with drugs and flamboyant appearance does not make him the ideal representative of America, he is displaying an aspect of maturity and bravery that many polished and poised politicians are not. He is potentially risking his life just for the mere possibility that the U.S. and N.K. can get on better terms.

The commentary on many media outlets express anger, embarrassment, and confusion as to why Dennis Rodman, out of all people, has been selected as one the most grueling dictator’s confidants. However, when media outlets point out the horrendous things going on N.K, we are at the same time eluding that we do not have blood on our hands. The media does a great job of making us appear beneficent and other selected countries as evil.

Rodman’s friendship with Un is the most public diplomacy that has happened between the U.S. and N.K so far. It is practically historic. Through basketball, Rodman and Un’s friendship has created hope for our relations with the NK. We cannot expect Rodman to be the ultimate fixer. We also can not overlook his bravery to take on this risk. We can only hope this friendship will reduce U.S. and North Korean tensions down the road.