The title of a recently released Fox News article is "Families Plead For Clemency For US Reporters Sentenced To 12 Years of Hard Labor". China, North Korea's only ally, also employed this tactic during the Cultural Revolution more than 40 years ago (1966-1969). The Chinese essentially called this "thought reform" which meant that people who opposed the government were ordered to do physically taxing jobs until they came round and agreed with the government's brutal dictatorial policies which is a disgrace and a clear violation of international human rights' laws. The big question is: will the stubborn and reclusive DPRK listen/take this into consideration?

According to Laura Ling's older sister, Lisa, Laura has "a serious medical condition" (a stomach ulcer) which will inevitably worsen if she is confined to a tiny prison cell and required to do hard labor. Lee "has a 4-year-old daughter who is starting to worry about her mother". This is significant because a 4-year-old can start to comprehend some of the brutal realities of life whereas kids under the age of 4 are most likely shielded from this harsh reality in an effort not to frighten them.

According to Alanna Zahn, a New York-based spokeswoman for Lee and Ling's families, the families were "shocked and devastated" at the news that their loved ones would be going to be prison and asked the North Korean government "to show compassion". OK, if we think about the few remaining Communist countries in the world (China, Cuba, Russia and North Korea), there is basically no accountability system (people are guilty until proven innocent while government officials can basically do whatever they want) and they surely don't know what the word compassion means. THEY ONLY KNOW HOW TO BE BRUTAL AND HEAVY-HANDED IN DEALING WITH ANY OPPOSITION. In addition, the families said that "WE BELIEVE that the three months they have spent under arrest with little communication with their families is long enough. We don't really know what happened on March 17 (St. Patrick's Day), BUT IF THEY WANDERED ACROSS THE BORDER WITHOUT PERMISSION, we apologize (again) on their behalf and we are certain that they have also apologized". Perhaps they are not aware of the fact that, in a Communist country, government officials are always right, no matter what human rights abuses they commit or how corrupt they are, the opinions of government officials are the only ones that count and there is no such thing as human rights abuses and that opinions of common citizens basically mean nothing. Also, how could they possibly have "wandered across the border without permission" between China and North Korea and more importantly, WHY DID THEY FEEL THE NEED/URGE TO GO THERE? This is a clear sign of inexperience. China is a Communist country, but at least Chinese citizens have some freedom. ALMOST NO ONE has freedom in the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (the only country with the word "Democratic" in its name where its citizens have NO FREEDOM AT ALL so again, we have to call the DPRK a fraud/sham). Whoever is going there is surely looking for trouble.

Roxana Saberi, an Iranian-American journalist who was recently released from a notorious Iranian prison issued a statement through the Committee to Protect Journalists that she was "shocked and saddened to hear about the heavy sentence" imposed on Lee and Ling. Specifically, Saberi said that "I HOPE that A WAY can be found to reunite them with their families as soon as possible AND I WILL CONTINUE TO PRAY FOR THEIR SWIFT RELEASE". This is a heartfelt and sincere plea from Saberi, WHICH IS GENUINE AND BELIEVABLE, because Saberi went through a similar ordeal herself.

Finally, according to 35-year-old Beth Diebels, a former classmate of Laura Ling, "WE STILL REMAIN HOPEFUL that Laura and Euna will return home safely". As friends and viewers who have seen these young women and their family members either on TV or in person, we should always try to remain hopeful, BUT THERE IS AN ALL-TOO-OBVIOUS CAUSE FOR CONCERN and if their lives are to be cut short, it would be tragic.