Left-wing Counterpunch editor Jeffrey St. Clair trashed President Donald Trump for inviting a crippled North Korean defector to his State of the Union address.
St. Clair referred to Trump’s guests as “human shields” and specifically pointed out Ji Seong-ho, a North Korean defector that Trump honored during his address. St. Clair mocked Seong-ho’s crutches, referring to him as “Korea’s version of Tiny Tim.”
Trump did an excellent job of using his invited guests as human shields for odious policies, especially Korea’s version of Tiny Tim who brought his own crutches.
— Jeffrey St. Clair (@JSCCounterPunch) January 31, 2018
Trump’s telling of Seong-ho’s story ended up being one of the most emotional parts of his address.
Seong-ho spent his childhood stealing coal from train cars so he could exchange it for food, but lost his left hand and leg after falling under one of the trains. He was forced to undergo surgeries without anesthetic, and the entire incident eventually convinced his family to try to defect into China. (RELATED: Trump Shares Story Of North Korean Dissident At SOTU)
“His father was caught trying to escape and was tortured to death,” Trump explained.”Today, he lives in Seoul, where he rescues other defectors and broadcasts into North Korea what the regime fears most: the truth. Today, he has a new leg, but Seong-ho, I understand, you still keep those old crutches as a reminder of how far you’ve come. Your great sacrifice is an inspiration to us all.”
The applause for Seong-ho was some of the loudest of the night as he triumphantly waved his crutches in the air.