{"id":292,"date":"2009-07-26T23:32:43","date_gmt":"2009-07-26T23:32:43","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blog.beliefnet.com\/intentchopra\/2009\/07\/these-agonizing-days-by-gotham.html"},"modified":"2009-07-26T23:32:43","modified_gmt":"2009-07-26T23:32:43","slug":"these-agonizing-days-by-gotham","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/intentchopra\/2009\/07\/these-agonizing-days-by-gotham.html","title":{"rendered":"These (agonizing) Days (by Gotham Chopra)"},"content":{"rendered":"

These days, even the good days are pretty bad. This past week, by all objective accounts, I had a great<\/em> week. Two comic books that I created got picked up to be developed as television shows. I was advised to expect an “offer” on another idea I have been working on as a television show. I actually got multiple offers on a new non-fiction book I am writing. And I pitched a non-scripted travel show to a bunch of tv networks, all of which received it very very well. Boys and girls, forget a great<\/em> week, that’s an f’ing awesome week…<\/em><\/p>\n

But these days, no matter the achievements, I can’t really manage to get too up because deeply rooted in my consciousness is an agonizing despair over the unresolved fate of my friend Laura Ling and her colleague Euna Lee, now detained for over 4 months in the black box that is North Korea. To be honest, after a litany of blogs, articles, Op Ed pieces, and the like, I am almost all out of words to express my sense of frustration, agony, anger, desperation, resentment, hopelessness, and sorrow. Every time a new Google Alert pops up in my inbox, I pray it carries with it the miraculous news that Laura and Euna may have been released and on their way back home. Last week, there was a blitz of optimism when Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and other US officials formally requested amnesty for Laura and Euna and clearly expressed their regret for whatever crimes the two women may have committed while reporting on a news story back in March when they were initially arrested by NK border guards. News reports quickly followed that quiet backroom talks were underway focused on the girls’ imminent release. Hope knew no bounds…<\/p>\n

CONTINUE READING ON INTENT.COM<\/i><\/a><\/b><\/p>\n

Gotham Chopra regularly blogs at www.intent.com<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

Please Sign the Petition for Amnesty for Laura Ling and Euna Lee<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

For more information about Laura and Euna and how you can help please go to – <\/strong>http:\/\/www.lauraandeuna.com<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

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