James Kim found Dead

[birdgirl73]

I'll say one thing for you. You did a good job with the "bad guy" role. But you, too, are entitled to your opinions. Ever heard the old adage that you can't appreciate someone else's position till you walk a mile in his shoes?

I suspect that the various people here who refer to Mr. Kim as heroic and who urge compassion on others are more capable than you guess of taking care of themselves in an emergency. For one thing, many of us have lived longer and had more experience than, say, MastaC. But we've also had longer to struggle and encouter challenges in our lives. I'm a medical student, a former paramedic, and also a long-time former corporate information technology professional. But I've had survival training (through scouting), and I suspect I could muddle through. I'm also a lifelong Texan, and I hear about Mexicans coming across the border in search of better lives all the time. I also hear them referred to as courageous for doing so, an assessment I'd agree with.

As far as the Kims being stereotypical or incompetent or absent-minded, the point many of us keep trying to make--and it's obviously one that's lost on a couple of you--is that you cannot say what you'd do in the same circumstances. Mr. Kim was cold (it was snowing heavily in that area, and the reports I heard on the news and read said it was much colder than 32 at night). Hungry. Desperately worried about his wife and babies. He did what he thought would help. They'd stayed with the car for six days, eaten everything they had, burned what fuel they could, and listened to search helicopters buzz by overhead repeatedly without seeing them. He set off in the hopes that he could find help, and I wish you could see that you might have done precisely the same thing under the same circumstances. He probably wasn't thinking completely clearly. Only trying to take helpful action before he became any weaker. I think he used all the common sense he had. It's simply that the odds were against him. It wasn't necessarily a mistake or a blunder. It was a calculated risk--a big one--that didn't pay off in the long run. As far as the search director's question about why the Kims left the road, they found their answer when they learned the road-closed barricades had been opened by vandals. If you're referring to his having left the road on foot after he went in search of help, then, again, you cannot deem that a mistake or a blunder until you yourself are in those very same cold, hungry, fearful circumstances. Here's hoping someday you'll be tested in the same fashion so you'll eventually understand that you shouldn't judge what someone else does in circumstances you cannot comprehend or appreciate. (By the way, the search director's question was a real question. You colored it with your own spin when you provided that translated response in which you termed Mr. Kim "idiotic.")

[ValkyrieAg]

Its not so much that I feel that he was idiotic, but I get tired of hearing "hero" this "hero" that.....hes not a hero. He was some city boy that made a stupid mistake that I, personally, would have never made. Why? Because I was taught better than that. I was always taught to keep a clear head and make good decisions in urgent times. Like you were saying, you have survival training, and you feel confident if you were ever in a situation. Would you have even considered going into the woods? No. If he would have stayed on the road, he would be alive and hed get a little pat on the back by the country for his 'bravery'. Don't mix bravery with stupidity. I really wouldn't expect Mr. Kim to build a bonfire with his bare hands, walk 30 miles in the snow to flag someone down, or carry his family on his back out of there. I don't expect someone that sticks a saab in the mountain snow to be Mr. Resourceful. But then again noone expected he would venture into terrain like that. This is coming from someone who is from the brush country of texas. The terrain is moreless flat and not rocky. Illegals cross all the time. But as someone who can handle themselves in a situation, I would NEVER venture into the woods. A bear would have to chase me into the woods.

Here are some quotes:
"About a dozen miles up Bear Camp Road, the Kims took a fork to the right. They drove about 15 miles down that road, got stuck in snow, freed themselves, turned around, and stopped for the night, afraid they would run out of gas. **KEEP DRIVING**

The family stayed with the car a week, burning tires and wood for warmth, and last Saturday James Kim struck out on foot. He was found dead in Big Windy Creek, after walking more than 10 miles. He had no way to know that the car was just a mile down a rugged road from a fishing lodge, closed for the winter but stocked with food."

"The couple owns two boutiques in San Francisco â?? Doe, a clothing store on lower Haight Street, and the Church Street Apothecary in Noe Valley sells baby goods and skin care products."

"They passed signs warning Bear Camp Road may be blocked by snow, but kept going."

VANDALS DID NOT LEAVE GATE OPEN. Its not like he didn't see the gate. BLM people left it open, didn't figure a guy in a saab would try to drive on it.

He must have been watching too many Subaru Outback commercials and had too much faith in his 2005 Saab stationwagon as he looked for this luxury lodge he had reservations at.

[daima]

Hey, Daima. If it's OK, I'll drop you an email (I can find it on your profile). Yes, this Christmas season is promising to be rough. I made it through Thanksgiving OK, but I dread the next two weeks. I have a test tomorrow, but after that I'll have more free time and can write to you. Thanks for inquiring.

my pleasure, and my obligation

dai*ma:stoned: HUUUUUuuuuuuuGGGGGGG