Palin's Travel Attitude More Troubling Than Passport Lack
Friday October 3, 2008
Alaskan governor Sarah Palin, in case you've not been watching the news, is Republican presidential candidate John McCain's pick for running mate. We listened to one of her interviews recently with mounting perplexity as she talked about why she didn't get a passport until 2006 (according to the Boston Globe). It's worth noting that US citizens can drive across this wonderful continent from the Arctic Circle through Mexico without a passport (though remember that that will be changing)... not possessing a passport in North America does not indicate that the non-possessor's untraveled.
What troubled us far more than the fact that Palin, 44, only recently acquired a passport is her take on what a passport would have meant to her: very little, or that its stamps might be badges of non-worker-bee dishonor -- an attitude about student travel from the potential veep that's already all too common in the US of A and that would, apparently, continue to be typified by the person potentially occupying the highest office in the land. Read more on that travel-schmavel attitude ("Why We Need a Gap Year"), and watch the vid to form your own opinion.
During the September 25 interview with CBS' Katie Couric (excerpted in video below), Palin summed up her take on student travel thusly:
"I'm not one of those who maybe come from a background of, you know, kids who perhaps graduate college and their parents get 'em a passport and give 'em a back pack and say go off and travel the world. Noooo. I worked all my life... I was not, uh, a part of, I guess, that culture... The way that I have understood the world is through education, through books, through mediums that have provided me a lot of perspective on the world.""The way that I have understood the world is through education, through books, through mediums that have provided me a lot of perspective on the world."
That's great, Ms. Palin, and more power to you: world study is a good thing. It's unfortunate, though, that any US leader is, by attitude and example, pushing the idea that travel's perhaps less than a respectable or acceptable way for a young American to broaden him/herself and to learn about the world firsthand (an especially important endeavor for anyone planning to govern others, especially to govern in a nation of incredible ethnic diversity where religious and cultural differences must be constantly addressed in order for all to live somewhat harmoniously by tolerating one another in every way).
Yeah, so, we're just sayin'. If you would like all of this country's potential leaders to support student travel, as has the Bush administration to some degree (and to some degree not), consider dropping the McCain-Palin campaign a line, whether you're voting for 'em or not:
In the meantime, get out there and travel, gang -- worth every minute and every penny. Some food for (possibly subversive, but hopefully hopeful and inspiring) thought:
- Why You Should Travel After Graduation
- Why We Need a Gap Year
- (Another) Interesting Youtube Vid: "Palin Disses Travel Abroad"
- Do you need a passport to drive to Mexico?
- About All the Travel Documents Needed for Mexico
- Crossing the Mexico / US Border in a Car
- Do you need Mexican auto insurance?
- How to Drive in Mexico
- How to Drive in Honduras
- Central American Border Crossings
- How to Work in Canada as a Student
- Road Trips 101
Comments
“The way that I have understood the world is through education, through books, through mediums…”
I’m guessing C: through mediums. No other explanation for her complete lack of thought, insight, and intelligence.
a politician should have a passport tho. else how to see whats going on.
She understands the world thru books and other mediums… like say… magazines that she can’t name a single one of? How absurd. Now, of course, we all know the truth. She doesn’t travel on her parents buck, or her own fortuitiveness, she travels, with her children, at the expense of the Alaskan Taxpayer who can only dream of spending 5 days at a Ritz-Carlton. Shame on you, Sarah. How ‘Maverick’ is that???
What a bonehead! First thing I did after graduating high school was fly to Europe. Nope, no rich parents. I wanted to see the world, and paid for it. No matter how you slice it, Palin is one of those nutty demagogues who once prided herself in not having a passport, and all that entails. It’s amusing that Palin managed to put her “class war” spin on why she never traveled, but what it’s about is that she’s a provincial. There’s nothing wrong with having no curiosity or interest in the world beyond your own community, but it makes one unsuitable for national office in a country like the US.
I totally agree. Sarah Palin knew she looked
bad by not furthering her knowledge so she puts a class warfare spin on it. Obviously
she didn’t read newspapers or magazines either. Ms. Palin would rather travel at the
expense of the Alaska taxpayers than pay it
out of her own pocket. This women can’t get
anymore phony. She needs to understand when
she tries to spin herself out of these messes that shes in, she just looks more and more stupid. Geesh Sarah, stay in Alaska you’re a
mess and so is your family. You would embarrass the US.