I usually try to refrain from political discourse on this blog, but this was too annoying to pass up. Once again we’ve been treated to some delicious sound bites about the Republican VP contender…

I’m happy to go on the record to state that I in no way support the Republican party, because they, in general, do not support me. Many of them believe that I will go to something called “hell” when I die, and some of them believe that I’m an abomination on the face of the planet because a book told them so. I’m as much of an abomination as Paris Hilton (who I secretly adore). Oh … wait.

Anyway.

America is a very isolated place. When the 11th of September arrived and two of our landmark financial buildings were destroyed, we were shocked. How could this happen in our country? This type of thing happens all the time in other countries – we are just too isolated to ever think it could happen here. I know people who live in the same place they grew up and have no desire to even travel outside the town they live – not even to another state. We have created a self-imposed isolation and it’s not attractive.

Apparently that also extends to Sarah Palin – the person who wants to be your next Vice President. Since she can see Russia from her backyard there’s apparently no reason to go there. Apparently if you can SEE another country there’s really no need to visit is there? Because seeing it from a distance will tell you everything about it: its people, its culture, its ness, its everything. Gosh she must be awfully smart about Russia from all those days sitting on the back porch staring across the waters at another kingdom she wants to conquer. There must be smudges all over the globe in her living room – “Wow, Uganda sure is a pretty shade of blue. I wonder what makes their country so blue?”

According to the NY Times, she didn’t have a passport until last year. LAST YEAR. Who knew that having a passport for less than 18 months qualifies you to be the VP of this country? One would think that at the top levels of government it’s pretty much a requirement that you’ve spent a significant amount of time NOT in your own country, because after all, isn’t running a country about the relationships you build with other countries? We’re not living in a loony lunar colony are we?

For regular Americans I can almost barely sort of but not so much forgive them for not having a passport. Although these figures are dated I’ll use them anyway and say that about 34% of you out there have one. (as of 2007 – USA today reports 74 million out of 281 million have passports) That means 66% have never set foot beyond the borders of this country. They have never experienced another culture first-hand. They have missed out on 90% of the World Heritage Sites. They haven’t seen another country unless they look at a map, much less out the back window of their house. And no, traveling via Google Maps or Google Earth does NOT count. [Listen to her talk to Katie Couric about why she didn't have a passport until recently]

Pathetic. Absolutely pathetic. It’s reprehensible that we expect people to respect us in the world when over half our country isn’t even aware that there IS a rest of the world. It’s no wonder so many non-US comics berate us for thinking we’re the only country on the planet.

If you want to be a citizen of the world, I think you should get out there and SEE the world. Get off your butt, turn off the History Channel, and go out there and see history for yourself.

Otherwise, please go back to your gorgeous house and admire Russia from a distance…and stay there.