Liberal Prissiness and Ignorance

Today, WUSA9 News made liberals look stupid, prissy, and bigoted.

The report dealt with Sarah Palin's book signing, which drew crowds in Fairfax and prissy titters near Dupont Circle. One man interviewed in a "liberal bookstore" quipped that the snow came to town with Palin, who drew it in from her Russian neighbors--as if anyone would be so stupid as to think that any part of America could be anywhere near Russia.

Well, the former governor is right that her state borders Russia. Big and Little Diomede Islands are only a cople of kilometers apart, so given three-mile and twelve-mile territorial waters, the state of Alaska and the Chukotski Okrug do indeed share a border--albeit a maritime one. Further, given Alaska's geographical position, any Alaskan politician unaware of Russia's proximity would be unfit for office.

Further, anyone who finds folly in Palin's comments on Russia "bordering" Alaska is unfit to be taken seriously as either a leader or commentator on American foreign policy or geopolitical interests. During the Cold War, while most Americans were aware that Germany, Greece, and Turkey bordered Warsaw Pact signatories, few were aware that the USA was one of three NATO allies from whose territory Soviet (rather than satellite) territory could be seen (the other two were Norway and Turkey). Hence, WUSA9's interviewee suggests that liberal pretensions to a greater savvy about America's place in the world are, well, pretensions.

Further, they suggest that too many liberals see "Overseas" only by looking across the Atlantic. As one who has family ties and travel experience across both major Oceans, I find this highly disconcerting in a class of people who tend to pride themselves on their geographic, ethnological, historical, and political sophistication.