Isolated, insulated, incarcerated

Heard it on Morning Edition that VA Senator Webb urged the US to lift sanction on Myanmar, a country half the size of Vietnam (42 million).

Opposition leader Suu Kyi was awarded Nobel Peace Prize, then to be detained again.

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=112014807

Webb, a valor-turned-diplomat, was interviewed from Hanoi. He essentially said that following the example of Vietnam, Myanmar should be given a chance to integrate into the global economy. Key word: ACCESS.

Since China is right next door, ready to sell its goods, it’s up to the US and the rest of the world to join or hold out.

Isolation cuts people off from a larger reality, and it could lead to collective delusion (WW II Japanese warriors

were still fighting in the jungle of the Pacific, not knowing that the war was over).

Senator McCain was reported to read up all the news he had missed during his stay at Hanoi Hilton.

(Wonder if those Chino, CA prisoners got a chance to read about their own turf fights once the internet access gets reestablished- or it’s also in the budget cut).

You are isolated when you live in Alaska, like Palin.

You are insulated when you live in New York, like Paris Hilton wearing dark sun glasses even on an evening out.

You are incarcerated when you are detained in Chino or some California desert facilities, sharing a bunk bed and wearing orange pajama ( in that case, you prefer isolation over insulation: don’t look anyone in the wrong way.

Madoff is learning this in North Carolina).

You are to avoid incarceration at all costs. Isolation is marginally acceptable. But insulation is a choice you have to make daily: am I going to call that friend up today, how many times will I kiss my child to show affection etc…

This morning, at the bus stop, my daughter walked out into the rain, umbrella in hand as soon as her friend got dropped off.  Seeing the sight of two 7-year-old sharing an umbrella in school uniforms warms my heart.

I know they will at times falling out of their friendship, but then they will always come back, with stronger bond.

Nations are like that too, 42 or 84 million. Just a matter of scale. The best model in today’s global and technological age is selective insulationism, not isolationism. And for sure, no one wants house arrests or any form of incarceration.

You can ask the once very rich man, he will tell you. Hint: he is currently can be found in North of Carolina state line.