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'Big Easy' mayor respects the law
By Jia Wen |
June 17, 2009, Wednesday
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WHEN released from quarantine in a Shanghai hotel, New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin and his wife thanked the health officials "for prioritizing the health and safety" of the couple and their bodyguard. He was confined for about five days last week.
That was in sharp contrast to some foreign travelers who mistakenly equated quarantine to discrimination and showed displeasure toward preventive measures against the spread of H1N1.
Every international traveler wishes to get to his destination as soon as possible, and Mayor Nagin, who was on a 10-day trip to China and Australia aimed at promoting business to his city, is no exception. Mayor Nagin, however, chose to cooperate rather than to complain.
By making this choice, he has exhibited great respect not just to people in China and America, but also to those in other nations, who are now facing the threat from the H1N1 virus.
It is common sense that a foreigner needs to respect the law and order of his destination county. Some international travelers, however, are not very pleased to cooperate, especially when they have a different understanding of certain regulations in their destinations.
Since the outbreak of H1N1, every nation has taken necessary measures to prevent its spread, but countries differ on the strictness of their measures. Some believe stricter measures should be applied, but some doubt that's necessary.
When a traveler from a country with less strict measures lands in one with strict measures, he is likely to have misunderstandings.
It's hard, and unnecessary, to know whether Mayor Nagin fully agrees with China's prevention measures, but one thing that is crystal clear is that he fully complied with China's medical practices. By doing so, he has shown respect to another nation, and to the rule of law.
His respect for others has won him great respect from others.
Narrow-minded people often ask questions like "Why am I quarantined but he is not?" and "Why are passengers from my country quarantined but those from other countries are not?"
Driven by a nationalistic sentiment, they are likely to confuse medical measures with racial discrimination, thus deepening misunderstandings between different countries. Broad-minded people like Mayor Nagin made a different choice.
WHO has declared that the H1N1 flu is now a pandemic. Countries around the globe are facing increasing pressure on prevention.
Confronting this grave challenge, we have no reason to fear or panic, but we have good reason to learn from Mayor Nagin, who has set a good example to every international traveler whose possibility of quarantine cannot be fully ruled out.
(The author is a freelancer and an associate professor at the School of Economics, Sichuan University. His email: jiawen1128@yahoo.com)
That was in sharp contrast to some foreign travelers who mistakenly equated quarantine to discrimination and showed displeasure toward preventive measures against the spread of H1N1.
Every international traveler wishes to get to his destination as soon as possible, and Mayor Nagin, who was on a 10-day trip to China and Australia aimed at promoting business to his city, is no exception. Mayor Nagin, however, chose to cooperate rather than to complain.
By making this choice, he has exhibited great respect not just to people in China and America, but also to those in other nations, who are now facing the threat from the H1N1 virus.
It is common sense that a foreigner needs to respect the law and order of his destination county. Some international travelers, however, are not very pleased to cooperate, especially when they have a different understanding of certain regulations in their destinations.
Since the outbreak of H1N1, every nation has taken necessary measures to prevent its spread, but countries differ on the strictness of their measures. Some believe stricter measures should be applied, but some doubt that's necessary.
When a traveler from a country with less strict measures lands in one with strict measures, he is likely to have misunderstandings.
It's hard, and unnecessary, to know whether Mayor Nagin fully agrees with China's prevention measures, but one thing that is crystal clear is that he fully complied with China's medical practices. By doing so, he has shown respect to another nation, and to the rule of law.
His respect for others has won him great respect from others.
Narrow-minded people often ask questions like "Why am I quarantined but he is not?" and "Why are passengers from my country quarantined but those from other countries are not?"
Driven by a nationalistic sentiment, they are likely to confuse medical measures with racial discrimination, thus deepening misunderstandings between different countries. Broad-minded people like Mayor Nagin made a different choice.
WHO has declared that the H1N1 flu is now a pandemic. Countries around the globe are facing increasing pressure on prevention.
Confronting this grave challenge, we have no reason to fear or panic, but we have good reason to learn from Mayor Nagin, who has set a good example to every international traveler whose possibility of quarantine cannot be fully ruled out.
(The author is a freelancer and an associate professor at the School of Economics, Sichuan University. His email: jiawen1128@yahoo.com)
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