Saturday, October 18, 2014

Obama Urges Against Hysteria in Ebola Crisis

By Douglas V. Gibbs

I agree with President Barack Obama, to a point.  Yes, we must not become hysterical in the face of Ebola.  If we panic, we become crushed under our own pandemonium.  However, that does not mean we should take the opposite stance, either, and act as if Ebola is nothing more than some silly little annoyance.  Ebola is a serious disease that can be passed through droplets in the air, or any kind of fluid transfer.  It is very deadly, and gruesome in the manner that it kills people.  I get it, don't be hysterical, but let's not shoot ourselves in the foot because we were unwilling to take the proper steps to protect the population, either.

In West Africa, during this latest outbreak, the deadly virus has killed more than 4,500 people.  In this world of technology and the ability to fly anywhere in the world, spreading the virus is not held back by the inability of a person to travel from place to place.

Obama unconstitutionally named an "Ebola czar" to coordinate Washington's response to the disease, a person that was also involved in the failed green technology Solyndra fiasco.

The United Nations is calling for massive funding to help fight the spread of the disease, but not enough money is coming in, in the opinion of the U.N.

I have the tendency to hope for the best, but plan for the worst. Putting a halt to flights from West Africa is not a show of panic, but a reasonable calculated precaution.  However, the Obama administration wants nothing to do with prevention of Ebola.

Fear is rising, and largely as a result of Obama's lackadaisical approach to what many people consider to be a very serious health crisis in the making.

While Obama downplays the idea of a travel ban from west Africa, the disease is popping up here and there around the world.  How many cases must emerge in the United States before the President of the United States takes a more serious stance?  I am not talking panic, but I am recommending that we take a more serious approach to preventing Ebola from entering this country, and spreading through our population.

World Bank chief Jim Yong Kim disagrees with Obama's calm response to Ebola, warning "we are losing the battle".

He blamed a lack of international solidarity in efforts to stem the epidemic.

France has begun to carry out health checks on Air France passengers arriving from Guinea, where the epidemic began in December, while a cabin crew union called for a halt to flights from Conakry altogether.

More than half of the people that come down with Ebola die from it.  The excuse that it is not passed easily may be good enough to convince everyone that panic may not be a good idea, but that does not make it reasonable to act as if nothing is happening, either.

-- Political Pistachio Conservative News and Commentary


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