October 27, 2014

Among, no doubt, many others, there are two ways to illustrate the excessiveness of the ebola panic. The first is by satire. Andy Borowitz, online at The New Yorker, has mocked the media-fed fear with columns entitled "Man Infected with Ebola Misinformation Through Casual Contact With Cable News," "Some Fear Ebola Outbreak Could Make Nation Turn to Science" and "Study: Fear of Ebola Highest Among People Who Did Not Pay Attention During Math and Science Classes." In the last of those, he noted that, "when a participant of the study was told that he had a one-in-thirteen-million chance of contracting the virus, his response was ‘Whoa. Thirteen million is a really big number. That is totally scary’."[75]

On a more somber note, consider the contrast between the demands for action about ebola and the complacency regarding gun deaths. A Republican Congressman, Jason Chaffetz, complained about the appointment of an "ebola czar," asking "Why not have the surgeon general head this up?"[76]  Apparently he was unaware that we don’t have one. And why do we not? Because the NRA, and therefore Republicans (and some timid Democrats), oppose President Obama’s nominee because he has indicated support for such modest gun-control measures as an assault weapons ban, mandatory safety training and limits on ammunition sales.[77]

One American has died from exposure to the ebola virus; roughly 30,000 people are killed annually by guns.[78]  So the hyped panic about one will continue, as will the inaction on, and far greater menace from, the other.

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75. http://www.newyorker.com/humor/borowitz-report/study-fear-ebola-highest-among- people-pay- attention-math-science-classes?intcid=mod-most-popular
76. http://www.dailykos.com/story/2014/10/24/1338909/-Rep-Chaffetz-demands-surgeon-general- head-Ebola-efforts-Thanks-to-Republicans-there-isn-t-one#
77. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/03/15/us/senate-balks-at-obama-pick-for-surgeon-general. html? _r=0; 

http://www.thenation.com/blog/178888/why-nra-blocking-obamas-surgeon-general- nominee

78. http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/health/2013/09/19/u-s-has-more-guns-and-gun-deaths-than-any- other-country-study-finds/;
http://usnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/01 /16/16547690-just-the-facts-gun-violence-in-america?lite