Ebola Outbreak; Conspiracy Or Just Plain Stupidity?

With the death of Thomas Eric Duncan, news of a second possible case of Ebola in the Dallas area (that of Sgt. Michael Monning) and worries that dogs and other animals could transmit Ebola, fears of a deadly epidemic in the United States are bound to accelerate. The reality is that multiple deaths from Ebola are likely in America, but the psychological toll is already far outpacing the physical one. Adults admit to anxiety about whether the illness could strike many more people here, and co-workers have confided to me that they are terrified of Ebola. And what is being said is only the obvious part of the psychological virus (call it "Ebolophobia") that is spreading; I would venture that millions of people are already unconsciously spending mental energy to suppress their worries that the disease could infect them or those they love. Part of the preventive health strategy to help contain this psychological virus should be a reliable flow of information and bold policy from the Obama administration and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. But, already, their response lacks the necessary element of steady stewardship. And that’s because of President Obama’s continuing reticence to put America first. Here’s an example: A travel ban on countries like Liberia, where Ebola is epidemic, makes sense as a technique to keep the virus from accelerating here.It’s only human to want to protect ourselves and our families. We want to defend ourselves, so isn’t the fastest, easiest solution to put up a wall around the problem? Let me say this plainly, in order for President Obama to keep thinking of himself as the leader of the world — and not just the free world — it may be that our boundaries must remain porous, allowing illegal immigrants and, potentially, even diseases to flow through them.The correct stance against Ebola is a medical-military one that replicates fighting a war in which the enemy has already come ashore and attacked a city — in this case, Dallas. The borders should be sealed to travelers who have visited nations affected by Ebola in the last 30 days.The surgeon general and a special assistant surgeon general for Ebola defense should be dispensing daily information about public health initiatives and medical research initiatives being undertaken to contain and combat the illness. Though Ebola is a rare and often fatal virus that results in non-specific symptoms, and for which there is no definitive cure, this doesn't mean the end of the world is nigh, as long as we do something about it now! The toll of having a president who seems to see America as having no particular manifest destiny may be seen in the spread of ISIS abroad. And it could be seen, God forbid, in not mounting a sufficient immune defense here at home, to Ebola. Saying so, even at the risk of offending some or many, is the first step (here taken) to make it not so. The bottom line here is, we must have leaders that are truly making decisions based on the best interests of its people! If this deadly disease truly takes a turn for the worst, God help us all!