Last year the world was gripped by fear over the deadly outbreak of Ebola in West Africa. There is no doubt that it was devastating for the victims and their families. However, for most of the rest of the world, and particularly the United States, it was a remote concern that required only some common sense preventative measures and compassionate commitment to those affected.
Today the World Health Organization declared the Ebola crisis in Liberia over. That determination was arrived at by the absence of any new infections for 42 days, twice the incubation time for the virus. The neighboring nations of Guinea and Sierra Leone are not officially out of danger, but both have recorded only nine new infections, the lowest number since the outbreak began.
This news cannot help but recall the lengths to which Fox News, and other media, went to foment fear of the virus and the foreigners who were carrying it. But even more repulsive was the determination of Fox to turn the crisis into something political. For instance…
- Demands for a comprehensive travel ban for anyone from West Africa.
- Attacks on the CDC chief, particularly from Bill O’Reilly, who called for his resignation.
- Allegations of terrorists streaming across the southern border dripping with Ebola.
- Claiming that a handful of cases in the U.S. constituted an “outbreak.”
- Accusations (via Glenn Beck and others) that Obama was deliberately facilitating the spread of the virus.
- Conspiracy theories that Obama was plotting to flood the U.S. with foreign Ebola patients.
The purpose-driven campaign by Fox to drench the nation in panic occurred, not coincidentally, in the weeks just prior to the 2014 election. Miraculously, the subject that was the source of so much manufactured terror virtually disappeared immediately after election day. The notion that the hysteria whipped up by Fox was political at its core simply cannot be avoided. A few weeks later, PolitiFact named “Exaggerations about Ebola” their “Lie of the Year” for 2014. [An interesting side note: PolitiFact’s readers’ poll for Lie of the Year was another Fox News fabrication that “Global warming is a hoax.”]
While there was plenty of crazy to go around, perhaps the most surreal accumulation of outright dementia seeped out of the mind of Fox News “Psycho” Analyst, Keith Ablow (whose name is an anagram for “K With Ebola”). Ablow pushed the usual Fox News fallacies that Ebola was a threat to the every American and was being spread by aliens and even pets. But he went even further to say that…
“I believe the president may literally believe we should suffer along with less fortunate nations.”
That is what passes for a medical diagnosis from this alleged doctor who has previously accused Obama himself of being a virus. It is also what passes for journalism from a network that exists to misinform its audience and exploit phony crises to drive them trembling into bunkers stocked with guns, gold, bibles, and freeze-dried pork. If Fox News were really interested in addressing an epidemic that is killing tens of thousands of Americans every year, they would report on the scourge of guns and the NRA, which kills more Americans in a single day than Ebola has killed ever.
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For the record, here is a collection of headlines from Fox News during the alleged Ebola crisis in America:
- Ebola crisis: Team Obama takes politically correct approach, ignores science.
- Obama’s Ebola plans: A new boondoggle?
- Could Ebola virus become ‘bioterrorist threat’?
- As Ebola fades, questions arise over billions in US aid.
- Ebola outbreak: Why Obama is allowing Ebolaphobia to spread.
- If Obama thinks Ebola is a ‘national security priority,’ why no travel ban?
- Ebola crisis: Yes, we need to help but is Obama ready to keep Americans safe?
- The ambivalent American: Obama fights Ebola, not ISIS.
- Ebola crisis: Obama White House won’t sound alarm, just wants to reassure.
- Report: Hundreds Of Immigrants From Ebola Outbreak Nations Caught Along The Border.
- Trump: Ebola-Infected Immigrants Will ‘Just Walk Into The Country’ Via Mexico.
- Rep. Steve King: Undocumented Immigrants Bringing Ebola, Beheadings To U.S.
- Ebola crisis: Is Obama’s CDC adding to fears?
- Could Ebola be used as a weapon of terror?
Be afraid, America. Be very afraid.
Ain’t it grand? Ebola, Benghazi, IRS, refusing to confirm a chief for the CDC during this crisis, refusing to replace Holder, whom they hate more than Obama, cops killing unarmed citizens, repealing the ACA, Clinton cash, Clinton foreign policy, Clinton age, Clinton grandchild, Clinton Clinton…every ‘scandal’ that Fox News and the GOP touches turns into dust…and not Beck’s overpriced gold either. They are a threat to our very way of life, and people are getting that message. Fear, hate, distrust, lies…all part of the GOP package out together by Roger Ailes to benefit Roger Ailes and the Kochs. Enough. We are sick of being lied to, taken advantage of, and having our rights chipped away by you fake “Christians.” Women are not buying your crap. Neither are college kids, minorities, and most white men with a brain in their skull. So please proceed. You are digging those holes pretty deep.
Excellent rant. 🙂
I agree with Mark, excellent rant!
Now this is agreeable “We are sick of being lied to, taken advantage of, and having our rights chipped away by you fake “Christians.” Absolutely correct!!!
But you forget to include you progressive types in this – you’re every bit as much responsible for “having our rights chipped away” in the name of society as these fake and other not so fake christians are. The danger to us as individuals is a bit broader than you suggest in your rant.
i just like to be sure the whole picture is provided – Mark doesn’t like it since I don’t just jump on the bad mouth Fox bandwagon – but then he draws your kind of rant and anger which sometimes needs expanded to include others that are exactly the same.
But you forget to include you progressive types in this – you’re every bit as much responsible for “having our rights chipped away”
What your right to pollute? To call people bigoted names? Some sort of fictional assault on the second amendment? You right to stop other people from getting married? Accusations should have specifics. What rights are they chipping at?
To pollute – No. To call people bigoted names – absolutely. To stop people from getting married – no – but then i’ve never suggested any of those. Name any of the rights in the bill of rights – and I guarantee a progressive opinion would support some restriction on them exists – here specifically. I’ve taken a position on this very site that is more supportive of unrestricted freedom than anyone else – so save your accusations for someone else. You prove how stupid you are with “to call people bigoted names” statement – exactly how is restricting that supportive of our right to free speech? It’s not nice – I’ll grant you that all day, but words and names are part of free expression. Like I said – you confirmed my statement on progressives immediately – I couldn’t have asked for anything more clear than that. Thank you Bob.
But you still provided no specifics. Please be specific, what rights are they chipping at?
Ok Bob – here you go:
Freedom of speech – any offensive speech – of any kind – is absolutely a right that progressives have a 100% desire to control. Verbal assault – you’re an idiot if you believe any of that.
2nd ammendment – do I really need to go into that one?
The right to do with my money as I see fit – totally and completely – specifically the INVOLUNTARY taking of taxes from what I earn for the government to do whatever it wants. the right of my heirs to keep every penny of what I have vs. handing even 1 cent over to the government.
My right to save as much as I want for retirement without some ridiculous restictions today and future theft hanging over my head in the form of taxation and some dumb rules governing how I use my own money.
My right to live my life as I see fit – smoking, injecting anything I want (this is more right wing nonsense) and to not buy health insurance exactly as the government demands. And to not be forced to get whatever drug big pharma wants to force me to get.
My right to real money – this may not look like a progressive one, but without our fiat system – progressive government could NOT exist. And that system impoverishes the very same people you claim to support.
The right of individual states to run their own affairs without interference from the feds – yes the hated 10th amendment – and that includes gay marriage, which I actually support.
I’m sure there will be more and I’ll add as I remember them.
You can say biggoted nonsense. Calling people bigoted names is verbal assault. There is a difference. I’m asking. What rights are they chipping away at?
“Freedom of speech – any offensive speech – of any kind – is absolutely a right that progressives have a 100% desire to control. Verbal assault – you’re an idiot if you believe any of that.”
No. Straw man.
“2nd ammendment – do I really need to go into that one?”
yes you do. NO one is trying to take your gun and regulation is reasonable. Only idiots think otherwise.
“The right to do with my money as I see fit – totally and completely – specifically the INVOLUNTARY taking of taxes from what I earn for the government to do whatever it wants. the right of my heirs to keep every penny of what I have vs. handing even 1 cent over to the government.”
Hahahaha. Libertarian moron. This is mostly made up bullshit by people who think they do everything without owing anything to the society they use constantly to achieve what they do.
“My right to save as much as I want for retirement without some ridiculous restictions today and future theft hanging over my head in the form of taxation and some dumb rules governing how I use my own money.”
See above. I prefer a society with roads and infrastructure. The rich should pay their fair share. and for people with money to spare, this is more than the poor.
By the way, not a right. You should try to start your own country if you want this as a right.
“My right to live my life as I see fit – smoking, injecting anything I want (this is more right wing nonsense) and to not buy health insurance exactly as the government demands. And to not be forced to get whatever drug big pharma wants to force me to get.”
yes progressives are the only people who want ot outlaw drugs. Another straw man. This is a much wider issue and progressives lean much stronger to leagalization of many things. Only stupid libertarians want Meth legal.
“My right to real money – this may not look like a progressive one, but without our fiat system – progressive government could NOT exist. And that system impoverishes the very same people you claim to support.”
This is nonsense as far as progressives taking your rights are concerned.
“The right of individual states to run their own affairs without interference from the feds – yes the hated 10th amendment – and that includes gay marriage, which I actually support.
I’m sure there will be more and I’ll add as I remember them.”
What? This is general nonsense.
Your absolute desire to take from people to “benefit society” is at the core of all problems – note my emphasis on INVOLUNTARY. That was on purpose because I’m not against all forms of taxation – just those that are NOT voluntary such as we have today. So you can have what you note, it just needs to be done a bit differently.
And let me expand a bit more for you – the reason for those things you and Mark and Sally (the opening commenter) bitch about exist is because of progressivism. I know its not the outcome you thought would occur, but when you desire to have our government become more than what was called for in the constitution – that resulting power gets used in ways you don’t intend – such as to let the corporate media and other corporate entities do what they want at our expense – which is exactly what is happening. We’re on the same side ultimately – but you’re desire to control everyone to “benefit” society is just too strong and we’ll continue to fight each other.
“Your absolute desire to take from people to “benefit society” is at the core of all problems”
Man you like to have a go at straw men don’t you? My “absolute” desire? haha. The rest of that is bullshit. Large corporations supported large government until they won their rights as immortal citizens, then they switched to supporting small government (as long as the government handouts to the rich don’t decrease). Progressives do not support this, and it is not a result of progressive ideas. You need a lot more to prove that one. You have blamed progressive ideas based on your ideological opinion, not fact. The right wing continually blocks reforms such as limiting corporate contribution to politics (they are not people. Period) and efforts to close corporate tax loopholes. Small government just hands control of our lives to multinational corporations. Limit their power first, don’t try to ban extremely useful, if a little disfunctional and needing work organizations like the EPA and the Department of Education, and I could talk about small government. Until then Republicans and libertarians are just tools for the .01%. Are Republican nonsense like trickle down economics got us to where we are with our economy and corporate power. Not Progressive ideas. You are confused.
I know progressives don’t want those things – but your naive belief in a strong central government “doing good” for the people results in all those negative things. Keep trying to nuance your way to a good explanation of why things are so screwed up now, but you’ll never see until you open your eyes.
I was listening to some radio interview a few years ago – not one of the big name people though – and the subject of freedom and liberty was discussed. The person being interviewed stated that those things – liberty and freedom – are a tough sell. Of course I didn’t understand why they would since they are natural or should be natural. But then I get the “progressive” explanation of why I’m all wrong and wanting to keep what I have is just selfish and not supportive of your vision of society – and I understand better what that person meant – people, like you, love your chains and want others to love them all the same. I’ll agree with you that government could do good things and may address some of the injustices, but it won’t because it’s not in the nature of government to do those things. Bottom line – you’re naive and dangerous to me and my freedom – so we’ll continue to disagree on the virtues of supposed good government – because good government is not possible in the long term – it always ends up where we are today – thieving and so protective of its own power at the expense of the people it was to serve. The proof is all around you, but you only see the positive things you wan to see. Bury you head in the sand like all people like you do – it feels much better if reality doesn’t get too close to you.