As I mentioned earlier, many of the usual RWNJ suspects are attacking the CDC and (somehow) Obama for “allowing” two Americans with ebola to be brought into this country for treatment. In fact, nobody can deny entry to a citizen. ICE and the Public Health Service can order a returning citizen quarantined, but they cannot deny entry.

This is a very, very serious disease, no doubt about it, but I think the fear of an epidemic is grossly exaggerated. There have been something over 1100 reported cases in Africa in 4 months. The 1918 flu pandemic ran its course and killed 20 million people in considerably less time than that.

As usual, people are just not paying attention to facts. They hear “contagious” and “Africa” and they go into a blind panic.

It reminds me of the AIDS panic in the mid-80s, which also involved contagion and a disapproved group. At the time, I was living in an apartment in Lubbock. It had a nice swimming pool. Assorted co-workers were constantly asking me if they could come over and swim. I finally told them that one of my neighbors had been diagnosed with HIV, adding (truthfully) that there was no danger from his use of the pool. The importunate co-workers never asked again.