Reason Number 1001: The Bird Flu

[smartvoter]

The bird flu threat is real. I know there are DUers who think it's all hype, but how likely is it that nearly every expert on the planet warning us about the flu is working for or in bed with the administration? I personally have read articles about the bird flu for years, and recognized it as a threat long before it became the "next big fear." Flame me if you'd like, but it makes no sense to point to scientists/experts on global warming as evidence of needed action for one argument and dismiss their public health sector counterparts on the other.

However, the exploitation of this threat by the administration for its own agenda makes it seem like Bullshit Fear Tactic Number 1001. This is offensive to me for two reasons -- not only is exploitation of a genuine public health issue for political gain despicable (if sadly predictable), it makes it less likely for the public at large to take the issue as seriously as it should.

From my perspective, this is Example Number 1001 of how the administration is running this country into the ground. It has cried wolf for so f***ing long while furthering a private agenda that when something real comes along, the desensitized public is put at greater risk. Plenty of sources outside the administration are warning us about this particular threat, but its voice discredits those of others. In fact, I personally have heard more than one expert say the military quarantine thing is completely bogus for this type of outbreak, and would imagine other DUers have seen/heard the same.

To be clear, I don't think there should be a panic or anything of that sort over the flu -- I do think the media hypes it too much and offers little more than fear-button pushing -- but it seems that this is yet another example of how badly a change of leadership is needed. Not only are we no safer than we were before 9/11 relative to terrorism, we are less secure on virtually every front -- political, economic and social. The public trust has been smashed to pieces.

I sure as hell hope that American memories hold out long enough to make a difference in 2006.

[Carolab]

1. If this pandemic happens it will be because "they" re-engineered it

and unleashed it on us, in order to control the population.

And all the "hype" is just to make it appear that it was out of their hands, that they couldn't possibly act in time to innoculate everyone or stop its spread, when in reality it's a mechanism to bring about martial law.

Everyone should stop buying into the fear and start calling "bullshit" on this.

[smartvoter]

2. Wrong.

Sorry, Carolab, I agree with you on almost everything and always click on your threads because they are relevant, but this isn't just about fear. For them, maybe, but it's a genuine threat that has been building for a very long time that is recognized by experts everywhere.

The martial law thing is exploitation, just like Halliburton and the contracts along the Gulf Coast. But the flu is real. So is the threat of it jumping with OR without help from labs. It just needs to mix with a person-to-person variety of flu to share data and make the leap. It may never make it, but it is a real possibility.

On edit: But your post drives home the main thrust of the thread, which is that there is zero trust with this crew...

[nadinbrzezinski]

3. We accuse republicans for having an allergy to science

seems we have some folks with same allergy over here

Read on it, get informed

the only problem with this is.. the hype from bush... but the threat is real and I can guarantee bush will not handle it well either

[Carolab]

4. Kids, I don't mean to say the flu threat isn't real.

It's that Bushco is hyping it and ALLOWING it to happen.

That's my point.

We CAN'T let them get away with it--like they did 9/11.

This lack of preparedness is a pure crock. They aren't even TRYING.

WHY? Because it's convenient for them and their agenda, that's why.

I refer you to this post:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=104x5038850