Monday, April 27, 2009
I feel so much better now.
Obama: Swine flu not a reason for ‘alarm’
That is today’s headline from the Associated Press. In the article itself, the AP reports that what President Obama actually said was that the threat of spreading swine flu infections -- the World Health Organization says there are 40 confirmed cases in the U.S. now; the CDC says there are 20 -- is a cause for concern but not a cause for alarm.
It reminds me of another president in another decade who said it depends on what your definition of “is” is. It reminds me of David Letterman’s comedic bits where he shows film clips of horrendous crashes and promptly assures us that everything is fine and no one was hurt. It reminds me of George Orwell’s 1984 and the possibility that double-speak has arrived.
Yesterday, Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano said there was no need to close the borders. Today, according to the AP article, President Obama spoke even as the United States undertook close border monitoring to contain the spread of the disease. Phrases like “customs agents” and “Department of Health and Human Services” appeared in the story.
Change. You voted for it. You got it.
The only problem is that the more things change, the more they seem to remain the same. Only the faces are different.
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Trouble is, germs seem to be able to change too!
ReplyDeleteThe President's words are on target in my opinion....the flu situation IS a cause for concern, but not alarm, which can easily lead to panic, something certainly not needed. So far, the virus is running a mild course in most people and let's pray it stays that way.
ReplyDeleteYour pessimism is lost on me this time Mr. RWP.
ReplyDeleteReminds me of a sign on a busy road near the airport when I was growing up that said, "Caution: Low Flying Planes." We were never sure what we should do. Duck?
ReplyDeleteI heard people were dying in Mexico cause they were vaccinating them with pig vaccine. Is that possible? Would they actually do that? In the US and Canada its mild and lots of liquids are needed and eventually hopefully it will be gone.
ReplyDeleteMy son just played soccer in San Diego and came back with a cold. But no fever no head ache so we hope its just a cold. sheesh.
He said people were wearing masks.
He didn't. Typical kid.