Culture of Fear Case Study - Swine Flu

"Rule one: Never allow a crisis to go to waste."
-Rahm Emanuel, Obama White House Chief of Staff
Nov 10, 2008

In the first 100 days of the Obama presidency, no crisis (real or imagined) has passed without being exploited by those in power whether it be the furthering of the financial meltdown or the shift of power from the people to the government for control of freedoms guarenteed in the Constitution. These crisis events that lead to more governmental control did not originate with this administration but go as far back as the early 1900's with the establishment of the Federal Reserve and the 16th Amendment that instituted an income tax. With each new crisis (World War I and II, the Great Depression, Korean and Vietnam wars, fall of the Soviet Union, incidents at Ruby Ridge, Waco, and Oklahoma City, 9/11 and the War on Terror) the government has thrust itself into the lives of American citizens and continues to erode freedoms granted in the Constitution. Fear has played a huge part in helping the three branches of the government to pass temporary stopgap measures that soon become permanent and irrevocable.

The outbreak of swine flu is another opportunity for government control.

There is no questioning that swine flu is more than likely a contagious and deadly sickness that will directly and indirectly affect the lives of millions of people. What do we know about swine flu? What are the origins of the sickness? How is it spread? What can we do to prevent the spread and contain it? There are a lot of questions to be answered but very few answers right now.

Which is why the advice and reaction of government officials around the world is so troubling. The media and governments love fear. Egypt and Jordan are slaughtering their pigs as an excuse, even thought it can't be confirmed that contact with a pig will give a person swine flu. These are Muslim countries that forbid contact with pigs anyways and they see this as a way to get rid of something that benefits the Christian minorities.

Here is Joe Biden, always known for his honesty, integrity, and dealing in straight facts (just a hint of sarcasm there) telling Americans that they should not be using mass transit systems or be in school because they might catch swine flu from somebody. The WHO (World Health Organization) claims that "all humanity is under threat" and is calling for "global solidarity" to fight this battle. I have heard that term "global solidarity" WAY too much in the past 4 months.

Remember the avian, or bird, flu? Huge scare worldwide and mass panic, especially in the financial markets. What was the result? 421 cases and 257 deaths worldwide from 2003 to 2009, per this report, about a 60% mortality rate. Regular flu, influenza, mortality rates are 0.1%. So far there are nearly 3,000 reported cases of swine flu worldwide, with 151 deaths (150 of them in Mexico) for a raw mortality rate of about 5% - hard to say right now.

Let's be rational here and not do something that will give up our freedoms. The answer is not to get the "swine flu" vaccine when it comes out, you have no idea what it contains or doesn't contain. Will it actually help? How much testing has been done on the vaccine? Lot's of questions that still need to be answered. Tthis doesn't mean we should be unprepared however, here is an article from Meridian Magazine on the differences between an epidemic and a pandemic and preparing for them.

You make the call for you and your family but be careful of other consequences here.

"In politics, nothing happens by accident. If it happens, you can bet it was planned that way. "
Franklin D. Roosevelt