DEATHS FROM DOMESTIC AND "FOREIGN" CAUSES

I have long been fascinated by how we Americans view deaths - those we seem to overlook and those that make us hysterical.

First consider deaths from causes domestically.  For example consider guns.  There were just over 11,000 homicides by guns in the U.S. in each of 2010 and 2011,* over 18,000 suicides and 700-800 accidental deaths; yet we do next to nothing to regulate guns.  The final figure for gun deaths in 2011 for all catagories is 32,351.**  Then there are automobiles.  In 2011, the final figure for automobile deaths is 33,783.**   Those who have had life changing injuries from automobile accidents must outstrip that large number.  Automobile deaths are down markedly from their all-time high owing to increased safety features; yet this remaining huge figure is tolerated with calm.  Lastly I'll mention flu.  Flu strains often are imported from foreign sources, but, because there is a flu season every year, we consider the flu to be a domestic disease and don't seem to pay much attention to flu related deaths.  In a good year, the number of flu related deaths may be as low as 3,000 or as high as 49,000 (!) in a bad year.***  Yes, there is some attention made of deaths from these domestic sources, but it certainly is not hysterical.

Now consider the reactions of Americans to a small number of deaths from foreign sources.  We are terrified of any deaths from terrorism on U.S. soil.  We want our privacy but we demand there be no deaths from terrorism, not one.  We opposed staying involved militarily in Iraq until two American reporters were shown being decapitated by ISIS in Syria after which hysteria ensued.  All of a sudden attitudes changed to wanting to return to war in Iraq.  Up to 70% of those polled favored air strikes.  In a poll reported by Fox News, 52%  of Americans favor returning ground troops to Iraq if air strikes should not be enough versus 42% who oppose using ground forces.****  Among Republicans 66% favor sending ground forces versus 29% who oppose using ground forces if air strikes prove to be insufficient.

Then consider the hysterical reaction of Americans to Ebola, unlike the flu a "foreign" disease.  We have saturation coverage by the news media on a case by case basis.  Even though we were assured that Ebola is hard to get, a super hysteria has occurred, stimulated by some heath care officials getting Ebola who were handling patients with the disease in Africa and one patient in the U.S. who handled a dead person in Africa.  People apparently discontinued air travel trips.  Some worried whether it is safe to live in New York.  They didn't believe the experts that the disease is hard to get.  This has unbelievably become a political issue.  Not even the fact that none of the Duncan family (the man who acquired Ebola in Africa) has come down with Ebola nor have more than 50 others that he had contact with seems to have eased the hysteria.

What a contrast!  We accept deaths from guns, automobiles and the flu with equanimity, but lose our sanity over something we consider "foreign."

P.S. Both nurses exposed to Duncon in Texas are now pronounced Ebola free.  The reaction to a physcian in New York, who had been treating patients with Ebola, has come down with the disease, but the news media hasn't been able to stir up as much hysteria over it though they incorrectly announced he had a temperature of 103 degrees when actually it was 100.3.

* http://usconservatives.about.com/od/capitalpunishment/a/Putting-Gun-Death-Statistics-In-Perspective.htm
** http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/fastats/injury.htm
*** http://www.cdc.gov/flu/about/disease/us_flu-related_deaths.htm
**** http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2014/10/01/fox-news-poll-majority-supports-ground-troops-to-battle-isis-if-airstrikes-not/