I just posted This old man's fine diary comparing America's experience with Ebola to our long history of influenza epidemics, pandemics and annual (fatal) sweeps to my Facebook page with the intentionally provocative note, "If you think you're going to die from Ebola but won't get a flu shot, you're probably too stupid to live, anyway."
I got a few likes and the predictable pushbacks from conservative friends, some reasonable (infections vs. fatality rates), some intended to provoke me ("Isn't it a trope of the left that we should prevent problems before they mushroom? Seems to be the case with firearms...").
Oh, friend, you've said much more than you intended.
The United States has suffered, as one commenter pointed out, more deaths from Ebola than any country outside West Africa. One more, to be exact.
Since 1971, when the virus was first identified, total worldwide deaths from Ebola have been 5,675.
About the same number of Americans who die from firearms in the average two months of any year.
31,000 deaths per year by any single cause constitutes a pandemic, and it's time we heeded the wise words of governors like Christie, LePage and Jindal and took this threat seriously.
Anyone who has come in contact with a firearm, who has worked around firearms or is a family member of someone in contact with firearms should report immediately for quarantine. Such persons should expect to spend a minimum of 21 days in isolation. (Don't worry, we'll make sure you have cable TV and internet, plus the finest take-out food Newark has to offer).
While this measure may seem harsh, it's only common sense. Unless we act now, gun deaths could become a real problem.