By Scott Tibbs, November 3, 2014
----Original Message Follows----
From: Scott Tibbs [mailto:tibbs1973@yahoo.com]
Sent: Tuesday, October 28, 2014 6:45 PM
To: ElRushbo@EIBnet.com
Subject: Ebola, facts, fearmongering and smears
Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. -- John 15:13
Mr. Limbaugh,
I've been listening to your program for twenty two years now, and while I am a fan of your show (and a Rush 24/7 subscriber for the last five years) I believe your comments about Ebola have been uninformed, ignorant, and far too judgmental without just cause.
You wonder why people who work with Ebola patients in Africa are not willing to be subject to a forced quarantine, but that question comes from an assumption that it is "all or nothing." As you know, Ebola cannot be spread unless a person is actually showing symptoms.
Medical workers have been tracking their temperature and have alerted the authorities if they become symptomatic. This is both to protect the public if they are indeed shedding the virus and to protect their own lives and health. No doctor or nurse is so stupid as to not go to the hospital if they believe they could be infected with Ebola. It would be faster, easier and much less painful to put a gun in your mouth and pull the trigger than to not seek medical help with a horrific virus that kills between 50% and 80% of infected people.
The theory you postulated that these volunteers are going to Africa because they are Leftists who want to show they are "good people" is uninformed, cynical and frankly idiotic. Medical professionals have been risking a horrific death by going to Africa for several months now, with no recognition or public thanks, before this epidemic ever became a daily news story. To assume this is some sort of ego-building measure or publicity stunt assumes the worst about these doctors - most of whom are Christians who are following Jesus' example of self-sacrifice.
There are many good reasons to oppose a government-mandated quarantine of three weeks for health care workers who are not sick. First, it is medically and scientifically unnecessary. It restricts the liberty of private citizens who are not a threat to the public, when self-monitoring has been working fine. Second, it is a dangerous expansion of government power. We should always worry when government seeks to expand power and restrict liberty in the name of "public safety," because that is the precedent for further expansion of power that will (not may, will) eventually be abused.
By spewing these kinds of ignorant judgments about the character of Christian medical volunteers (who are, for the most part, completely anonymous even now) you are making yourself look like a fool and a clown. You are alienating and angering people who have been fans and supporters for decades. You need to educate yourself about this situation before you damage your credibility even further. Most importantly, you need to retract your smears against these volunteers and apologize for your shameful attacks on them.
Thank you for your time.
Scott Tibbs
