Breaking news: Plague Spreading in Africa

I still do not agree with the sentiments expressed in this thread but I must apologise to Astyanax for jumping on my "high horse" in response to what was obviously (though not to me in the mood I was in!) sarcasm. My only hope/wish is that some of the people who posted in this thread would actually do some homework and find out how Africa got to be as bad as they say it is - particularly with regard to Europeans' influence on the continent, the wiping out of traditional cultures without replacing them with anything useful or meaningful to the native peoples and the economic constraints placed on countries in Africa. Maybe then you would feel more compassion for your "brothers" in Africa.

Originally posted by 25cents
in a perfect world, i agree with you.

then again, this is why i'm pro NWO.

Why does it need to be a perfect world? This is an entirely hypothetical situation. I know the government never actually helps anyone. Even in an imperfect world, it is up to those who have to help those who have not. It doesn't happen because of greed and apathy, but that doesn't make the statement any less true.

as i said, in a perfect world. greed and apathy are ingrained so deeply in human nature that it will never happen the way it should.

and anyone who feels like it can be changed are so far from power that it's ridiculous to assume anything can be done.

True, but I'm not arguing whether or not something will be done, I know it won't. I'm arguing whether something should be done. The same way the good Doctor is advocating that we should build a fence around Africa. Chances are that won't be done either.

Originally posted by LovingSoul
My only hope/wish is that some of the people who posted in this thread would actually do some homework and find out how Africa got to be as bad as they say it is - particularly with regard to Europeans' influence on the continent, the wiping out of traditional cultures...

Indeed. May I recommend The Scramble for Africa by Thomas Pakenham (1991, London, George Weidenfeld & Nicholson, pub.)

"The same way the good Doctor is advocating that we should build a fence around Africa. Chances are that won't be done either."

Now your putting words in my mouth.....

I never once advocated a fence a merely said people from the region of Africa where disease runs rampant should be screened for foreign viruses before entering other parts of the world.

Also you do not need a fence around Africa I am merely saying leave it alone and let them deal with their own problems. Africa has been in decline since the locusts cam and ravaged their crops turning a lot of Africa into a dust bowl. Desertification is responsible for the hunger not Europeans. They have never been able to recover since the locusts.

Though the Europeans played a part in Africas demise much of it is a natural process like deplorable weather conditions.

ok guys while i understand the intensity behind this debate, this is going to go around and around in circles forever, because these are peoples opinons. so, can we please get back to the top of my thread

How do you think the plague is going to be dealt with and how bad do you think it is going to spread? should this be a major health concern for the rest of the world?


Thanks again for paticipating guys!

Digitalgrl

I think that this disease will spread quite rapidly and kill alot of people. The problem is getting medical assistance to the areas - transport is difficult if not impossible in some areas. I hope that enough medicine will get to these people quickly enough to prevent a serious disaster.
I don't think that this will pose any real threat to the rest of the world though.

[edit on 23-6-2006 by LovingSoul]

"I think that this disease will spread quite rapidly and kill alot of people. The problem is getting medical assistance to the areas - transport is difficult if not impossible in some areas. I hope that enough medicine will get to these people quickly enough to prevent a serious disaster.
I don't think that this will pose any real threat to the rest of the world though."

Kinda like HIV amongst other never originated then spread to the rest of the world?
Really though all I ask is why waste valuable resources delaying the inevitable?

For Just that reason, I believe that the plague will be limited to a few villages. Because travel between remote villages is rare, it will likely not get much further than the first few places. I'd bet, if anything, it will be spread by people meaning to help some villages.

Originally posted by The_Doctor
Though the Europeans played a part in Africas demise much of it is a natural process like deplorable weather conditions.

This is priceless.

Denial ain't just a river in Egypt.

And a note on Africa's evil dictators: America usually puts them into power. So, if we cause the problem, is it not incumbent upon us to fix it?

Arcane Demesne
Some Euros got pissed a few hundred years ago, and now we have the strongest country in the world. Albiet we used dirty tricks, but we're ANIMALS... How is none of this getting through to you people?

Oh, don't worry. I think people get it.

Originally posted by HarlemHottie

Originally posted by The_Doctor
Though the Europeans played a part in Africas demise much of it is a natural process like deplorable weather conditions.

This is priceless.

Denial ain't just a river in Egypt.

And a note on Africa's evil dictators: America usually puts them into power. So, if we cause the problem, is it not incumbent upon us to fix it?

Arcane Demesne
Some Euros got pissed a few hundred years ago, and now we have the strongest country in the world. Albiet we used dirty tricks, but we're ANIMALS... How is none of this getting through to you people?

Oh, don't worry. I think people get it.

the entire continent is primal. it's going to be naturally harder for humans to survive there, based on the diseases that are created there, the lack of proper sanitation and health practices, the variety of wildlife, and the added threat of these 'american empowered' dictators (the emphasis there indicating that i'd like some proof of this, because frankly, i'm ignorant). sure - the 'white devil' caused problems, but being that africa is the last continent without any significant humanizing (aka 'making nature our b*tch'), it's still a very hostile environment, and not all of it's problems can be attributed to europeans.

that being said, humans have lived and thrived there for as long as we've been around. the continent is not just going to 'die off', not without mass genocide.

they can better their situation on their own, but it'd take a lot of lives. it's not going to get better any time soon without outside help.

Yersinias pestis is carried by fleas, how do you suggest we quarantine those?

The irony is - in situations that seem hopeless and where people have very little, less is more and a drop in the bucket changes everything.

A continent suffering widespread disease that suppresses immune systems acts as an incubator for resistant forms of TB, plague, and all manner of illness known to man.

It's like a wild-fire that has sprung up in the wild reaches, ignoring it insures it spreads.

The other irony of course, is that the more people have, the more they think they need -and the less inclined they are to share.

There are so many diseases breeding over there like hiv, viral haemographic fever (ebola). Wouldnt suprise me if the plague popped up. What a horrible place, truly there is alot of work to be done if it would work