Strange question from my doctor's office, related to the Pope.

a reply to: butcherguy

Wow, that is odd! Did you happen to ask them why they asked? I would have! Whether or not they answered could be informative.

ETA - A couple of additional notes here. One, if this was simply because of foreign visitors related to the pope, then why no similar alerts in the other places he went? Two, this sounds like they are looking for something specific. My inclination is to wonder of there was not some threat made, that some disease would be released, and they are looking for sick people as a result.

a reply to: eluryh22

Thank you for your rational responses, so I shall respond in kind.

I understand exactly where you are coming from, which is strongly from a point of idealism. In the sense that you are arguing from a point of what things should be like, if we had a sane, functional system run by a government that actually gave a #. I am arguing from a point of what the system is, and what is has been for since as long as I can remember.

Like the problem of unchecked migrants bring communicable diseases. Understand, I did not grow up in some rural isolated community. I grew up in San Jose, California, a major metropolitan area that back then was the vibrant booming tech wonderland of silicon valley. We had a TON of immigrants, many illegal, from all over the place. Not only Mexican migrants, but tons of South East Asians as well, like Vietnamese and Cambodians, many refugees from the # storm we made for them back in the 70's. (I grew up in the 80's) Anyway, Every year there were major outbreaks in various school districts all over the city of dangerous communicable diseases, and yes, every year you'd have quite a few kids, normal healthy kids, dropping dead from these things. My point is that really, border security has been a joke in this country since the late 70's onward, to the point of being nonexistent. But only now does anyone seem to actually care, despite the alarms being sounded for years on this problem.

The issue of the food imports is one that can't be divorced from the issue at hand, because it is really the same issue: public health threats and contagious diseases passing unopposed through our borders due to Customs and Border control being more occupied with trivial issues. There have been far more outbreaks of deadly diseases due to contaminated foodstuffs from places like Mexico and South America, Asia, ect. than there have from people coming here. Mainly because it's a lot easier to get product through customs than it is people. But it boils down to the same thing: no border security. Why? Because it is not profitable for a great number of people, the government included. Unsecured borders mean an influx of cheap, exploitable undocumented labor that can be exploited in countless ways. They also mean an influx of cheap uninspected goods from dubious sources can be sold for a fraction of the cost of domestic products, thus increasing profit margins and kick backs all around.

If you really want to address the border security issue, I find it helps not to point out how it should be, but to look at why it is in the first place. Obviously, I agree we should have a Border and Customs service that is well funded, expanded, and more proactive in screening people and product for potential hazards and threats to the U.S. homeland. However, that is not what we have, nor what the people with the power to fix it really want. And it has been this way for the past 30-40 years.

We can cry and wave signs all we want at whatever monkey/candidate we happen to support, but border security is not going to happen, no matter what clown gets voted into office, if the government and every power behind it has zero intention of doing anything about the problem. And again, I will state this is my OPINION, but from years of observing the problem, I have seen that both the conservatives and liberals both have been complicit in our border security nightmare, and both have active stakes in keeping the situation broken. Not only politicians, but other government agencies such as the DEA, CIA, DIA, ect, all have their own agendas for keeping the borders open, and the hazards coming in. It's why I believe it is pointless to focus on the migrants themselves like many seem to do right now, as they are just meat fodder in other people's war against the rest of us. I do not really see them as invaders, or even illegals when they don't have visas/green cards. I see them as imported serfs/slaves needed to fuel a system that is approaching a bizarre and unholy chimera of Capitalism, Socialism, and Feudalism combined into one horror.

My opinion, for whatever it is worth.

a reply to: LadyGreenEyes

Did you happen to ask them why they asked?

I didn't ask. I should have, but was having a pretty hectic time when I called them. I will make it a point to ask them when I go for my appointment on 10-21-15.

originally posted by: StoutBroux
a reply to: butcherguy

What happens if you say yes? Also, what if you were in close contact with someone who was?

I was in contact with my daughter over the weekend. She was in downtown Philly during the visit by the Pope. They didn't ask me about contact with people that were there.

a reply to: Sublimecraft

I think it's because the Doc was determining whether or not you have caught the gay. It's a disease that morphs into the brain resultant from contracting propaganditis.

I took Ibuprofen. I think that kills it.

a reply to: Skadi_the_Evil_Elf

"many Catholics around the world believe that the Pope can heal the sick just by looking at someone", I genuinely wish he could do this, if only to screw the drug companies

originally posted by: butcherguy
a reply to: Sublimecraft

I think it's because the Doc was determining whether or not you have caught the gay. It's a disease that morphs into the brain resultant from contracting propaganditis.

I took Ibuprofen. I think that kills it.

Not if taken orally.

Just kidding people. Relax!