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![SAM RIDDLE]()
Sam Riddle[/caption]
Ebola and racism
Racism and classism are now playing life and death roles in the treatment of Ebola victims in America. It is not a good look for the U.S.A.
A Black man, Thomas Eric Duncan, is now on life support, struggling to stay alive as Ebola ravages his organs.
What does race have to do with Ebola treatment? Everything: Simply contrast the way Ebola victims have been treated in America to date.
Duncan became the first person diagnosed with Ebola in America after enduring the neglectful “Black in the emergency room” treatment. The world can see the disparity in how a Black life is valued versus a white life in America and around the world.
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Ebola victim Thomas Eric Duncan COURTESY PHOTO[/caption]
The initial refusal to properly diagnose and treat Duncan even after the health skull-and-bones red flag had been waved with disclosure Duncan had just returned from Liberia was not a mere “oversight.” Hospital emergency room staff conduct throughout America has been historically racist/negligent toward people of color and the poor — even with Obamacare.
Duncan was given a “go away” prescription for suffering and maybe death. But for the tenacity of relatives and loved ones, Duncan might have come into contact with many more Texans who appear more interested in branding themselves for the national stage than stopping Ebola.
As the Ebola infested sheets, towels and clothes lay where Duncan had slept, bathed and dressed; Texas Governor and GOP presidential hopeful Rick Perry, was delivering sound bites that Texas would handle this critter Ebola and those who dared become infected with Ebola. Ahhh, true Texas bravado, “Remember the Ebola!”
Armed guards were placed around the Duncan apartment to keep the potentially diseased from “slipping away.”
This was a racist dehumanization and stereotyping of people in need of medical observation and decontamination that would not take place for days after a known victim of Ebola had been hospitalized.
With an annual budget of over 6 billion dollars for the Center for Disease Control, why is some guy named Brad Smith of the “Cleaning Guys” hired to sanitize the Duncan apartment?
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Ebola decontamination in Dallas COURTESY PHOTO[/caption]
ZMapp, an experimental drug developed to combat Ebola was made available to white doctor Kent Brantly and white missionary Nancy Writebol. Uh, seems none was available for Mr. Duncan, a Black man with Ebola now on life support.
Meanwhile, an NBC cameraman contracted Ebola while in Liberia, and the whole NBC crew was being flown back to the U.S.A. with a medical honor guard with no guns or apparent fear Dr. Nancy Snyderman will “slip away.” As a matter of fact, this white doctor said in a tweet she would “self-quarantine.” White privilege never felt so good.
Black with Ebola? Guns are on you and yours so you don't "slip away." White with Ebola? You get a medical honor guard and you can "self-quarantine." You are trusted. Ebola is no accident. The accident was when white folks came down with it. Now finding a cure is a priority.
America needs a national protocol to eliminate any bias in treatment of Ebola victims. We must eliminate the Trayvon Martin-like victim assassination syndrome (Duncan allegedly lied on his exit form and Liberia will prosecute him). “Treatment first” must become an American health care industry mantra for Ebola victims. Medicine available for whites and the well to do must be made available to all no matter the skin color or station in life.
We must never let haters cause us to lose hope or dislike ourselves, and never let haters make you weak in your faith. Keep the faith. Stay on the battlefield.
Sam Riddle is political director for Michigan National Action Network. Follow him on Facebook at www.facebook.com/sam.riddle, or Twitter at twitter.com/samriddle.
Sam Riddle[/caption]
Ebola victim Thomas Eric Duncan COURTESY PHOTO[/caption]
The initial refusal to properly diagnose and treat Duncan even after the health skull-and-bones red flag had been waved with disclosure Duncan had just returned from Liberia was not a mere “oversight.” Hospital emergency room staff conduct throughout America has been historically racist/negligent toward people of color and the poor — even with Obamacare.
Duncan was given a “go away” prescription for suffering and maybe death. But for the tenacity of relatives and loved ones, Duncan might have come into contact with many more Texans who appear more interested in branding themselves for the national stage than stopping Ebola.
As the Ebola infested sheets, towels and clothes lay where Duncan had slept, bathed and dressed; Texas Governor and GOP presidential hopeful Rick Perry, was delivering sound bites that Texas would handle this critter Ebola and those who dared become infected with Ebola. Ahhh, true Texas bravado, “Remember the Ebola!”
Armed guards were placed around the Duncan apartment to keep the potentially diseased from “slipping away.”
This was a racist dehumanization and stereotyping of people in need of medical observation and decontamination that would not take place for days after a known victim of Ebola had been hospitalized.
With an annual budget of over 6 billion dollars for the Center for Disease Control, why is some guy named Brad Smith of the “Cleaning Guys” hired to sanitize the Duncan apartment?
[caption id="attachment_14618" align="alignleft" width="270"]
Ebola decontamination in Dallas COURTESY PHOTO[/caption]
ZMapp, an experimental drug developed to combat Ebola was made available to white doctor Kent Brantly and white missionary Nancy Writebol. Uh, seems none was available for Mr. Duncan, a Black man with Ebola now on life support.
Meanwhile, an NBC cameraman contracted Ebola while in Liberia, and the whole NBC crew was being flown back to the U.S.A. with a medical honor guard with no guns or apparent fear Dr. Nancy Snyderman will “slip away.” As a matter of fact, this white doctor said in a tweet she would “self-quarantine.” White privilege never felt so good.
Black with Ebola? Guns are on you and yours so you don't "slip away." White with Ebola? You get a medical honor guard and you can "self-quarantine." You are trusted. Ebola is no accident. The accident was when white folks came down with it. Now finding a cure is a priority.
America needs a national protocol to eliminate any bias in treatment of Ebola victims. We must eliminate the Trayvon Martin-like victim assassination syndrome (Duncan allegedly lied on his exit form and Liberia will prosecute him). “Treatment first” must become an American health care industry mantra for Ebola victims. Medicine available for whites and the well to do must be made available to all no matter the skin color or station in life.
We must never let haters cause us to lose hope or dislike ourselves, and never let haters make you weak in your faith. Keep the faith. Stay on the battlefield.
Sam Riddle is political director for Michigan National Action Network. Follow him on Facebook at www.facebook.com/sam.riddle, or Twitter at twitter.com/samriddle.