As big as the fear of ebola is the prejudice suffered by patients

Journalist and writer Eliane Brum recently published a paper analyzing the issue of Ebola sufferers in a very different way from the one chosen by the media worldwide. Going against everyone's first reaction to the dreaded virus, Eliane did one of the things she did best: she put herself in the shoes of her neighbor and exposed the other side of the story, so inhuman to those who eventually get the disease.

Have you ever wondered how you would feel if you were with Ebola, and if suddenly all of a sudden people around you looked at you with expressions of fear, repudiation, and disgust? To make matters worse, his face would be stamped on newspaper covers and above his forehead a sign with the word "threat" written on it. Despite being a relatively new danger, has anyone thought of treating the sick with a little more humanity? After all, if you are afraid when you think of ebola, imagine the fear that a virus carrier feels ...

Following Eliane's logic, but in a slightly different way, the Smithsonian also decided to approach ebola from a different bias than that adopted by the frightened media that anticipates tragedies and the cruel society that treats patients as if they were numbers that need to be buried.

Reactions

While reactions to suspected cases of the disease in Brazil have brought up a series of xenophobic and angry comments, in the US it has not been much different, and perhaps, as Eliane said, xenophobia seems to be a “long-consuming virus”. more time".

In Texas, an educational institution decided to create and announce a new rule: "Navarro College is not accepting international students from countries where Ebola cases have been confirmed." The new rule would have even been applied, after all a Nigerian exchange student was refused enrollment - even though the disease did not hit Nigeria.

In Dekalb County, Georgia, local authorities threatened to cut down the sewage system at Emory University, which sent two suspected patients to the local hospital. Have you thought about the arbitrariness of the thing?

The Daily Caller has published bizarre news about a lady who reportedly boarded a plane trip in Hazmat protective clothing - including overalls, a mask and gloves. The airport in question was Dulles International in Washington, DC, and "fashion" has everything to catch, which is great for business.

Opportunity

Another US media outlet, Business Insider, specifically for business content, has made a story about the protective clothing market, which will be a great line for investment as its stock is increasingly on the rise. When appropriate, ebola is quite an opportunity!

The owner of ebola.com seems to have seen in his illness his chance of getting along. He now wants to sell the page's domain name for the $ 150, 000 deal - the sale has to be done soon, according to the owner, as he could be hurt if the subject goes out of focus in the coming weeks or if some more efficient medical treatment calms down. the moods - ebola's cure, for example, would be bad news for this guy. And as Halloween is approaching, another business opportunity: there are already people suggesting the "ebola costume." In that case it's okay to put yourself in the other's shoes, is that it?

According to Eliane Brum, in the text we use as an example today, exposing suspected Ebola patients, publicizing their names, and spreading the idea that, as one actor said a few days ago, Ebola patients are worthy of “pity and seclusion of society ”are factors that mask the prejudice that exists behind what we defend as a sanitary measure. Is that you? How did you react when you learned of suspected cases here in Brazil? If you were one of these patients, how would you like to be treated? This is a good exercise in empathy.