By CAP Action War Room

Here’s Some Common Sense In The Face Of Conservative Fearmongering

It has been 21 days since the first case of Ebola was confirmed in the United States. While the best way to combat the virus is to know the facts, some elected leaders have made misinformed claims that seem more apt to incite panic and score points rather than a healthy dose of vigilance.

These false claims got a boost this weekend from conservative columnist and Fox News contributor George Will, who wrongly suggested that Ebola could be transmitted through the air. Here are just three of the most irresponsible things conservatives have said about Ebola:

It is airborne: On Fox News Sunday this weekend, conservative pundit George Will claimed that the disease is airborne and that “in a sneeze or cough, some of the airborne particles can be infectious.” The independent fact checking organization Politifact analyzed this claim and rated it “False.”

It is more contagious than AIDS: Sen. Rand Paul has told Bloomberg News and CNN that the disease is more contagious than AIDS. In an interview with CNN he said, “[The Obama administration] has downplayed how transmissible it is. They say it’s the exchange of bodily of fluids. Which makes people think, ‘Oh, it’s like AIDS. It’s very difficult to catch. If someone has Ebola at a cocktail party they’re contagious and you can catch it from them. [The administration] should be honest about that.”

Terrorists will bring it across our border: New Hampshire Senate nominee Scott Brown told a local radio station, “We have a border that’s so porous that anyone can walk across it. I think it’s naive to think that people aren’t going to be walking through here who have those types of diseases and/or other types of intent, criminal or terrorist. And yet we do nothing to secure our border. It’s dangerous.”

BOTTOM LINE: In contrast to some conservative fearmongering, steps are being taken to fight Ebola, but more can be done. President Obama appointed Ron Klain to coordinate response among the various federal agencies. However, President Obama’s nominee for Surgeon General has stalled in the Senate because the NRA blocked it from moving forward. Former Surgeon General Regina Benjamin told MSNBC “The surgeon general is America’s doctor, delivering information to the American people in a language they can understand.” The Ebola outbreak is an all hands on deck moment. It should be a time when we come together to solve a problem, not spread false information to incite panic for political gain.

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Ebola continues to be a public health and national security priority, and President Obama is directing his Administration to take aggressive measures to respond.

In his latest weekly address, the President made it clear that, although Ebola is a serious disease, “we can’t give in to hysteria or fear — because that only makes it harder to get people the accurate information they need. We have to be guided by the science. We have to remember the basic facts.”

Find out what the U.S. is doing to combat this epidemic — and share this with someone who needs to know the facts.

President Barack Obama delivers a statement to the press after a meeting with Cabinet agencies coordinating the government’s Ebola response, in the Cabinet Room of the White House, Oct. 15, 2014. (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza)

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Transporting fossil fuels like oil and coal is a dangerous business. Train carrying crude oil derails in Quebec Join us in Olympia on October 30 to protect your health and safety!

Right now, oil and coal companies are pushing to build export terminals all along the Pacific Northwest — and if they get their way, our beloved region will soon turn into a fossil fuel corridor.

What would that look like exactly? Lots of trains carrying dirty fossil fuels. Hazardous coal dust could soon be polluting the air we breathe. Derailments could cause tragic, deadly explosions in the neighborhoods we love. These mile-long trains are simply accidents waiting to happen.

Join us in Olympia, WA on October 30 to demand that our leaders protect our safety from dangerous coal and oil trains.

WHAT: Rally and Public Hearing on Fossil Fuel Trains
WHERE: Red Lion, 2300 Evergreen Park Drive, Olympia, WA 98502 (map)
WHEN: Thursday, October 30 at 5:00 p.m.
TRANSPORTATION: Buses will be available from Vancouver, Bellingham, and Seattle. For questions on how to get to the event, please contact me at bmanning@greenpeace.org

Just over a year ago, a train carrying crude oil derailed in Quebec, Canada, resulting in fires and explosions that killed more than 40 people. Unfortunately, accidents like this continue to occur far too often. Help prevent deadly oil and coal disasters in the Pacific Northwest by speaking out at a public hearing.

Now is the time to speak up and demand protection for our families. In October, we have a unique chance to engage with state decision makers about the impacts of oil and coal transport in our communities. Governor Inslee has commissioned a study to look into the potential impacts of oil transportation in Washington, and is giving the public a chance to comment.

Join us at a public hearing to show that these projects are far too dangerous.

Help ensure that the study addresses the whole picture — including threats to public safety, our economy, and waterways like the Puget Sound. Your participation can inform how the state will respond to this very important issue.

Don’t miss this important opportunity to speak up. Join us!

For a green and peaceful future,

Brian Manning
Pacific Northwest Organizer
Greenpeace, USA

P.S. If you can’t come to the hearing, you can still make a difference! Submit a public comment today, telling Governor Inslee that coal and oil export stations are too dangerous for Washington.