Red Alert Is The Color Of Panic

In looking at Barack Obama, I very often see someone who appears the complete opposite of the nation he represents. He is always calm, cool, collected; ready for anything that comes his way. As a nation, we are worrisome, panicky and ready to lose our minds over the next big dilemma.

The H1N1 flu is a prime example of our tendency to overreact. It is a serious problem for certain demographics; however, it is not nearly the pandemic we seem to be attempting to stave off. People die every single year from the common flu. Every fall, some people get vaccinated, some just ride out the illness, some never get it and, yes, for some it is fatal. But every fall there doesn't seem to be countless news stories, every day, covering the symptoms, the causes and the effects of the regular flu. H1N1 came along and we collectively freaked out.

The media is a large part of this. The coverage that has been granted to this flu only amps up the panic in the American people. The 24-hour news networks seemingly have a flu story every half hour; whether it's a doctor talking about the flu, how to prevent the flu, or someone who has suffered from it. This kind of attention just promotes the absolute hysteria we work ourselves into over something that is not much scarier than many of the other illnesses people regularly get this time of year.


The news constantly promotes everyone getting vaccinated, and then we panic ove the shortage of the vaccine. I am not trying to say that this flu doesn't cause serious health risks for many people and that no one should be vaccinated; I am simply pointing out that the risks don't seem to be much higher than any other flu virus. The flu seasons are already passed on the other side of the world and H1N1 has been shown to not be nearly as devastating as we once thought, but that doesn't stop the panic in this country.

All I am trying to say is that we are a panicky people. Whether it is SARS, anthrax, color coded security alerts, the year 2000, the year 2012, H1N1, etc., there seems to be a new worry as soon as the previous one ends. None of our worries ever seem to live up to what we thought they would. Sometimes we just need to take a step back and go about things logically.

The initial response should have been whatever groups are high risk should get the vaccinations first. After those groups have been taken care of, the rest of the public can go about getting the vaccine as it is available. Instead, the news said everyone needed to be vaccinated. Therefore, everyone rushed out to get it, many of them at very low risk, and we had a shortage. Now there may be people at serious risk that can't get the vaccine because the low risk people were talked into needing it by the fear mongering in the media. By inducing hysteria in the people, we have created a situation that very likely creates a higher risk of death due to the flu.

I don't agree with everything President Obama has done in his time in office. Yet, in looking at his composure in all situations and comparing it to the nation's composure in situations like this, I can't help but think he is exactly what we need as a country.