Jon Stewart just made fun of the concern over

[babylonsister]

the Ebola virus and the concern we are showing. What did I miss? We shouldn't be concerned?

[pinto]

1. ?? Don't watch the show. What did he say?

[madville]

2. Well I'm concerned

I'm concerned about your concern for his concern about other peoples' concern about Ebola

[delrem]

3. I dunno. I don't watch MSM. Jon Stewart is a comedian.

His comedy is politically topical.
He's very well liked by "dems", whatever that means in 2014.

I don't like the fact that in the 21st century political dissent isn't recognized as valid until it's dissipated through comedy. I don't expect comedians to always be "politically correct".

What does "concern over the Ebola virus" mean?
Does basic awareness of a fact equate to "concern"?

Should I be asking these things of a comedian?

I'll watch the episode when/if it hits the non-US public internet.
Maybe.

[veganlush]

4. Ebola spreads in countries with weak governments

and health infrastructure, bad funeral traditions (which the weak government don't intervene with) It just wouldn't spread here, it's not airbourne and requires contact with bodily fluids to contract. We have a government in place and a strong healthcare infrastructure.

[enlightenment]

5. This epidemic is a concern,

not because of any real risk of spreading beyond Africa, but because of the knock-on effects of political, social, and economic destabilization in nations that are already struggling. As we have seen, repeatedly, what happens in one nation affects many others.

That is, of course, not even considering the very real ethical concern we should have toward any group that is suffering this way.

If Stewart was joking about this, it was not one of his finer moments.

[veganlush]

19. I didn't see stewart's piece

but I assumed he was referring to those people here that we all know, that don't understand the way it spreads, and that it just isn't something that would spread here, as we have a functioning government. But of course the larger concerns voiced by the President, of instabilty and failing economies over there, and refugee problems due to panic are real concerns, but I'm sure Stewart knows that and is just making fun of the under-informed that think that if you just bring the virus here and release it, it will sweep across the land like a flu bug.

[Logical]

6. Zero to no threat for the USA. Nt

[Purveyor]

7. Knock off the logical, Logical!

[Logical]

8. :-) nt

[pansypoo53219]

9. um, what part of humor do you not get. he was bashing the ISIS concern overhype.

ebola beat ISIS's ass. plus hitting miss lindsey yet again.

[babylonsister]

14. I must have been

humor-impaired when I watched it, which is why I asked. I'm usually not, so thanks for clarifying.

[cali]

10. It's not of great concern here in the U.S. It's terribly concerning in Africa

[Recursion]

11. It's difficult to imagine a developed country having an epidemic outbreak

Even if there were occasional cases we have an infrastructure (eg, clean accessible water and toilets) that makes it difficult for ebola to spread very far here.

[Recursion]

12. Personally I'm more worried about the next 1918-style influenza pandemic

That ended up killing more people than World War I.

[tanyev]

13. I think you did miss something.

I took it that he was making fun of the hysteria over ISIS and saying that the ISIS threat pales in comparison to ebola.

[babylonsister]

15. I thought

I might have-it was way past my bedtime. I think I need to go watch it again. Thanks!

[napkinz]

16. ...

[librechik]

17. one reason only: short lifespan of the virus presents risk of mutation

which of course would be in favor of greater reproduction and entrenchment-i.e. it decides to be an airborne virus. I'm a little worried about that, and also that several of the victims became ill after practicing painstakingly strict precautions. And some were infected in places like maternity wards, where the virus was not expected.

It's a big virus, but it's still fantastically microscopic.

edited to add, also humans are incredibly stupid and accident-prone.

[Matrosov]

18. Depends on the context

Should we be concerned about the effects of Ebola in Africa? Yes.

Should we be concerned that Ebola could spread to the US? No.

Ebola is transmitted through contact with the bodily fluids of an infected person. The reason it is spreading so quickly through Africa is because of the horribly unsanitary conditions brought about by the overwhelming poverty there. Soap and water are often missing and people often don't have access to things like gloves and masks and other protective gear.