TB Terrorist
May 31st, 2007 by Nancy ClevelandSo a man decides his wedding and honeymoon are more important than anyone’s health…never mind his own…sprints through several countries to Greece and back, sneaks in via Canada when the CDC tell him he is NOT to fly aboard commercial airlines, drives from Montral to the US and, courtesy of the CDC is taken to Atlanta to be hospitalized. Now airlines, several countries, an hotel and who knows how many others are on a search for those who had close contact with this…pompous jerk. He calls himself a “successful, intelligent man†yet freely admits that when told he had to turn himself into Italian health authorities…â€â€¦you’re nuts! I wasn’t going to do that!â€
Okay, so “they†say he isn’t a threat despite the fact that it was already termed a “fatal form of the disease†as well as “rare†and drug resistant. Oh…that’s reassuring…and NOT the point. Currently under armed guard quarantine in Atlanta, he’s got the nerve to be choked that he’s being guarded. Why? And why is he not being prosecuted? Anyone else who threatened GBH would be…and rightly so. This man…not only is he as bad, he’s worse. And certainly not what I would call intelligent.
Me, I’d do the same with him as has been done with other, most of them only so-called Domestic Terrorists…lock him up, let him sit and wait a trial that could take a few years and let’s see how “intelligent” he thinks he is, then.Â
May 31st, 2007 at 7:04 am
I blame the CDC for not pursuing this matter more closely. They should have isolated him when he was discovered to be possibly affected with the disease. TB is an airborne disease and is easily spread by just one cough or sneeze from the affected person. The airplane is basically a “tube” where these organisms can fly about effortlessly. The man should be charged for disobeying the orders not to fly!! I also wonder about the mentality of his bride. I guess love is blind!! I find it hard to believe that this “terrorist” slipped through the cracks and was allowed to do what he wanted after being warned that he could harm many people.
May 31st, 2007 at 7:21 am
Well said, Nancy. I said the same thing.
May 31st, 2007 at 11:39 am
This was obviously allowed by a lack of planning by the Bush administration.
Now I must ask, what would Pelosi do?
June 1st, 2007 at 12:52 am
something just doesnt rub me right about government ordered quarantines…..i guess its necessary?
June 1st, 2007 at 7:11 am
I agree Nancy, the law must clamp down on this thoughtless, self-centered man who disobeyed and put the health of others at risk. Ironically, he may be punished as well by mother nature, with the virtually incurable TB he has contracted. Fortunately, so far, there is not evidence of anyone else having contracted this TB strain, although there are yet more people to be tested.
June 1st, 2007 at 8:40 pm
An interesting fact in this case:
“May 31: The father-in-law of quarantined TB patient Andrew Speaker, is a tuberculosis specialist at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. NBC’s Robert Bazell and Martin Savidge report.”