The Ebola Epidemic Stereotype

http://edition.cnn.com/2014/09/01/world/africa/ebola-ghost-town/index.html?hpt=iaf_t2

For this assignment, I read the CNN article “Funerals, Ghost Towns and haunted health workers: Life in the Ebola Zone.” The article discusses the Ebola epidemic that is currently plaguing the northern Liberian area of Africa. Ebola is not only stealing human life from the infected villages- it is robbing them of religious practices as well. Due to the level of contagiousness equated with Ebola, individuals are stripped from being able to practice their typical burial ceremonies. This is important not only because of the number of lives it has claimed, but also because of the multiple levels in which it violates the families. The article continues to deeply describe the extreme precautions that are being taken in order to avoid Ebola. It describes men dressed in “space-suit-like outfits, cautiously throwing the dead body into the grave, [pausing] only to toss in anything else they are wearing that came into contact with the deceased.”

The key words that are used within the article are mourning, burying, devastating, suffering, deaths, and abandonment. Judging by the frequency and duration of the words used, the tone of the entire article is a mix of fear and morning. The author wants the reader to feel the pain that the affected individuals are subjected to. I suppose that CNN could be giving a stereotypical impression of Africa because of the bleak and pitiful nature of the article. It projects a vibe of helplessness towards the reader, which can be found in the majority of articles written about Africa. CNN is also known for having biased views on a myriad of topics.

Even though the language suggests differently, it’s hard for me to personally label this article as stereotypical. The reason behind this lies within the attached video, in which locals are interviewed and asked about how Ebola is currently affecting them. It might be easy to believe that the author is exaggerating the torment Ebola is inflicting upon Africa, but the words that came from the mouths of the locals makes the suffering seem real. For example, there’s a section in the article that describes the Ebola response team had been called to a village where a woman died of unknown causes. The health team is required to cover their entire body with gowns, goggles, and gloves in order to collect the body; which is then placed in an airtight polythene bag. When the team exits the house, the article states “those crying are the dead woman’s family members; for their own safety, they can only mourn from a distance.” I personally feel that whether the article is biased or not isn’t an issue. I doubt that the writer would go into such detail about the pain that is experienced if it was not true (at least on some level). It’s heartbreaking to hear about the abrupt fashion that Ebola steals loved ones. Whether you’re from Africa, the United States, Germany, or even the North Pole- death is devastating. It’s devastating to live through and it’s devastating to read. Ebola is largely equated with death, so no matter what, this article is going to be an unpleasant read. I’m not sure how the author could have rewritten it in order to not give off a bias view of Africa.