Leave the volunteers in Africa

As one Australian parliamentarian points out, it is absolutely absurd, and unconscionable, that aid workers are brought to the West for treatment, and in doing so, are permitted to put their entire country at risk:

Ms Kovack’s humanitarian efforts have been slammed by outspoken Federal MP Bob Katter.  The member for Kennedy – whose electorate takes in the southern area of Cairns and the town’s airport – said her volunteering pursuits had put the nation at risk.

Mr Katter said it was ‘unbelievable and incomprehensive’ how a person could get into Australia from an Ebola-infected country.

‘There cannot be any compromise with this,’ Mr Katter said. ‘If you want to go to one of these countries, however laudable your motivation, I am sorry but when you return to Australia, you must be quarantined for three weeks – not home quarantined.’

Mr Katter said Australian aid workers travelling to west Africa, including Ms Kovack, were putting Australia at risk.

‘We love these people, and we honour these Australians for being self-sacrificing, but compared to the risk they create for our country, it is not remotely comparable. One person’s moral and humanitarian ambitions are being carried out at a very grave cost to Australia,’ he said.

I very much respect those people, many of whom are Christians, who are selfless and sacrificial enough to go over and help infected Africans. But part of being sacrificial is making the sacrifice.  If you get sick over there, you stay over there.  Period. It’s that simple.

They have the right to risk their own lives. They don’t have the right to put others at risk, nor should they ask others to do so.