‘Murder hornets:’ The media’s next fear-mongering story
With people growing weary of the COVID-19 panic, apparently Asian Murder Hornets are the next big thing the media wants us to be fearful about.
How the story is being reported exposes yet another example of fear mongering by influential media, as shown in this New York Times report. Using very descriptive words and a scary photo of a large insect, the paper sought not just to inform people, but to terrorize them regarding a potentially new threat.
The article offered these choice “unbiased” descriptions, which I highlighted in bold:
- “Sightings of the Asian giant hornet have prompted fears that the vicious insect could establish itself in the United States and devastate bee populations.”
- “In Japan, the hornets kill up to 50 people a year. Now, for the first time, they have arrived in the United States.”
- “Ted McFall had never seen anything like it. He saw a pile of dead members of the colony in front of a hive and more carnage inside — thousands and thousands of bees with their heads torn from their bodies and no sign of a culprit.”
- “The hornet’s potent venom and stinger — long enough to puncture a beekeeping suit — make for an excruciating combination that victims have likened to hot metal driving into their skin.”
- “If we can’t do it (contain the spread) in the next couple of years, it probably can’t be done.”
- “Most people are scared to get stung by them,” Ms. Danielsen said. “We’re scared that they are going to totally destroy our hives.”
- “Because its aggressive group attacks can expose victims to doses of toxic venom equivalent to that of a venomous snake; a series of stings can be fatal.”
Hyped just like COVID-19
It sounds just like the way the media portrayed the COVID-19 virus. They warned of a brand new, novel and unique-to-the-world virus with the potential to kill millions and overrun hospitals.
They said it couldn’t be contained because a vaccine didn’t exist. Reporters predicted it would devastate the lives of elderly people and those whose immune systems had been compromised.
The media deploys these tactics so often that radio commentator Rush Limbaugh calls them the “drive-by media” for their ability to show up suddenly and cause panic or confusion while destroying people’s lives, businesses and reputations before moving on to the next target.
They do it without accountability and get away with it because freedom of the press is a cherished American right.
Should we take it as seriously as COVID-19?
So, as fearful people acting out of an abundance of caution, I guess we need to take murder hornets as seriously as we did COVID-19. Here are some satirical suggestions:
We need to lock our children and pets indoors until the third hard freeze this winter. In fact, to be completely safe, we might want to keep kids and pets locked inside until next February just to be sure no hornets survived the cold weather.
We must shut down every business that employs less than 200 people and we don’t dare risk reopening the economy until an environmentally-safe pesticide can be created, tested, manufactured and rushed to market.
We need a daily media report showing how many people have been stung, how many bee hives the hornets have destroyed and how many of these insects have been captured. We need maps showing exactly where the hornets were spotted.
Because the murder hornets feast on bees, anything that can attract hornets or bees, like flowers and other blooming plants, must be immediately destroyed — even trees.
People who plant gardens must be reported to the authorities. Wake up people! Are you willing to sacrifice children just to have a pretty flower or shade tree in your yard?
Farmers must be ordered to bury their crops at least six inches under ground.
Open air garbage dumps may need to be closed, so people should shelter their garbage in place until instructed how to effectively burn their trash. We know that is not an environmentally-friendly practice, but trade-offs will have to be made for everyone’s safety.
Remember, we have never encountered an insect like this before!
There can be no venturing outside except for “essential purchases” and only when wearing NASA-approved spacesuits because these bugs have been known to penetrate clothing with their stingers.
Before putting on the spacesuit, researchers have found that lathering RAID Wasp and Hornet Killer on your skin, much like mosquito repellent, can act as a extra level of deterrent to the murder hornet.
The “researchers” will be the exact same person cited by every media source and social media channels must suspend the accounts of any person who advocates an opinion that goes against “official” pronouncements, regardless of how well documented or scientifically sound the opinion may be.
Although there isn’t hard data to prove it yet, modeling shows that murder hornets may build nests like paper wasps. So, people should be encouraged to get rid of any tissue, napkins, paper towels, newspaper and toilet paper that can be used to create hives for these killer insects.
As Congress deliberates another emergency bailout for big businesses, and another $1,200 bribe to each citizen, remember, we’re in this together!
It is important to remain fearful. That is the only way the benevolent government can ever protect you!
