After reading the March 20 Times-Republican column “Coronavirus is the Chinese virus” by Ben Shapiro and March 21 Ask Augustine section by Dr. Paul A. Tambrino both employed selective memories.

Regarding Shapiro, Leonard Pitts latest March 22 column “viruses do not carry passports” did a great job exposing the bigotry of Ben and the whole Republican party including Trump. Ben’s insinuation the Chinese government withheld important information is somehow unique and unfathomable and couldn’t happen in the United States is both hypocritical and ludicrous.

Let me remind Ben and Paul of the Agent Orange scandal and the U. S. governments role in with-holding evidence from veterans and the public until the evidence that it caused cancer and human deformities was overwhelming. Polluting the forests of Viet Nam endangering humans on both sides of the conflict was a cost benefit analysis and a crime against humanity.

The Chinese government acted like capitalist’s all over the world, profit and pride before human well-being. The crimes (profit over health) of the capitalist global supply chain are now exposed.

If we would have had a socialist par economy where workers received a living wage and farmers received parity prices plus family living expenses and we had cradle to grave health care and worker and farmer control over industry, we would not be in the economic and health mess we are in today.

Dr. Tambrino. complaint about cost benefit analysis is truly hypocritical. First I would recommend that he read the classic anti-war novel “Johnny got his gun” by Dalton Trumbo. Ever since the white race landed on this continent they have been performing cost benefit analysis with the blessing of the religious community! It was first used (genocide) against the indigenous and secondly slavery. When slaves lost their lives in transport they were tossed over-board to the sharks. Yep that was religious approved cost benefit analysis.

The God of the Old and New Testament used cost benefit analysis when he directed his faithful to slaughter their enemy including women and children except women who knew not man. Today human rights advocates call that genocide. Bush and Cheney used cost benefit analysis and waged an illegal war against Iraq.

Dr. Tambrino cost benefit analysis is the nature of capitalism. The lack of masks, gowns, beds, ventilators is cost benefit analysis due to the bloated spending for the military industrial complex. That is where the capitalist priorities lay.