Sarcasm: The Modern Day Cure

The Carter Center's crusade against the Guinea Worm is a perfect example of how we look at the stupidest things to eradicate. Rather than dedicate resources towards larger problems like Malaria, Schistosomiasis, Tuberculosis, or HIV we look at some insignificant disease and target it for eradication. I can understand the eradication of polio and smallpox, but Guinea Worm?? REALLY?!

Maybe we should start a crusade to preserve the Guinea Worm for the following reasons:

1. It doesn't kill people!
2. The only impact on people is socio-economic ("I can't go to work, I got Guinea Worm.") and personal discomfort ("My feet are ON FIRE!").
   
3. The endemic population live in pockets of isolation to begin with. There's no risk of a pandemic of Guinea Worm.
   
4. It's been around for thousands of years and we're it's only friend. A friendship that's endured the ages should be cherished, not thrown away.
   
5. Resources could be spent on more virulent diseases that actually kill people.
6. It's kind of a cool ice breaker, "Remember that time I went to Sudan and got Guinea Worm? That shit was hilarious!"
7. Kenyans will run faster in marathons if they think their feet are burning. Too soon?
8. We could start the Guinea Worm genome project!
   

I understand that Carter wants to save the world one dwelling/hut/home at a time, however, it's more important to have a legacy of championing a campaign against a formidable enemy rather than pick on a disease that people won't remember existed in the first place (unless you're a medical practitioner or in Sub-Saharan Africa). He's essentially picked a fight with the Ghandi of parasitic infections... Maybe their next endeavor should be the eradication of the new gray hair I seem to be growing on my head...