Cyrus Dugger

Son Of Dead 9/11 Cop Asking To Meet With President

I feel at this point there has been enough discussion on this blog for readers to understand my critique of the government’s response to the environmental effects of Ground Zero, as well as how the city and federal government have allowed and encouraged the unnecessary legal hurdles standing between our heroes and compensation and support.

Indeed, the EPA, at the apparent behest of our Chief Executive, was a major cause of the environmental impact because it falsely stated that Ground Zero was safe for human habitation. The newest story from the Associated Press:

Son Of Dead 9/11 Cop Asking To Meet With President

(AP) NEW YORK A day after his father's death, the grief-stricken son of a Sept. 11 police officer said Wednesday he wants to meet with President Bush to describe his father's sacrifice and the health needs of other sick ground zero workers.

Ceasar Borja Jr. attended the president's State of the Union address on Tuesday night just hours after learning his father had died from lung problems.

"I want a meeting with the president to make the case directly about how important these health programs are," Borja told The Associated Press.

"I want him to hear from me, how my father died a hero last night, and there are many heroes that will and are continuing to die because they're not given the proper medical attention or not given enough help from the federal government," said the 21-year-old college student, his voice breaking with emotion.
….
Asked specifically if Bush or his staff would meet with Borja, Conant said there was nothing on the president's schedule "right now." (link)

Right in step, and as he has done throughout the public debate of the issue, NYC Mayor Bloomberg played down the need for money to help treat Ground Zero Workers.

"But money was not an issue here, nor was the quality of health care," Bloomberg said. "It's sad that he just didn't live long enough to get a lung transplant, and it's not clear if he had, whether the lung transplant would have worked." (link)

I’m not familiar with the details of this specific man, but it is beyond argument that Bloomberg has almost without fail attempted to make receiving compensation and medical treatment for Ground Zero workers extremely difficult.

At the very least, the fact that it took 5 years from the 9/11 attacks for the city to get out diagnosis guidelines, and the fact that Bloomberg publicly and passionately argued against a health link between Ground Zero and the now impossible to ignore related illnesses, could not have helped Ceasar's father quickly diagnose his condition.

Not only did Bloomberg oppose the recently passed legislation that grants workers who got sick after the deadline to file for workers’ compensation (and many didn’t show any symptoms until after this point) moe time to file claims, but the city is currently being sued for its role in not protecting workers and first responders at the site. For a discussion of the Mayor’s efforts against heroes like Ceasr’s father (including attempting to wiggle out of paying civil servants like his father, who got sick from Ground Zero, their full pensions) read When Will NYC Stop Fighting Heroes' Claims & Benefits?

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Posted at 11:48 AM, Jan 25, 2007 in
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