And They Wonder Why We Lose Faith In Our Government

The United States Department of Health & Human Services announced today that there is insufficient medical evidence to support a link between the exposure to Ground Zero toxins and various forms of cancer at this time. The government strikes again. It was nearly 10 years ago when former EPA Administrator Christine Todd Whitman knowingly released falsely reassuring and misleading statements of safety after the September 11, 2001 attacks. Even though the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York found that her statements were "without question conscience-shocking." Even though The court also found the facts "support an allegation of a violation of the substantive due process right to be free from official government policies that increase the risk of bodily harm" by Whitman's misstatements regarding the air quality of the affected area. The U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals stated that she could not be held liable for her actions. Now 10 years later people who worked at Ground Zero and believed Christie Todd Whitman because she represented the government continue to get sick. And what does the government do? It takes cancer, the disease that represents the largest number of claims in the Zadroga Bill, and makes anyone who contracted cancer as a result f their work at Ground Zero or Fresh Kills ineligible for aid. So our government which is about to raise the debt ceiling once again because they just cant control their spending on anything else decides to save a few bucks here at the expense of 9/11 victims. If we try to fight them on this they will probably use the same excuse they did back then when the Appeals Court stated that legal remedies are not always available for every instance of arguably deficient governmental performance. But we must fight them just as we fought them to get the Zadroga Bill passed. We owe it to those who helped and are now sick. We owe to all of those who have died of cancer after working at the site or at Fresh Kills. It is our responsibility to make sure our government holds to its commitments to the victims of 9/11. This September is the 10th Anniversary of the attacks and this is no way to honor the memory of those who died that day. Teddy Roosevelt once said "Justice consists not in being neutral between right and wrong, but in finding out the right and upholding it, wherever found, against the wrong". That is what we need to do today. Let your voices be heard. Lest We Forget Dennis

Remembering 9/11 Every Day

This week the papers and news shows were filled with stories about the death of Bin Laden and the President’s visit to Ground Zero.

I saw editorials from people I have never heard of who are now experts on military events and 9/11 issues.

And I saw quotes from elected officials who I have not heard from since they voted against the Zadroga Bill.

Politicians who have most likely never even been to Ground Zero and probably never seen Shanksville.

All grabbing the spot light and stating how great the death of Bin Laden was and how it shows that they will never forget.

It makes me sad to know that after the Sunday editions and the morning talk shows all of this will disappear for another three months.

And then for the 10th Anniversary these same people will once again get back on their soap boxes with their cries of “We will never forget”

Well the fact of the matter is that most of them have forgotten.

They are more concerned with their own pet projects then they are of national security.

If they were really concerned about the victims of 9/11 it would not have taken them so long to pass the Zadroga Bill.

If they were as concerned with the 9/11 families as they were to respectfully bury Bin Laden we wouldn’t have remains of victims still buried in the Fresh Kills Landfill.

We still would not have possible remains on rooftops and sewers surrounding Ground Zero in areas that have not been properly searched.

We would not have spent hundreds of millions and still have thousands of remains unidentified.

Remains that will be buried below street level at Ground Zero along with the 9/11 Memorial Museum.

We would have an explanation of how thousands in cash and personal items disappeared from the NYPD Property Department.

We would not be spending millions of dollars a year on the LMDC to pay the salaries of political favorites.

And we would not continue to mistreat the thousands of soldiers who have returned from fighting since 9/11 as well the families of those who never returned.

If they really did not forget these issues would not still be left unresolved.

If they really did not forget we not only hear from them on 9/11 or when terrorists are killed.

So while I would like to personally that the President, the Navy Seals and everyone else who contributed to the death of Bin Laden, I would also like to thank all of you who keep the memories of our loved ones alive every day.

And I hope that one day those in power will realize that we need to remember 9/11 everyday and not when we get an Outlook reminder.

We most continue to speak for those who no longer can and assure that this never happens again.

We Must Never Forget.

Keeping The Memory of Those We Have Lost Alive

As word of the death of Osama Bin Laden spread a sense of satisfaction also began to spread that this mass murderer finally had met his end at the hands of the US military. People rejoiced and celebrated the death of this evil conspirator who caused the death of nearly 3,000 innocent people on 9/11 and so many others over the past nine years. Upon hearing the news a I was hit with a sense of relief that this nearly ten year effort had finally resulted in the death of one of the most despicable men the world had ever known. Unfortunately I kept hearing that this will bring closure to many of the families who lost loved ones on 9/11 and in the efforts since. While this does close a significant 9/11 chapter it does not bring closure at all. It will not bring back the parents, the children, the siblings or the friends lost on 9/11. It will not fill the emptiness in the hearts of so many 9/11 family members. It will not eliminate the haunted memories of that September morning in 2001. Hopefully what it will do will be to send a message to the remaining terrorists out there and remind them that they are all still on our radar and that we will not rest until they all meet the same fate. As for us we need to continue to keep the memory of those murdered alive. We need to continue to speak for those who no longer can. We need to constantly remind those in power that “We Will Never Forget” loses its effect when we only hear it on days like this or on the anniversary of 9/11. We need to keep the memories of those who have died alive by continuing to support those who still suffer the after effects of that tragic day. We need to keep the memories of those who have died alive by supporting the soldiers who protect us and by properly treating the physical and mental needs of those when they return home. And we need to keep the memories of those who have died alive by being vigilant and on guard against future terrorist attacks. Finally we need to rekindle the sense of unity and patriotism that we saw the weeks following 9/11. And we need to continue to take a positive, proactive approach to instill goodness and decency in our youth, assuring that all of those who were lost will always be our beams of light towards a better tomorrow. A generation of caring individuals, concerned about their neighbors, who are not afraid to get involved, would be the greatest memorial to those we lost on 9/11. And although this still will not bring closure it will certainly keep the memories of our lost loved ones alive for generations to come.

Lest We Forget

Dennis McKeon

We Must Never Forget

Nearly 10 years ago our country went to bed on night in September as it had every night before. Some people worried about pressing deadlines at their jobs. Some kids worried about upcoming tests in schools. Schedules to keep, things to do, people to meet, vacations or weddings to plan. Good thoughts, issues, or future plans swirled around in many minds as America drifted off to sleep. Nearly 3,000 never realized that it would be for the last time For everyone else life would never be the same. Fear would become a part of our life every day. Worries about our jobs were replaced by worries for our lives. Students’ worries about tests were replaced with worries about their parents coming home. Plans were scrapped, vacations cancelled and for the first time fear became a part of our every day life. Terrorism was never really a major concern for Americans. It was always somebody else’s problem. It appeared September 11th 2001 had changed everything. Nine years later, and for many, things are back to normal and many people are sleeping easier once again. Airlines seem more concerned with charging for extra bags then they are about security. Vacation plans are determined by gas prices and the state of the economy not fear of terrorists. Elected officials are telling 9/11 families that they need to move on. Some teachers are even being told not to mention 9/11 in their classrooms. Homeland Security appears to have been relegated to the back seat. While we defend the people in Afghanistan and Iraq against terrorists we seem to have forgotten security here at home. Forgotten that this year is the 10th Anniversary of the murder of 2,975 at the hands of terrorists Forgotten that hundreds have died and continue to die as a result of the attacks Forgotten that the terrorists are very patient and that they will lay in wait. Wait for us to get complacent and lower our guard. Wait for us to stop worrying. Wait for us to forget how we felt on September 11th 2001. And then they will strike again. The best way to honor our lost loved ones is to assure that this does not happen. We must not drop our guard. We must remember that the threat still exists and that it is real. We must “Never Forget”

NOT EXACTLY WHAT DEMOCRACY SHOULD BE ALL ABOUT

As Japan works to contain what could be one of the worst nuclear disasters we have ever seen much has been said about how the Japanese government has not been forthcoming with information about the magnitude of the breach and its containment efforts. If you think such government responses only happen outside the United States you are sadly mistaken. A few years after 9/11 the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York found that former EPA Administrator Christine Todd Whitman's falsely reassuring and misleading statements of safety after the September 11, 2001 attacks were "without question conscience-shocking." The court also found the facts "support an allegation of a violation of the substantive due process right to be free from official government policies that increase the risk of bodily harm" by Whitman's misstatements regarding the air quality of the affected area. A law suit by affected responders against Christie Whitman was thrown out of court as it appears that a judge did not want to set a dangerous precedent that would make public officials fear making public statements in the future. The second U.S. Court of Appeals ruled that even though Whitman made comments reassuring people about the safety around Ground Zero based on conflicting information and reassurances from the White House she could not be held responsible. They went on to state that legal remedies are not always available for every instance of deficient governmental performance. So today we have responders and residents sick and dying because they trusted our government. We have people dying from 9/11 cancer related illnesses that are not covered by the Zadroga Bill. So just a word of advice. If things get worse in Japan and our government says not to worry I would advise that you think twice. The courts have basically given the government permission to lie and not take responsibility for the impacts of these lies. Funny thing if people lie to the Government they go to jail. If Government lies to the people nothing happens. I don’t think that this is what Jefferson, Adams, Hamilton and crew had in mind in 1776.

Another Authority Head Probed....Is Anybody Surprised?

To All, In today’s NY Post there was yet another article ( Power Chief Probed Over No Bid Deals) about how the Executive Director of the NY Power Authority is being investigated for allegedly handing out millions in grants to politically connected organizations. Power Chief Probed Over No Bid Deals http://www.nypost.com/p/news/local/power_chief_probed_over_no_bid_deals_CcR7dnYOHJKyiOz2niqCIK Once again this will be a topic for a couple of days and then nothing will be done. If the new Governor or the new Attorney General really wanted to make a difference they would have an independent audit of all of the Authorities and Corporations that are just homes for political appointments in return for favors in the past. For years we have been calling attention to these Authorities that pay billions in compensation ad benefits to part time or no show Board Members or employees but nothing is ever done. Take a moment to read a few of our past posts that have been ignored by both our elected officials and the press. Dennis For Too Long We Have Delegated "Authority" (11/19/09) http://www.where-to-turn.org/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=49982&highlight=authority DON'T STOP THERE (6/20/08) http://www.where-to-turn.org/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=43405 990 FORM MAKES FOR INTERESTING READING (6/19/08) http://www.where-to-turn.org/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=43364

I Guess Reading Isn't Fundamental Anymore

As most of you are aware Congress is not very big on reading as they have already admitted to not reading most of the bills they vote on.

What you might not be aware of is that the Reading is Fundamental Program will be one of the first programs cut with the proposed reductions in the budget.

So one of the few programs that actually tries to address the illiteracy problem in America by supplying millions of books to millions of children will go but we will continue to give billions in rebates to oil companies as they continue to rip us off at the pumps.

I guess Congress is afraid of getting voted out if they educate the masses and is hedging their bets through their big business lobbyists just in case they do.

Just goes to prove who they really represent.

When it comes to Congress reading isn't fundamental as it is very difficult to read when you are in the pockets of big business.