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 Ignoring the Other Victims of 9/11Posted on Sep 10, 2007By Marie Cocco WASHINGTON—When the National Guard helicoptered her husband, Mark, to Staten Island to work as a wireless technician setting up a communications network for thousands of emergency workers who were descending upon Lower Manhattan on Sept. 11, 2001, Jeanmarie DeBiase did not know this would begin the unraveling. She would not realize it until Jan. 8, 2006—her birthday—when, during a family celebration, Mark broke down in tears. “He sat at my dining room table crying that there was something wrong, that he didn’t want to die,” DeBiase recalled in an interview from her home in Jackson, N.J. Her husband, who worked at the landfill where debris from the fallen World Trade Center was dumped, had suffered a cold for a few days—nothing serious, it seemed. He was a vigorous man of 41, an exercise aficionado who was so careful about his diet that his wife packed his lunch every day. Yet that night at dinner, he sobbed that he wanted to watch his young sons grow up, to play ball with them, to know his grandchildren. The initial diagnosis was pneumonia, but Mark failed to respond to antibiotics; lung X-rays could not confirm any diagnosis at all. “There was so much stuff in his lungs I don’t think they could pinpoint anything,” Jeanmarie says. “They really didn’t know how to treat it.” Visits to the prestigious Deborah Heart and Lung Center did not bring hope. Mark DeBiase died on April 9, 2006, in Philadelphia, while awaiting a double lung transplant. “A lot more illness and death is going to come out of this,” says his widow, who is supporting her three sons on about $3,400 a month in Social Security survivors’ benefits. Health insurance, still provided by Mark’s employer, the wireless company Cingular, cost $64 a month during the first year after her husband’s death. In May, the monthly premium rose to $394. DeBiase considers herself fortunate—she has supportive family and friends, and access to health insurance. She has filed a worker’s compensation claim under a New York state program for workers who were consistently exposed to health hazards in the days and months after the Twin Towers collapsed in a poisonous concoction of dust, burning fuel, chemicals and metals. The contents and lethality of the toxic stew still aren’t entirely known. Typically, employers fight the claims, lawyers say. And typically, a claim takes one to two years to wind through the bureaucracy. The country says it will always remember 9/11. Few politicians miss the chance to appear at this or that commemorative service. Perhaps it is true we have not forgotten those who died that day. But we have abandoned those who are dying now. Thousands of construction workers, janitors, communications specialists, food-cart vendors and others who worked amid the noxious fumes for weeks or months—removing debris not only from Ground Zero but from the office buildings that still stood, reviving communications, feeding and providing aid to those who toiled—are sick with lung disease and all manner of rare cancers, according to various health officials. An expert panel created by New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg concluded that as many as 410,000 people faced sufficient exposure to health hazards that they could become ill. About 59 percent of those screened at a city center for patients suffering from World Trade Center-related illnesses are uninsured. The majority have incomes of less than $15,000 a year. Even at a screening center run by Mount Sinai Medical Center for “first responders”—an elite group among those who are turning up sick—an estimated 40 percent lack insurance. New York politicians have persistently pursued more federal involvement and funding. The federal government has perennially rebuffed them. Here is one measure: After federal health authorities involved in monitoring and treatment of World Trade Center emergency responders estimated they would need $283 million a year to run the program, President Bush’s budget allocated $25 million. Rep. Jerrold Nadler, D-N.Y., whose district encompasses Ground Zero, and other New York lawmakers used the sixth anniversary of the attack to introduce legislation to require health monitoring and care for all those who are sick from exposure to what may be the most serious environmental catastrophe in the nation’s history. Yes, it would be an “entitlement.” And yes, it would be costly—certainly more expensive than a ribbon of remembrance. It would, at last, require the country to come to grips with the knowledge that the official toll of 2,750 from the World Trade Center attack isn’t the final death count. It’s only the first. Marie Cocco’s e-mail address is mariecocco(at)washpost.com. © 2007, Washington Post Writers Group Previous item: Tag -- It's Your Problem Next item: Candidates for Sale Elsewhere: . CommentsAre you a Truthdig member yet? Login now, or register with Truthdig. Add Your Comment
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By Scott, September 12, 2007 at 3:19 pm #
You know what the ironic thing is? At the end of the day...the sun will still be rising in the east…
Actually I kind of like the idea of one world government. It seems to me there’d be a lot fewer places for secrecy to hide.
The only option is to chip the government before it chips us. Although it would probably only create a dystopia of a different sort I say we wire the politicians to the Internet and aim the telescreens the other way.
Report thisBy Nitro, September 12, 2007 at 10:20 am #
Folks… if you really want to know the Truth, and nothing but the TRUTH about 9/11, not the state-corporate sponsored propaganda truth, then go to http://www.zeitgeistmovie.com.
It will take approximately 2 hours to watch this documentary-movie, but well worth the time and effort. Every Human Being needs to watch this. And after you watch it, forward the site to all family and friends. PLEASE ! ~
This documentary will not only expose the TRUE TERRORISTS at hand and who was ultimately responsible for 9/11, but it will also disclose information as to why the borders aren’t being closed. [That is IF, we have such a terrorist problem]. It will also disclose other facts and figures as to why the National mortgage foreclosure and stock market instability is taking place. And, why it’s about to crash !
And I bet NO ONE, knows of the agreement that has already been signed by Mexico, Canada, and the U.S. pertaining to the NEW North American Union, or the just about to take place, NEW Amero-Dollar currency replacement. And these are just a few.
Like all other movies, the best is in the last 45 minutes. So stick with it ! If I’m lieing, I’m dieing ! If after watching this movie you, well, I do not want to bias any one else’s opinion in these matters. Like the movie says, you can face the truth and facts, or you can just keep on running. And…
If you so choose to want to keep believing all the state-corporate sponsored propaganda, then go to
http://www.obsessionthemovie.com and pay CNN $4.95 to be brainwashed some more. Since that seems to be what America has turned into… We pay to be lied too !
With no dis respect meant to anyone, because my heart is still weary with mourning for all the victims of 9/11, it was all I could do to watch the “Memorial Ceremonies” yesterday. Especially the one w/Prince Shrub and Dick Tater Cheney at a memorial service. That is, since I now know the WHOLE TRUTH, about who was really responsible for 9/11 !
If after watching this movie… If it doesn’t light a fire in everyone… God help us all !
To A Better Day ...
Report thisBy cyrena, September 11, 2007 at 8:23 pm #
Johnnyfarout, (#99814)
This is an excellent piece. You’re able to cover a lot of ground. I widely agree with you, and you happen to bring me back, (yet again) to the $64 Jillion Dollar question. That is, whether or not Bush knew about the plans, (at least in advance)to demolish those towers via the well planned demolition of 9-11.
This is an on-going game with myself, because I can in fact honestly believe that he didn’t have a clue, and was definitely not in Cheney’s loop on this. It’s the kind of operation that strives to keep as few people in the loop as humanly possible.
All things considered, it makes sense that they would never have told George. At least not before.
So, some days, I really can believe that he never knew a thing, and still doesn’t. It’s best that way, for him and them.
Other days, I accidently see him or hear something he’s blathering on about, and I think to myself that he’s just a lying sack of shit, and that he damn well knew it all along.
Remember how fast he came up with that speech on 9-11, (once he finally came down out of the sky in Air Force One) and how we were gonna go after the terrorists, and all of that? I mean, just that fast, he knew that it was al-Qaeda, and he already had a speech all ready.
Now, given that we KNOW, that george w bush is simply of very low intelligence, lacking in all manner of the basics required to anything more than sign his own name, we know that he does not write any of these speeches himself.
BUT, he DID at least have to recite it that day, (which would have required some advance practice) and so that brings me back to another reason why he must have known.
Then again, maybe not. Because...he really is that utterly retarded. He is sooooo stupid, that it is still possible that he doesn’t know.
And, so it goes. Meantime though, Cheney of course is the answer to it all. And, as we know....he’s not talking. Well, at least not to any of us.
Report thisBy cyrena, September 11, 2007 at 7:59 pm #
As a long time corporate slave, (field only, I rarely entered the Big House, except on special occassions) I can testify to this as standard treatment of the masses. The oligarchy will actually SPEND large sums of money to PREVENT ANY type of compensation for these or any other similar conditions.
Been going on for years. Remember Erin Brocovich? (I could be spelling her name wrong) There are so many cases of corporate evil in respect to poisoning the environment, that I wouldn’t even know where to start. 9-11 is just the biggest and most widely known example of the hubris.
They poison the water, they poison the air, and they poison the dirt. They know the risks, and they do it anyway. Because, they don’t care a whit.
Besides, (as they will surely say to these victims) it’s your own fault for “responding” in the first place. Nobody asked you to help. You VOLUNTEERED!
Report thisBy Scott, September 11, 2007 at 2:08 pm #
Apolgies accepted.
Don’t sweat it.
Report thisBy Scott, September 11, 2007 at 2:05 pm #
So you want I should add the names of the still-living crazed Arab hijackers to the list of victims, then?!
Actually GodSend, I was refering to the bottom half of your list.
Report thisBy John Borowski, September 11, 2007 at 1:31 pm #
(Unregistered commenter)
One of the things that insult any decent individual is the 6-year-old orientation of BS about the World Trade Center. This is the same 6-year-old plop-plop that is use on as seen on TV commercials. They show steel in the form of a cross and imply there are religious connotations. If they would allow me to rummage through the rubble of the World Trade Center, I could show you any geometric form you want. 0,X,S,T,9,8,etc.
Report thisBy GodSend, September 11, 2007 at 10:52 am #
Scott:
So you want I should add the names of the still-living crazed Arab ‘hijackers’ to the list of victims, then?!
You shouldna opened your big mouth and then proceeded to stick your ignorant foot in it - all in one short post!
There is nothing more evil than those Zionists bastards and traitors who worship in the “Synagogue of Satan” and perpetrated 9/11 - Bush included!
Report thisBy John Borowski, September 11, 2007 at 10:07 am #
(Unregistered commenter)
The bringing down of the World Trade Center by using explosives raises an ominous question. Despite the fact that using explosives is the cheapest and quickest way to go is it the safest way to go. Will bringing down old buildings and stadiums that are infested with asbestos like the World Trade Center cause thousands of deaths from polluted air for hundreds of miles around.
Report thisBy johnnyfarout, September 11, 2007 at 9:55 am #
Since Viet Nam we all know the govmint lies! I remember that day when it was announced that the air is fine! Anybody with a brain knew it wasnt true. Anybody who worked in construction knew those buildings were filled with carcinogens. They were built in the 60s when spraying asbestos all over the place was common practice, and the way they were pulverized left no doubt that lead and glass and minerals of all sorts were everywhere. That this was true was known by any intelligent construction experienced person. How could it possibly be true that it was not known? This is all part of the giant cover up scheme. No one could possibly know anything! Its all lies. The only thing I can believe about it all is that Dubya didnt know anything about any of it. That I do believe. Now Dick Cheney is a different horse all together. He knew. He knew the dust was poisonous, he knew the game was afoot, and he knew from whence the catastrophe sprang. Cheney sits with the big boys and knows what the big boys know. That crime scene needed to be cleared of all possible investigation immediately as fast as possible no investigation would be tolerated. If that area had been cleared as an archeological site, or a real crime scene, or as an engineering disaster with an eye to figuring it all out, then the entire actual conspiracy would have come out into the clear air. No way was that to be tolerated. In Viet Nam it was learned that the motto of the US Army was everyone must submit and everyone must die. The rightist coup that happened that day shoved all sense and decency back out of the way. America may not ever recover. Lie upon lie keeps the brave from the truth they deserve. There were studies done as to what effort and costs would be involved in demolishing those old giant skyscrapers. It was realized that taking them down was nigh impossible and would cost billions and billions just to get rid of the debris through Manhattan. So it was acceptable by the unknowable to do the unthinkable. Now the intolerable is everyday and the inflicted have no effect on the powerful. As the illuminated all know: Hail Discordia! All Hail Eris!
Report thisBy Scott, September 11, 2007 at 9:26 am #
Don’t forget to add the names of the hijackers to that list GodSend.
Every act of evil requires a conscious act of individual will. Their’s were amongst many that led to where the world is today.
Report thisBy GodSend, September 11, 2007 at 7:24 am #
The ‘Other’ victims of 9/11 are:
America
Surviving Americans
Our Constitution
Our Freedom
Justice
American Independence
The Bill of Rights
An impartial Media
Human Decency
Truth
Who do we have to thank for all these victims?
Bush and his Zionist masters in Israel!
American Zionist traitors to America
The ‘Israel Lobby’
Zionist Neocons
The Zionist-controlled MainStreamMedia (MSM)
Israel’s Zionist leaders
The Mossad
Israel
Satanists
Satan
We owe it to all the victims of 9/11 to hunt down and bring to justice EVERY perpetrator of the 9/11 atrocity against America and humanity! If we won’t do it, God will surely JUST DO IT. It’s just a matter of time.
“You shall know the Truth and the Truth will make you free”
Report thisBy David, September 11, 2007 at 6:22 am #
(Unregistered commenter)
Conservatives to 9/11 workers: Tough luck. You live in a ‘ownership’ society. If you are not morally upright enough to have health insurance we see no reason to ‘subsidize’ you. America is the land of opportunity, you with no insurance, you’re just lazy. When you die they will be plenty of people to do our bidding willingly. They will not be sick like you. Bottom line: we’re just so sorry but our shareholders will not allow us to save your lives. You see, if you are not one of US then you are one of THEM. And if you are one of THEM then we cannot help you. I’m sure you understand. God bless America.
Report thisBy farmertx, September 11, 2007 at 3:08 am #
Despite the assertation by Rudy that he was in as much danger as anyone else due to his photo-ops at Ground Zero, a lot of people rushed in to help, with no thought of any danger.
Report thisHad Rudy not been so concerned with getting his face on the News, he would have worn a mask like he was encouraging, even ordering, others to do.
But even after the massive dust clouds had settled, the dangers still were present.
The EPA head, a politically reliable person, (read unqualified) claimed that air monitoring showed no danger whatsoever.
Those of us too far away to offer help had to wonder how all that could have been abated so fast. Those that were there were just trying to get things working again or rescue someone or start the salvage operation.
Naturally, this man that claims such a close relationship with God and who is so compassionate to those in need will order that no help be given these responder’s. Shot (sic) happens is his motto in such cases.
Now, if those folks had been big donor’s to his campaign, well…