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After the 9/11 attacks the world watched as police and firefighters, and other first responders, raced to the scene to save lives, to dig up lost ones, to clean up the mess. The streets of New York City were like a ghost town in those days, but every day, Manhattan residents would see fire trucks, with the American flag flying high, coming back from Ground Zero, the passengers all grimy from their day in hell. They were our heroes.
How soon we forget.
Republicans love to wave the flag, and they love to talk about 9/11. It gave them reason to curtail our civil liberties. It gave them reason to start a war. It gives them reason to cry out against a mosque and cultural center that's going up near Ground Zero (read: incite anti-Muslim fervor). They even got voted into office by some of 9/11's heroes and their families.
And yesterday, they showed how much they really care about them.
The GOP defeated a bill that would have provided long-term health benefits to those sickened by toxins resulting from the 9/11 attacks.
No wonder Representative Anthony Weiner, a Democrat from New York whose district includes many of those people affected, went a little "nuts."
Shame on you, Republicans, for using these people when you need them. Shame on you for turning your backs on them now.
Image via cliff1066/Flickr
Comments (7)
This is shameful and disrespectful treatment for these heroes, regardless of which party does it.
Any reason WHY the Republicans shot it down? Or are we just going to assume that it's all bad JUST because 'they' said no?
The Rethugs voted it down because the Dems forced a straight up and down vote on the bill, rather than allow for a procedural vote which would have allowed the Rethugs to attach riders to the bill. The Rethugs knew it was a popular bill and would have voted for it, but were butthurt over the Dems not allowing them to add riders. The Dems didn't want riders added, because they didn't want to risk the bill with riders which would have caused a bunch of debate and conflict. So the Rethugs termed the health care bill for 9/11 responders a "slush fund" and along with wussy Dems, voted it down.
I was in NY on 9/11. I had friends who died on 9/11 and some that survived. I hope they build the Islamic Community Center they are planning on, and tell the bitter whiners that drape themselves in the flag (and the domestic terrorists like Mr. Mike Burgess up there) to go suck the big one. Our country is better than our lowest common denominators.