A Hero Has Died

[FourScore]

His name was Robert Williamson. He was a mere 46 years old and left behind a wife and three children ages 10,12 and 15.

Robert Williamson was a retired NYPD street detective. Beginning on Sept. 11th, and for the next 3 months, Robert worked ceaselessly on the rescue and recovery efforts -- 16 hours a day EVERY day during the first two months; 5 days a week during the third month.

Robert was one of the first responders to be diagnosed as disabled from his work on the Pile.

He, along with 1700 rescue workers filed a lawsuit against the city in order to change his pension plan just so that he would be elligible for disability.

Imagine that!!! This man gave his life! And yet he had to fight for disability in his last days!!!

And where are those who said the air was safe to breathe and the water was safe to drink? Just this week, Christie Todd Whitman refused to testify to Congress in their hearings on the matter; and Giuliani was on stage debating to become the next President of the United States.

I think they both belong in jail!!!

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/2007/05/14/2007-05-14_ground_zero_hero_loses_cancer_fight-2.html

[snappyturtle]

1. How many more are there ?

Yesterday, I watched 9/11 Mysteries (on Google streaming video). The toxicity was enormous! K&R

[FourScore]

5. Here is a great documentary on the subject.

You can also view the trailer at this site.

http://www.911dust.org/

[snappyturtle]

36. Thank you! nt

[malaise]

2. Fugg Giuliani

How sad.

[uppityperson]

3. k&r. Hey Rudy, you 9/11 presider!

[babylonsister]

4. Giuliani should be headed for jail, not running for prez. So sad, and I

too wonder what the fate of the other responders will be. :(

[musette_sf]

9. Rudy LIHOP n/t

[aquart]

6. We owed them everything.

Yet their every struggling breath has been a fight for nickel, dimes, and air.

Unimaginably wrong.

The legislation I want says that any illness of a first responder is covered. For life. If it's a cold, if it's a hangnail, it's covered. No dispute. No argument. COVERED. The same for any soldier. I don't want a nitpicking debate over severity or cause. COVERED. They stepped up. WE OWE THEM.

[FourScore]

7. Excellent idea!!!

Universal health coverage for heros!:patriot:

[northzax]

8. and cowards, too

universal health care coverage for people. period.

[Benhurst]

12. Universal single-payer health care for all Americans!

The brave men and women who did rescue work in New York also deserve compensation.

And those who knowingly exposed them to unnecessary risks deserve prison terms.

[Tigress DEM]

62. I'll give that a hearty I SECOND THAT MOTION!

[pokercat999]

65. Bullshit, FREE health care for all Americans!

USMS, United States Medical Service, run very much like the military with tons of "civilian" oversight. Responsible for all medical care in the US including all pharmaceuticals. That would be a progressive view, IMHO.

[lyonn]

14. They were left with no dignity, having to beg for medical care

and living expenses. Also true of our troops in Iraq. You made excellent points.

There was an announcement that there was asbestos in the building. That alone should have had breathing alerts out all over the place. Guiliani (sp?) should be ashamed and yet he has gone along with the media hype about his heroics during the cleanup. BS He was unpopular as he was leaving office. He considered running for the Senate against Hillary but his polling numbers were so bad he dropped his plans.

[aquart]

15. He cannot carry New York. No way. No how.

Nor any state that respects its firefighters.

[louis-t]

21. Actually, it was prostate cancer that caused him to drop out.

Just sayin'.

[lyonn]

25. Didn't Kerry have prostate cancer while running for pres.?

Several politicians have been diagnosed with the disease and continued with their campaigns if I'm not mistaken. Rudy needed an excuse and that helped, just my opinion at the time.

[louis-t]

29. I never heard that about Kerry.

I just don't see how anyone could go through chemo and run a campaign at the same time. It ain't like goin' to the dentist.

[Island Blue]

49. Kerry did have prostrate cancer

but he elected to have surgery instead of chemo. Seems to have been the right choice for him. I'm not sure what type of treatment Gulliani chose.

[JanusAscending]

41. Yes , He absolutely did!

Google it!

[lildreamer316]

27. AMEN. n/t

[brer cat]

34. You are so right on, aquart.

:thumbsup:

[colorado_ufo]

37. This would certainly have my strongest support!

How these people have been treated - first responders, soldiers, and others - has been nothing short of distressing.

[nadine_mn]

46. well said

those who defend and protect us without hesitation deserve compensation and health care from our gov't without question or hesitation

[myrna minx]

71. I totally agree. n/t

[dogday]

10. RIP Robert Williamson

I shed tears for this man.... :cry:

[Initech]

11. FUCK GUILIANI FUCK GUILIANI FUCK GUILIANI FUCK GUILIANI FUCK GUILIANI FUCK GUILIANI

Um, did I get my point across?

[Jamastiene]

16. No, no, tell us how you really feel.

:P

[Sherman A1]

63. Can we add Whitman to that!

Just a Thought?

[LeftishBrit]

13. How tragic!!!

He was a true hero.

I agree, there should be universal health care for all, and massive compensation for these heroes.

[Reverend_Smitty]

17. I saw this guy's story on the news the other day...

It's absolutely criminal that Giuliani and Bush have spent the last 6 years hanging their hats on their 9/11 "leadership" and yet do nothing for the people who were there busting their asses and giving up their lives for their fellow citizens. It's just bullshit that these people have to fight tooth and nail just to scrape by.

[Miss Chybil]

18. Why do these people get to "refuse to testify?"

Our entire system of government has turned into a big joke. (Except for for us little guys, of course.) I'm sick of this shit. MAKE THEM TESTIFY! If the next step in getting them to do that is going to court, start the procedures now! Are they (both sides of the aisle) thinking they can run out the clock and we'll all easily forget this reign of witches?

[MagickMuffin]

19. How sad and tragic.....

"As far as we know, there are no particular cancers in the medical literature related to 9/11," Kleinman said. "We're following it very closely."

Williamson's attorney Michael Barasch said Williamson and other Ground Zero workers were "as much victims of the disaster as the 343 firefighters and 2,700-odd people who died" on 9/11. But before he died, Williamson said he would have worked at the site again.

"Did I know the air was not safe? Yes. Would I go down there again today knowing that? Yes. A lot of people made sacrifices," Williamson told the Daily News in 2004. "I might be a casualty of 9/11, but at least I had a few more years with my family.":cry:

A funeral is planned for Wednesday.

I knew watching when everyone was down there working and thought WHY aren't they using their respirators. I knew the air was TOXIC and that the government would diliberately lie about the conditions as being SAFE.

How SAD and TRAGIC....

RIP Robert Williamson, you deserve it.:patriot:

[aquart]

76. I knew they would have gone anyway. I knew that.

Which is why we had and have the utmost obligation to protect them in any and every way possible.

I'm thinking of the men who went into Chernobyl to contain it and prevent the spread. They knew. They went anyway. Our lives depend on our first responders. There should never be any argument, debate, problem, or number crunching about giving them the best possible care.

[Kurovski]

20. K&R. (nt)

[Old and In the Way]

22. Another shameful act by those who could have helped that didn't.

Republicans use 9/11 as their personal trademarked phrase to cover all of their acts. But when it comes to helping those that gave so much of themselves during the recovery...they weren't there. Were was "Mr. 9/11" on leading the cause...AWOL.

[Aanya]

23. This is disgraceful!

This is going to be the next high level, Bush Administration blunder! I expect it to exceed Katrina before it's over. We need to see that all of the rescue workers are taken care of! After the way we have treated our returning soldiers at Walter Reed, this is sure looking to be another irritation that Bush is going to try and sweep under the rug! Whatever it takes, these victims must be cared for!

[Straight Shooter]

24. Welcome to DU, Aanya.

:thumbsup:

[Cha]

26. All the bushits belong in

a special prison where killers of our heroes will be sent to spend the rest of their natural born lives(such as they are).

Will the NYT talk about this?

[Ilsa]

28. All of it is part of the Norquist plan to make the govt small enough

to drown in a bathtub. Public service personnel be damned. Military service be damned be damned. Disabled be damned. Those people see the rest of us as suckers, undeserving of life.

RIP Mr. Williamson, a brave man. I hope your family makes it.

[bjobotts]

30. Yeah....small enough to be run by Czars.

Everytime they get in power we go deeper in debt, steal the money from social programs and pocket it while spending on privatizing everything so the government pays their corporate buddies. Greedy corrupt thieves without a conscience or a heart. They would never, ever, ever be able or capable to understand that huge smile that would come across a Katrina or 9/11 victim's face when they hear those 9 sweet words..."I'm from the government and I'm here to help". My sympathies to his family and his friends.

[bobbolink]

31. Many of us have come to the sad conclusion that "JUSTICE" is extinct

There's just too many things that people suffer through and lose.

Yet, until it happens to them, people just yawn through it all.

:shrug:

[Vilis Veritas]

72. Close to Home

It seems that people really do not fight until the fight is brought to them. Once it gets personal, then they jump on the bandwagon.

The trick it seems is how to garner enough support on a massive level to actually get something done. It takes money, people, coverage...things that a lot of people do not have access to and things that a lot of people are unwilling to spend time doing, unless their own lives have been disrupted.

Complicity through complacency? :shrug:

[barb162]

32. Oh that poor man. n/t

[Xenotime]

33. I'm curious what exactly what in the air?

[diane in sf]

51. aerosol of bodies, asbestos, pulverized cement, vaporized plastics from

stuff in the buildings, glass particles, vapor from jet fuel and other hydrocarbons, products of combustion, etc.

[barb162]

54. and tons of whatever"dust"

Just inhaling that amount of dust from the pulverized furniture and papers, etc., would still hurt your lungs.

[berni_mccoy]

35. May this Hero find Peace.

:kick:

[SpiralHawk]

38. "Another American hero getting the REPUBLICON treament: ignored, squeezed,

mistreated, tossed on the scrap heap.

Just the way republicons treat our troops when they become veterans: with no support, no respect.

Why do republicons HATE and ABUSE everything that is good, noble, heroic and helpful?

[Up2Late]

39. How sad.

RIP Robert.:cry:

[debbierlus]

40. That is tragic

:cry:

[srulifsonmiles]

42. may your family find a moment in each of their lives

that's all, just a moment

and may the rest of us hear your truth; we listen.

[FourScore]

52. That was beautifully put into words, srulifsonmiles!

And welcome to DU!:hi:

[Madspirit]

43. k&r..n/t

[lonestarnot]

44. I wonder how many first responders would have gone into that pile anyway, even

after having been told before going in they may suffer deadly consequences to their health in doing so... :shrug: just wondering...

[smirkymonkey]

45. RIP Mr. Williamson.

This is beyond tragic.

The injustice makes me physically ill.

K&R!

[Christa]

47. It breaks my heart

A hero reduced to begging and then dying :cry:

Everytime I see Guilliani onstage speaking about 9/11 and NYC as if he owns it - well, I want to throw a brick through the tv.

[file83]

48. Giuliani is climbing towards the Presidency on top of a pile of 9/11 victims.

Giuliani is the lowest form of life on earth.

[BrklynLiberal]

57. It is so ironic that everyone calls him "America's Mayor" except us NYers who know what a crappy

mayor he really was.

[jackstraw45]

73. And raking in over $100 million as well...talk about a SICKO

Not to thread drift but I'm hoping Michael Moore's upcoming movie is going to give these additional 9/11 victims the attentiopn they deserve.

[StarryNite]

50. How can that be?

They told us the air was perfectly safe.

:sarcasm:

[tblue]

53. Bless his soul. Poor guy. So much for the 'Culture of Life.'

[proud patriot]

55. My prayers and strength for his family

I have a son his kids age , we would be devasted . :cry:

[BrklynLiberal]

56. Kick. in memory and respect for those that sacrificed...

[AZBlue]

58. K&R. Rest in Peace, Robert Williamson.

And thank you for your selflessness.

[Decruiter]

59. This is just so wrong, so heartbreaking on so many levels. I know he

and his family are surrounded at this moment and for many moments before by loads and loads of angels. I also believe that there is a special hell for C T Whitman. I honestly do not know how she sleeps at night haunted by the thousands she alone harmed due to her inhumanity. I'm left speechless.

Peace, Mr. Williamson, to you and to those you had to leave. I'm so very, very sorry. I knew, and there was nothing I could do. I'm so very sorry.

Please rest in peace.

[me b zola]

60. k&r

[Tigress DEM]

61. Was he in one of Michael Moore's stories in SICKO?

Would have been a perfect tragic tale to break everyone's heart and make them understand that real PEOPLE are involved here.

At least Moore tried to get these guys some help and bring national attention to their situation.

His poor kids. I hope they have other caring adults to step in and help. Losing a dad at such young ages is going to be hard on them.

[nomatrix]

64. Anyone know if Silverstein's WTC insurance

policy included any personal liability?

I found it strange that the BILLIONS OF DOLLARS that he collected on, didn't include any people injured or killed in the building. Isn't that how standard insurance is written? Has he ever offered to set up a fund? Or the Port Authority, who should be receiving monthly payments from Silverstein, right? I've not seen anything published about it.

I believe anyone who was a victim should have received compensation for their injury and or death.

[kanrok]

66. Not for nothin'

but what is the connection between the toxicity at Ground Zero and pancreatic cancer? I agree that any first responder who was injured because of his or her work at Ground Zero should be compensated, but I don't get the connection here.

[SunDrop23]

67. Godspeed to him and his family.

[dipsydoodle]

68. Giuliani was on stage debating

That's all he's good at - mass debating. What a wanker.

[RestoreGore]

69. Robert Williamson was a true hero

And my prayers are with his family and my scorn is with those who use his death and the deaths of all on 9/11 for their own personal advantage. Rudy Giuliani is no hero. He is an opportunist looking to cash in on a tragedy. He should be in jail, the bastard.

[happygoluckytoyou]

70. WHY THE GOP LOVES CHEAP LABOR - Agent Orange

This is not too different that the fight the Viet Vets had to get coverage and recognition for Agent Orange and Post Tramatic Stress issues....

AND IT WILL NOT BE RESOLVED IN THEIR LIFETIME.... BECAUSE....

The GOP loves cheap labor..... walmart... the draft (which THEY avoid)... illegal workers... outsourcing... anti-union...

why not just spell it out...... SLAVES

When you get old enough or sick enough, you can expect a REASON you won't be helped... it is easier to force women to have babies and raise them in an uneducated enough fashion that they become WORKERS

SAD.... and the best way to fight back (other than voting the bastards out of office) is to NOT WORK VERY HARD %^)

[Rainbowreflect]

74. Giuliani should have to see this man's face at every stop he makes.

A true hero verses one who plays one on TV.

[xchrom]

75. peace be with mr williamson and his family.