CNN – When debris rained from the sky in lower Manhattan on September 11, 2001, the first responders to the terrorist attack did not turn away. They rushed to the World Trade Center buildings while the world around them crumbled. Yet now, after all the wreckage has been cleared and the rebuilding has begun, their path is again blocked — not by flying chunks of smoldering rubble, but by space constraints.
The first responders are not invited to this year’s September 11 memorial ceremony at ground zero, New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s office confirmed Monday. It’s a painful insult for many of the approximately 3,000 men and women who risked their lives, limbs and lungs on that monumental day, puncturing another hole in a still searing wound.
In a statement, Bloomberg spokesman Andrew Brent said the commemoration ceremony is for the victims’ families. “While we are again focused on accommodating victims’ family members, given the space constraints, we’re working to find ways to recognize and honor first responders, and other groups, at different places and times,” Brent said.
But first responder John Feal, founder of an advocacy group for the police officers, firefighters, civilian volunteers and others who worked at ground zero, assailed Brent’s response, saying Bloomberg “lives in his own world.” “The best of the best that this country offered 10 years ago are being neglected and denied their rightful place,” Feal said.
Denise Villamia, a first responder who worked at ground zero for several months, cried over the phone as she recalled her “totally heartbroken” reaction to the news that she could not attend the memorial service. “I’m crying because it’s really a big betrayal on the part of the city, to rob me from my way to pay homage and to find that comfort and healing,” she said. “I feel that I have been robbed of my way to pay tribute.”
Space constraints, riiiiight. Does the phrase “No good deed goes unpunished” spring to mind?
Bobbo, why don’t you start your own blog instead of monopolizing this one?
Faxon–what makes you think I don’t?
#28, Donothing
The waiting time for many treatments in many of these nations has been growing and the quality of the care given has been falling especially for the elderly.
Yes, American health insurance is getting worse all the time. Yet, for some reason, the Tea Bagger Party are still making their crap up. The old “Tell a lie often enough and it becomes true.”
Normal people know your comment is a lie. It appears you believe it though.
Americans pay much more and get less care.
This ceremony is for the families that lost someone in 9/11. It is not about those who did their best to help those in this tragedy.
If the First Responders and volunteers want their own ceremony, then fine, let them have one. But memorial services are seldom about the guy who pronounced you dead. This attitude reminds me of Sarah Palin, and it ain’t always about her.
Does anyone realize that the compensation fund is the gov’t’s way of admitting guilt in the 9/11 attacks? Why pay out unless you are guilty of causing harm to someone? What occurred nearly 10 years ago in New York, Virgina, and Pennsylvania was an insider event and the 7-minute freeze by former President Bush after getting word from Andrew Card is proof of that. One question I have always had from that day that remains unanswered is why the Secret Service did not rush in to get the President to safety after it was known what was happening? Why was he allowed to sit for seven minutes? I just cannot and will not ever believe the “official” story. It is more than impossible to attach logic to it.
#34 Faxon: “Bobbo, why don’t you start your own blog instead of monopolizing this one?”
Build it and none would come.
Gee Bobbo, I guess I’m not the only one who skips right over the waste of electrons you call your opinion…
I just regret that you’re wasting the time of others until they reach the same opinion of you.
You’re a drag…
Bloomberg doesn’t want the First Responders there because of the exceedingly goddam shabby way they’ve been treated. They were lied to about the air quality of working at Ground Zero afterwards and have been left to die with little help or concern from the government. Bloomie doesn’t want any ugly reality or truth intruding on his 9/11 masquerade.
The whole 9/11 thing is BS anyway, as it was clearly an inside job that’s brought about a decade of an increasing police state here in the US, and eternal warfare overseas. Lot of big bucks being made – don’t want to stand in the way of the Upper Class economy based on lies and death, now do we?
So it’s a “Photo Op” for Pols on the make ???
TOTALLY PATHETIC !!!
If there is “No Space”, why not have a parade ?
Factson/FactsOff, Nextlie, and PeaPod. What do we all have in common?
A very immature self oriented reference limited to what you like and dislike without the ability to parse through and find or express the root reasons why.
Nobody cares what you three bozo’s like or dislike. Nobody cares what I like or dislike. Nor should they.
WHY do you like or dislike my “monopolization” of this blog? What are your reasons? do you have any reasons or is it a kneejerk reaction to……what? Some don’t like my name play. I play with all your names, I play with my own. Is it because I’m a liberal? Or an Anti-dogmatic libertarian? Is it because I argue for factual analysis WITH reasoning? Yes, some people disagree with your simple minded posts. Worse yet, some people, dare I include myself, show how you are so inept at what you “think.”
I’m actually interested in why/how/on what facts you have formed your opinions. Always invite the disagreement. Show me I am wrong. It makes me a better person. We all want to be better people right?
Call me crazy.
As a firefighter of 16 years, I would like to say that not all first responders are paid or if they are have to have other jobs to feed their families. Every first responder is my brother or sister, so I would consider myself family to the victims of that terrible atrocity. With some of the comments I have read and the way a lot of our political authorities have acted I am insulted knowing they also clame to represent America…
#43 Please stop using the word ‘parse’ or ‘parse through’.
I can’t believe it’s been 10 years since the government-sponsored attacks on its own people on Spt 11th. To think Silverstein and Bloomberg have the nerve to make their presence felt, grandstanding as our saviors. I can’t believe the people of NYC are going to tolerate this for 1 minute.
This is all because Bloomturd hates firefighters. He is a piece if s. H. I. T.
“No room for first responders”? Yeah, but I wonder if that dingbat Tom Crews, will be there, all smiles?
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