September 10, 2003

The Air Down There

Reuters: WTC Fires Spewed Toxic Gases for Weeks

On tomorrow's anniversary, think for a moment about this. And about the interview with the EPA's Nikki Tinsley where she plainly states that a White House agency influenced press releases in order to understate the danger. Think especially about this part:

We were told that a desire to reopen Wall Street and national security concerns were the reasons for changing the press releases.

Then think about the thousands of rescue workers -- generally and properly regarded among the greatest heroes anywhere -- who spent countless hours digging through the site, breathing the air. No doubt many of them would have done so even if there were demonstrable risks to their own health. But wouldn't you think the government owed them all the information they could gather?

And think of all the residents of New York City. Shocked and scarred by the events of that Tuesday morning, they gamely returned to work, and the best semblance of normalcy they could. And showed the world that their city wasn't going to fold under pressure. But wouldn't you think the government should have been honest about the health risks of going back to work?

And remember that the Bush Administration and the Republicans planned their 2004 convention specifically to dance on the graves of the September 11th victims.

I'd say that Manhattan should become one huge protest. Except, no doubt, the "free-speech zones" for protest will probably be located somewhere in Ohio. I'd say the people of New York, and their friends, should blockade the roads between Ground Zero and Madison Square Garden to keep the Republicans from zipping downtown for photo-ops. Except, of course, they seem to have no qualms about running anyone over.

Maybe the best 2004 protest is for no one to show up for work during the convention. No cafes, no hotel maid service, no cabs, no nothing. New York worked while there was one kind of poison in the air; maybe while the Republicans are all over town, they can stay home till they know it's safe.

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