Scrutinze This

I am in quite a foul mood this morning. Already suffering from the, "I don't want to get up this morning" blues, the first article I read is this one: Doctors, Democrats scrutinize September 11 dust.

The article makes this statement.

Only now, almost six years after the attacks, is the extent of the medical toll on firefighters, police and others who worked on the cleanup coming to light, along with questions about how much the government knew of the danger. -emphasis added

Why is it that every time there is a disaster in this country, we have to have Monday morning quarterbacks come in to allocate blame? Through this behavior, we have ignored what one of the greatest leaders in American history, Theodore Roosevelt, taught us.

In any moment of decision the best thing you can do is the right thing, the next best thing is the wrong thing, and the worst thing you can do is nothing.

His wise words hold no meaning in contemporary American society. Today, the worst thing you can do is make a decision. If you make the right decision it will be forgotten. But make the wrong decision and you will be lambasted by critics, asked to step down from your position of leadership, and probably sued. Do you doubt me? Finish reading the article.

Earlier this year, a federal judge ruled that Whitman knowingly lied to New York residents about their health risks.

Christie Whitman is, of course, the evil Environment Secretary who, on the counsel of the scientists advising her, said it was OK to reopen Manhattan nearly a week after the attack. How could she do such a thing!? Surly she knew it was not yet safe! Right?

Researchers are still working to understand the long-term effects of these exposures and how psychological distress from the event might contribute to physical problems.

So wait a minute, we're trying to hold someone responsible for a "poor" decision they made about the effects of dust and debris from the attacks on the World Trade Center when even today, six years later, we don't understand the effects?

Folks, the only outrage here is that this is even being discussed. There are significant negative ramifications from playing this "blame game." I will soon delve further into those ramifications. Stay tuned.