"The whole people must take upon themselves the education of the whole people and be willing to bear the expenses of it. There should not be a district of one mile square, without a school in it, not founded by a charitable individual, but maintained at the public expense of the people themselves." -- John Adams

"No money shall be drawn from the treasury, for the benefit of any religious or theological institution." -- Indiana Constitution Article 1, Section 6.

"...no man shall be compelled to frequent or support any religious worship, place, or ministry whatsoever, nor shall be enforced, restrained, molested, or burthened in his body or goods, nor shall otherwise suffer on account of his religious opinions or belief; but that all men shall be free to profess, and by argument to maintain, their opinion in matters of religion, and that the same shall in no wise diminish enlarge, or affect their civil capacities." – Thomas Jefferson

Showing posts with label 9/11. Show all posts
Showing posts with label 9/11. Show all posts

Wednesday, April 27, 2011

Make sure they're not terrorists...

I usually avoid political issues which don't have anything to do with education, but sometimes there are things which (in my opinion) transcend politics.

Last December The Daily Show with Jon Stewart had a panel discussion of 9-11 first responders discussing why it is taking the US Congress so long to pass a bill which would provide medical care to first responders of the 9-11 attacks who developed illnesses because of their exposure to toxins.

You can see the original panel discussion HERE. It is about 9 minutes long and it's important to give you a background into this issue.

Last night, again on the daily show, Stewart discussed an amendment to the House version of the bill which requires that first responders prove they are not terrorists before they can get any money for their health care. It's in two parts...both below.

It's worth the 10 minutes it will take you to watch this. Be aware that The Daily Show is adult fare...and some language may be offensive. In my opinion, though, Jon Stewart's language is not as offensive as the language in the amendment....




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Friday, December 17, 2010

9/11 Responders Wait for Senate

Today's Subject: Politics, not education.

The House of Representatives has already passed the James Zadroga 9/11 Health and Compensation Act of 2010. It provides health care funds for 9/11 first responders and emergency workers who have developed medical problems due to their work at Ground Zero.

The bill, however, is stalled in the Senate by a filibuster.

Think Progress has a clip from the Daily Show, which normally presents a humorous/satirical view of the news. Jon Stewart gathered a panel of four 9/11 first responders, all with serious and life threatening health problems. These four men are among those who were acclaimed as heroes after 9/11. These men are among those who were hailed by politicians from both sides of the political spectrum as the best we have in America. These men are among those who carried people to safety and then sifted through the rubble in the aftermath. These men are among those who are being denied coverage for their 9/11 related illnesses.

One member of the panel, Kenny Speck, a New York City Fire Fighter, said, "It just goes to show the disconnect between those we elect to represent us, and those who get out there and do the work."

Watch it here. Scroll down to the video clip when you get there...

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