Raymond Pfeifer
June 3, 2017 5:35 AM Subscribe
Raymond Pfeifer died on May 28, at the age of 59. Ray was retired from the FDNY, where he had served for almost 28 years. After 9/11, Ray spent 8 months at Ground Zero, and, after being diagnosed with cancer resulting from that work, he spent years advocating for Congress to pass the Zadroga Act, which now provides that those exposed to the 9/11 disaster continue to receive monitoring and treatment services for 9/11-related health problems through at least 2090. He was remembered by his friend, Jon Stewart.
Senator Gillibrand Pays Tribute to 9/11 First Responder Ray Pfeifer
Previously
Senator Gillibrand Pays Tribute to 9/11 First Responder Ray Pfeifer
Previously
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posted by JoeXIII007 at 6:59 AM on June 3, 2017
posted by JoeXIII007 at 6:59 AM on June 3, 2017
If you watched the later years of Jon Stewart's tenure at The Daily Show, it is clear that the way Congress treated 9/11 victims like Pfeifer broke Stewart.
In the eulogy, Stewart alludes to Pfeifer being conservative. Stewart's political inclinations are well-known. Though they disagreed on any number of things, they worked together on this issue that should have been an easy slam dunk. People can have differences on one topic yet work together on another.
I still don't understand how the Zadroga Act didn't pass 435-0 in the House and 100-0 in the Senate. But I also don't understand why there are wait times at Veterans Administration hospitals, so I suppose I'm just naive.
posted by aureliobuendia at 7:01 AM on June 3, 2017 [16 favorites]
In the eulogy, Stewart alludes to Pfeifer being conservative. Stewart's political inclinations are well-known. Though they disagreed on any number of things, they worked together on this issue that should have been an easy slam dunk. People can have differences on one topic yet work together on another.
I still don't understand how the Zadroga Act didn't pass 435-0 in the House and 100-0 in the Senate. But I also don't understand why there are wait times at Veterans Administration hospitals, so I suppose I'm just naive.
posted by aureliobuendia at 7:01 AM on June 3, 2017 [16 favorites]
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posted by ThePinkSuperhero at 7:27 AM on June 3, 2017
posted by ThePinkSuperhero at 7:27 AM on June 3, 2017
I still don't understand how the Zadroga Act didn't pass 435-0 in the House and 100-0 in the Senate.
Because the politicians who are loudest with the platitudes about "never forget our brave first responders" don't see them as people - rather, they see them as props.
In the past 16 years, the thing that has angered me most about 9/11 is just how many people are eager to exploit the worst day of my life, and many other New Yorkers' lives, for their own personal gain. Pfeiffer, Zadroga, the Twin Towers, and New York City itself are a convenient and attention-grabbing hook that politicians in the other 49 states can use to push through their personal cause-du-celebre, and to win themselves votes.
I have repeatedly said this - but I firmly believe that a lot of people secretly would have been happy if the damage from 9/11 was greater. If Pfeiffer had died right away, then Congress could have used his name, his image, and his memory as a prop to point to for warmongering, without having the inconvenient burden of trying to take care of him. If Lower Manhattan had been obliterated, or if the whole of New York City had been, then the country could continue to use it as a touchpoint for their "Never Forget" photoshopped crying-eagle Facebook posts, without the inconvenience from hearing from us New Yorkers about "now wait a minute, we're actually okay with Muslim refugees coming in, this isn't offending 'the memory of 9/11' at all."
Pfeiffer died because Congress was more intersted in exploiting him than taking care of him.
I won't forget him, or that day, though. The difference is that what I will remember is the truth.
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posted by EmpressCallipygos at 7:27 AM on June 3, 2017 [34 favorites]
Because the politicians who are loudest with the platitudes about "never forget our brave first responders" don't see them as people - rather, they see them as props.
In the past 16 years, the thing that has angered me most about 9/11 is just how many people are eager to exploit the worst day of my life, and many other New Yorkers' lives, for their own personal gain. Pfeiffer, Zadroga, the Twin Towers, and New York City itself are a convenient and attention-grabbing hook that politicians in the other 49 states can use to push through their personal cause-du-celebre, and to win themselves votes.
I have repeatedly said this - but I firmly believe that a lot of people secretly would have been happy if the damage from 9/11 was greater. If Pfeiffer had died right away, then Congress could have used his name, his image, and his memory as a prop to point to for warmongering, without having the inconvenient burden of trying to take care of him. If Lower Manhattan had been obliterated, or if the whole of New York City had been, then the country could continue to use it as a touchpoint for their "Never Forget" photoshopped crying-eagle Facebook posts, without the inconvenience from hearing from us New Yorkers about "now wait a minute, we're actually okay with Muslim refugees coming in, this isn't offending 'the memory of 9/11' at all."
Pfeiffer died because Congress was more intersted in exploiting him than taking care of him.
I won't forget him, or that day, though. The difference is that what I will remember is the truth.
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posted by EmpressCallipygos at 7:27 AM on June 3, 2017 [34 favorites]
I still don't understand how the Zadroga Act didn't pass 435-0 in the House and 100-0 in the Senate.
No shit. It's too expensive? Seriously, in the context of the federal budget that's a fucking joke. And how expensive were the two wars, again? It's like they go out of their way to be slimy dicks to their Americans who sacrificed for our country. (See also, VA, Khans, etc.)
How they can try to claim the mantle of patriotism and national security is fucking beyond me.
In addition, I don't know why it isn't hung around the necks of the hypocritical fucksticks who voted against it any time they run for re-election. Fucking Congressional Republicans are anti-American.
posted by leotrotsky at 7:30 AM on June 3, 2017 [6 favorites]
No shit. It's too expensive? Seriously, in the context of the federal budget that's a fucking joke. And how expensive were the two wars, again? It's like they go out of their way to be slimy dicks to their Americans who sacrificed for our country. (See also, VA, Khans, etc.)
How they can try to claim the mantle of patriotism and national security is fucking beyond me.
In addition, I don't know why it isn't hung around the necks of the hypocritical fucksticks who voted against it any time they run for re-election. Fucking Congressional Republicans are anti-American.
posted by leotrotsky at 7:30 AM on June 3, 2017 [6 favorites]
If Pfeiffer had died right away, then Congress could have used his name, his image, and his memory as a prop to point to for warmongering
See also Pat Tillman.
posted by leotrotsky at 7:33 AM on June 3, 2017 [4 favorites]
See also Pat Tillman.
posted by leotrotsky at 7:33 AM on June 3, 2017 [4 favorites]
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posted by oneswellfoop at 2:50 PM on June 3, 2017
posted by oneswellfoop at 2:50 PM on June 3, 2017
I also think there was more than a little anti-New York sentiment in voting against the Zadroga Act. As in, we've paid enough; let them take it from here. Sickening, really.
posted by etaoin at 3:45 PM on June 3, 2017 [2 favorites]
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