I don't know what it is lately. Maybe it's the world going to hell in a handbasket, but the sheer number of stories and articles I've read online have walloped Shiz's Disgust Meter™ something fierce. Between that asshole "Emergency Financial Manager" closing down the successful schools for both pregnant girls and the deaf, to that revolting actress playing Mimi in a production of Rent being an HIV-phobe, to finding out that dickhead Republicans afraid of both sex and women have introduced (get this) 916 bills in four months against a woman's right to choose.
I mean, WHAT THE FUCKING SHIT?!, right?
And then I read something this morning that, believe it or not, actually trumps all of those things. Your mileage may vary, but (warning: don't cross the picket line if you don't wanna*) check it:
The tens of thousands of cops, firefighters, construction workers and others who survived the worst terrorist assault in U.S. history and risked their lives in its wake will soon be informed that their names must be run through the FBI’s terrorism watch list, according to a letter obtained by HuffPost.
...
I KNOW!
Any of the responders who are not compared to the database of suspected terrorists would be barred from getting treatment for the numerous, worsening ailments that the James Zadroga 9/11 Health And Compensation Law was passed to address.
Just let that sink in for a moment. The heroic men and women that literally ran to the rescue and aid of tens of thousands of people on 9/11, many of whom are now sick because of it, run the risk of losing benefits if they refuse to have the FBI scan their names through the terrorist watch list. Not that they have a choice about it or anything.
This is nothing short of infuriating. And, of course, guess whose fault it is? Motherfucking Republicans and Blue Dogs.
The provision was added in an amendment by Rep. Cliff Stearns (R-Fla.) during the heated debate over the bill in the House Energy and Commerce Committee last May.
Sept. 11 responders in the committee room at the time mostly shook their heads at the move, which Democrats accepted on a voice vote after battling to bar other amendments on abortion and immigration that might have killed the bill.
Oh, FUCK YOU, Stearns! Seriously, goddamnit, people in this country need jobs and homes and resources, and Congress is spending freaking taxpayer money performing insulting background checks on the very people who saved a lot of lives and risked their own in the process!
This is gonna go over like a lead balloon. I can hear the screaming from firefighters, police persons, and paramedics all the way from Colorado.
I'm embarrassed to be an American right now. Republicans fucking SUCK!
(* I tried to find another source for this story, but there appears to be only one, and it simply references the original HuffPo article. Other links appreciated, if you can find 'em.)Updated by Colorado is the Shiznit at Fri Apr 22, 2011 at 07:51 AM MDT
For those wanting to help the First Responders and piss off Mr. Douchebag, please go to http://fealgoodfoundation.com/.
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Updated again just to say thanks for all the hugs and love! And, since I have apparently bummed out a metric fuckton of people, here's a little bit of love from me on a Friday morning:
Updated by Colorado is the Shiznit at Fri Apr 22, 2011 at 10:20 AM MDT
Only substantive article that I can find, non-HuffPo (but still mentions HuffPo twice): http://www.dailymail.co.uk/...
