Gothamist: NY Times Investigates Borja's 9/11 Connection

Dave H.

Tue, 13 Feb 2007 15:33:57 -0500

One doesn't have to denigrate Officer Borja or his family to see that this is nontheless a fairly significant revelation. Borja's--and in turn his son's--plight was predicated on the fact that his illness was precipitated by his experiences at Ground Zero. The fact that he may not have spent a reasonable amount of time at the pit calls into question the existence of a Ground Zero Effect, as it were. When one considers that Borja's son's efforts were to get significant amounts of money shoveled towards a specific group of people, there is the potential for the second coming of Gulf War Syndrome, an epidemiologically unsupported catch-all condition that attributes a wide variety of unrelated pathologies to some as yet unsubstantiated "syndrome." Obviously, Borja's tale was so resonant that unsurprisingly no one wanted to start poking holes in it, but it's freaking amazing that it got as much play as it did and only months later did someone have the temerity to even inquire "Hey, was this guy even at Ground Zero? And for how long?"

phish hed

Tue, 13 Feb 2007 14:35:34 -0500

real 9-11 vet, you sound like a dickhead. I hope you sit on a WMD, EMP, EFP, EEP, OP, ORP, AH AH. no really, I hope you get a WMD when you get re-deployed.

Vinnie V.D. Veechee

Tue, 13 Feb 2007 14:35:26 -0500

I'm just concerned with the spelling "Ceaser."

jw

Tue, 13 Feb 2007 14:24:04 -0500

Does it matter? This vilification of the Borja name is completely uncalled for. It has no relevance to the greater issue of providing care to all the workers who are currently suffering, and the many who will develop similar potentially terminal diseases in the months to come. Ceasar Borja Jr. used his father's story, sensationalized by the media, to bring light to the ongoing suffering caused by the attacks on September 11th. Outside of a "comped" trip to Washington, which the Times is very proud to point out, the Borja family in no way received any kind of compensation, monetary or otherwise, for Borja's death. And they did not ask for any. Ceasar's cause was not primarily to glorify his father, but to become a spokesperson for all those who continue to suffer due to their efforts at Ground Zero. I see no reason for bringing shame to this family.

202

Tue, 13 Feb 2007 14:21:10 -0500

Real 9-11 veteran

Tue, 13 Feb 2007 13:23:39 -0500

What a damn plot, parade someone out there to speak as if one is credible and slander the plight. Was this put together in some ploy to discredit the cause, this ignorant arse who said "god bless President Bush". The shame is Hunter's, Clinton's and even further shame to the cause of those poisoned trying in vain to bring back the lives of so many lost. That cough you hear, it isnt the Borja Family, it is that of those who really suffer....... Hear that Ceasar Jr, you better hope that the Children of those suffering dont run into you on the 3rd floor walkway @ hunter west..