Controversy Swells Around Cesar Borja's Death

Yesterday, The New York Times reported that Cesar Borja, the New York City policeman who died last month of pulmonary fibrosis, or scarring of the lungs, didn't actually work on the pile at the World Trade Center until December, 2001. Therefore, the story said, there is no way to prove that Borja's illness was caused by working at the site.

They are so wrong.

"It shows that here's a man who never worked on the pile, and he still ingested enough crap that he suffered the extent of damages that he did," said John Sferazo, an ironworker and founder of Unsung Heroes Helping Heroes told Newsday about Borja. "That, to me, is even more of an outrage."

You can't convince me that Cesar Borja and hundreds, or maybe even thousands, of other rescue workers and downtown residents weren't sickened by the smoke, dust, debris and lingering chemicals in the air.

We don't need a political debate right now. We need money for health care for uninsured workers and downtown residents who are sick and who will become sick