Feb 03, 2006 - 02:00:33 CST
Protect victims of asbestos Bismarck
By ED CHRISTENSEN
When it comes to matters of illness, we listen to our hearts and look with compassion. Right now, both are telling me not to trust the proposed Fairness in Asbestos Injury Resolution Act, which really should be named the Asbestos Bailout Bill.
Mesothelioma is a type of cancer caused only by asbestos fibers. Public personalities like Warren Zevon and Steve McQueen have died, through no fault of their own, at the hands of this preventable disease. Thousands die unnecessarily each year due to asbestos-related illnesses they should have been protected from years ago.
If the Asbestos Bailout Bill goes through, I'm afraid there will come a day when the victims will have to fight mightily to get what they most certainly deserve. To put it simply, the trust fund is beyond inadequate, not to mention the fact that the burdensome claim process will leave thousands without a glimmer of hope.
When I was introduced to politics as a child, I was taught that the lawmaker's job was to protect us from harm. Yet we are one of only two industrialized countries that have not banned asbestos. What matters most is the rights of the victims. Do not let the asbestos industry's negligent policies run roughshod over people poisoned by asbestos.
It is a moral imperative that our lawmakers continue to make progress in asbestos public awareness by rejected this bill. Then they should outlaw this hazardous material outright and promote more medical research. That is the only fair resolution.
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