A disabled police friend recently said,  “ My uncle is an anchor for a major TV affiliate and I asked him to do a story about disabled officers and he replied that the general viewing audience really don’t care about this topic."

Well, from my experience, he's right! America isn't interested. How could thousands of aging, infirm and disabled cops being abused and abandoned translate into interesting news stories? Especially, when America is looking for every cop to be ready to join this fraternity of misfits and forgottens without a moments notice.

How about today’s news, a 911 memorial that will cost over a billion dollars and will keep some of the most expensive income producing real estate in the world off the tax rolls and out of the New York economy forever.

Is it such a great expenditure when America abandons its disabled cops? At the groundbreaking ceremony, they'll parade the cops and firefighters and tell these heroes that America loves them. They'll tell America that we are building this monument in memory of those that died on 911. The dead cops, firefighters and EMS will be held up as heroes of an America that stood up to terrorism.

This will all happen as many that live with their personal sacrifices made in the name of their community and country continue to live. Living to regret having given up so much for an ungrateful, indifferent population. A population that gets that feel good, "I care for cops firefighters, EMS and puppies" warm feeling delivered to their living room 24-7. These cops understand uninterested and uncaring audiences, yet they have stories that need to be told. Their stories go to the very fabric of our nation; these are the witnesses of the best and more often the worst of America’s history.

The feel good news of this grandiose memorial will all be delivered by news media personnel feed and breed on the tit of cops with a story to tell. Take a look at your favorite news provider. Cops with stories fill the needs of today’s instant news feeds. There isn't a successful newsperson that doesn’t owe his career to the cops that gave them the facts beyond the official story. America won’t hear that one billion dollars could pay the federally promised line of duty benefits for about four thousand disabled public safety personnel. It is the policy of the US department of Justice to not pay any disabled cops the compensation promised for suffering permanent injuries or for educating their children.

Today's reporters are on par with today's cops. Once you’re off the job, the reporters don't know you either. Of course there is one New York rag that refuses to print or acknowledge even the violent murders of police officers. Maybe they are ahead of their time.

We'll also have disabled cops in their 20's, 30's and 40's watching the dedication. Their legacy is poverty, social and economic isolation and lost opportunities. America has an inclusive society for the disabled, unless you’re a disabled cop, firefighter or EMS. America will take care of these officers and families if they die before the 11 o'clock news.

The cops, firefighters and EMS personnel that died on 9-11 will have a place in history as the icons of a brave and free country, while those that recovered their remains, stood strong and comforted a confused and fearful population will live in political, social and economic isolation. The men and women that placed themselves in harms way that fateful day are my heroes. The ones that died must be remembered, but not at the expense of those that continue to suffer the consequences of their duty. Good men and women continue to suffer and die from their service at the site of this massive memorial, yet they are unlikely to warrant even a footnote in American history or at this grand tribute to those whose suffering has passed.

Young children and their families are being denied economic opportunity, simply because Mom or Dad didn't die. There are too few fundraisers for disabled cops, they only happen when the cameras roll. No Concerns for Police Survivors once the doctor says, "He'll live, but.." Out the door, goes the concern for America's fallen public safety officers, when we can't send them off with prompt funeral, taps and a bunch of cops that never knew them lining up for a big police car parade.  The promise of Public Safety officer benefit program a cruel hoax that holds out the promise of compensating disabled public safety officers and their families and then denies all who come to collect.

A disability pension once was a payment for wounds, injuries and lost opportunities. Suddenly, a disability pension comes with so many strings, legal costs and so much psychological trauma that suicide too often seems better than a pension. There are line-of-duty injuries that end careers and there is end-of-the-line trauma that destroys good and deserving men and women. There always seems to be both. Get hurt and you might get the, "we're here for you!"  Once the lawyers, bureaucrats and politicians get a piece of the pension process and your world changes, your fellow cops, the ones that stood beside you in a good bar room fight (on duty or off) become scared little children. Children run away from those that are different! 

The problem is disabled public safety officers are different than dead ones. Life is a certain qualifier. The fact that disabled cops die eludes all but the disabled. Disabled cops are certainly different than working cops, but only for a moment. A moment that will catch so many unaware, because they turned away from a friend in need.

Soon a nation will take note of America's finest, those law enforcement officers that died in America's service. During National Police Week The President Bush will likely attend National Peace Officers Memorial Day services. He will be at there to pray for those that died in-the-line of duty and for all that currently serve. Blue masses will be held throughout the country where these same servants will be honored and remembered.

For the cops that truly gave up their lives and yet have to live and their families there will be nothing.  No thanks, no honor, no duty, no prayers, and no reporter to pickup on the human suffering, indignity, legal maelstroms or social injustice.  Maybe some disabled cop should put his puppy in a hole before calling the newsroom.

Reporters like reporting stories about a puppy getting stuck in a hole! Today, reporters like to write in packs, so maybe my disabled cop friend should get a good puppy story of his news anchor uncle and call AP wire service.