With 911: Dust and Deceit at the World Trade Center, Penny Little has made a moving, engrossing indictment of how the federal government failed New York City residents, and the rescue workers and volunteers near the Twin Towers, in the days following 9/11 and continue to do so today.
The documentary focuses on the dust from the twin towers. As if it was not enough that terrorists destroyed those famous buildings, the Environmental Protection Agency itself fell down on the job, repeatedly asserting that inhalation of the dust would not hurt anyone.
Through interviews, Little proves that information to be wrong as person after person speaks on camera of health problems following exposure to contaminants that can’t be explained in any other way — a singer who can no longer sing, a janitor who can no longer climb as many stairs, to name the two most memorable to me.
I put some tough questions to Little in order to pre-empt the questions of skeptics. This is the first of a two-part interview.
How did this project come about?
I was in New York finishing up another film, Electile Dysfunction, in December 2004, a movie about voting and election fraud. I began speaking with some people who were affected by the dust. I had seen a preview cut of another film on the subject of the dust called Strategic Omissions, so I was already aware of the issue. I became more and more interested in the story as I learned more — because it was obvious that people were getting sick from the dust and not getting help or even recognition for what was really wrong with them. I asked James Walter Jr., who was the executive producer for Electile Dysfunction, for some startup money to film in NYC. He funded my first two trips to NYC.
What did you intend to do with this project?
I made this film for those who had been poisoned by the toxic dust, those who were sick and dying. I wanted this to be a way for their story and some of the background to be told. I would like for this story to get wider distribution because it shows the callousness of what I believe to be a bunch of rogue criminals in our administration. This gives government a bad name.
Article comments
1 - arnold korotkin
Since September 2001 I have maintained a free and confidential "9/11 list-serv".
The "9/11 list-serv" distributes daily e-mails containing newspaper articles and other relevant information re: 9/11 issues of interest to 9/11 families, 9/11 organizations and interested individuals.
The 9/11 List-serv archives can be accessed. If you would like to 'subscribe' to this free service - resond on the url above.
2 - Physics Professor
What a crying shame that people are still focusing on the "toxicity" of the dust instead of its most remarkable and revealing quality: the distribution of particle sizes.
The abundance of nanoparticles within the dust reveals that the dust could not have resulted from the use of (conventional/chemical) "explosives" any more than it could have resulted from any kind of "collapse".
Only some kind of exotic weaponry could have caused such widespread devastation on a (near-)molecular level.
3 - Scott Butki
So you are saying the dust contents prove some kind of 9/11 conspiracy?
4 - Penny Little
I set out to make this movie to illustrate how the agencies and individuals within the Government lied to the people of New York, denied the ongoing toxicity of the atmosphere, and how their false reassurances have caused tens of thousands of people to get sick, and some to die.
This movie is not about about how the buildings failed, and related anomalies regarding their collapses. That is an entirely different subject, and demands an entire movie devoted to it, with new interviews, and impeccable research. However, if the government has lied to us about what was in the air, could they have lied to us about anything else?
There was testing and analysis done by Thomas Cahill which show the anomalous size of the particles, amongst other data. I found out about his studies *after* I had completed filming. Smaller particles are more toxic because they lodge deep in the lungs, in the body, and are not expelled. This was mentioned in my film by Marjorie Clarke. I am not aware of any studies which show exactly how the particles have affected people at the cellular level, or how their health will be affected in the future by these toxic particles which remain in their bodies. This is a study which I believe needs to happen, and this study may include the information about particle sizes, thus raising those questions. If anyone knows of any such studies, please respond.
Again, the focus of my movie is about people, especially the fact that people are being poisoned, and that the government knew and has not yet, even to this day, helped most of them.
I will not speculate about "exotic" weapons, firstly because I believe it doesn't serve the people who need help; secondly, because I have no evidence; and thirdly, because it’s not on topic for *this* particular film.
5 - Scott Butki
I wonder if Michael Moore's latest stunt will breath more interest to this good movie.
6 - Scott Butki
i want to revive this interview on this day for obvious reasons - personally i'm still disturbed that the government lied about this stuff