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Friday, December 28, 2001 10:34 PM
Equal Access to Relief Fund


December  28, 2001

Dear Mr. Kenneth Zwick,

I write as a member of Amnesty International, a worldwide human rights
movement committed to ensuring respect for the basic human rights of people
without discrimination, in support of equal access to benefits under the
September 11 Victims Relief Fund for all victims, regardless of sexual
orientation or marital status. As you know, the United States has
committed to uphold international human rights standards, including the
Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the International Covenant on
Civil and Political Rights, which prohibit arbitrary discrimination.
  
As you consider rules for administering the relief fund, I ask that you
apply basic international human rights standards, and the general principle
of equality, by including among relatives eligible for compensation those
who lost their life partners, as well as de facto parents or children,
without regard to sexual orientation or marital status.  The State of New
York has already adopted such a policy, granting compensation benefits "on
a showing of mutual interdependence with the victim, in recognition that
anyone who shared with the victim living expenses, day to day activities
and the emotional bonds of family deserves help in this time of need."

Many lesbian and gay people were killed in the September 11th attacks.
Since then, lesbian and gay surviving partners of those killed have had
mixed results in obtaining equal treatment at the local level in the
distribution of relief funds by private and state agencies.  An inclusive
policy on the part of the federal government would help establish an
important principle for other such funds.  In compensating victims, real
justice will be served only when all families - and all types of families -
impacted by the human rights tragedy of September 11 are treated with
dignity and equality. 

Thank you for considering my concerns. I look forward to hearing from you
about your efforts to ensure that all surviving victims of the September 11
attacks have equal access to the relief fund.


Sincerely,

Individual Comment
Saint Louis, MO 
 
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Thursday, November 22, 2001 12:12 PM
wtc tradgedy

To Whom It May Concern:
      a)  I believe there should be no age cap on the earnings potential of the victims of this terrible tragedy. Why should they have a cap if the rest of us are looking at retirement now starting at age 70.
      b) There should be no deductions for any charity received by the 
victim's dependants. They are ENTITLED to their share REGARDLESS of any gifts they may have received.
      c) Life insurance was PAID for by the Victim and should not have any bearing on what the family has a right to.
      d) The right to appeal should not be denied to those who are suffering due to the tragic losses inflicted on them by this horrific event.  


Individual Comment
 
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December 13, 2001


Special Master Kenneth R. Feinberg     
September 11th Victim Compensation Fund     
U.S. Department of Justice
950 Pennsylvania Avenue NW
Washington, DC 20530

To Mr. Feinberg:

I am writing to urge you to ensure fair treatment for all surviving families of the tragedy on September 11th, including the children and families of low-wage workers and gay and lesbian families.

Under traditional rules based on lost wages, the survivors of a bond trader earning millions of dollars per year might receive thousands of times as much compensation as the survivors of a diswasher in one of the restaraunts destroyed. Justice requires looking far beyond the last paycheck to the inherent worth of all those killed, so that a high minimum compensation level is set to lessen the disparities. It would be a double blow to the survivors to first lose their loved one and then watch as most of the taxpayers money went to those who were already well off in the first place.

The second major issue has to do with recognizing the legitimacy of gay and lesbian relationships and families. Gay and lesbian famillies are especially vulerable when one partner is killed. Because the option of marriage is unavailable, these families may find themselves in a traumatic predicament of having to prove that their union is legitimate. Fortunaely, both the Red Cross and the State of New York have already announced that they will not discriminate against gay and lesbian families. The Department of Justice should 
do the same.

Thank you for considering my comments. I look forward to hearing how you will act on these very important issues.

Sincerely,

Individual Comment
Bklyn, NY
 
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Friday, December 21, 2001 8:57 AM
Obscene


You know, everyone has to hate and despise the  tragic events of 9/11.  It is tragic for any family to lose a loved one prematurely for any reason.

However for the U.S. government to suddenly become Santa Claus for victim's families at the expense of the U.S. tax-payer is obscene!  Those poor victim's are entitled to no more and no less that any other person whose life is terminated as a result of someone's malice or negligence.

Is the U.S. government going to subsidize all future victims of terrorism?  What compensation do families of servicemen get?  Why aren't they getting as much or even more for dying for our country?  Why aren't all accident victims subsidized regardless of who caused their untimely deaths?

The point is that our government has no business in getting into the insurance business.  We taxpayers can't afford it  Who sponsored this obscene legislation so that we voters can hold  them accountable?

On a final note, if the government is in the compensation business, then everyone should receive the same amount, regardless of his age, status, or income level (and that includes those who had the foresight to purchase ordinary life insurance).

Although I realize that this message is about as productive as pissing in the wind, I would appreciate an answer from a  responsible official.

Sincerely,

Individual Comment
 
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              <text>Friday, January 25, 2002 5:17 PM
comment

Hello, 

I live four blocks from Ground Zero and I am still working on dealing with 
the trauma of watching the attack and seeing the towers fall. It was the 
first time in my life I saw people die in front of my eyes. I am fortunate in 
that I have help (non financial) and am here to move on with my life.

I have seen the representatives of the advocacy groups and read the press. I 
find it disturbing to see how this has become a political platform for 
opportunists. The world contributed to help. An unprecedented amount of money 
was raised. Mind boggling in fact. The families should get help yet the 
perspective seems to be out of control. Survivors need to accept that that is 
what they are. Their life did not end on Sept. 11 although it did for someone 
they loved. Had the loved one died in any other tragic way or other form of 
violence survivors would be in the position of benefiting from what they took 
care of in the event of a death. They would benefit from what they took 
responsibility for like life insurance and employer compensation packages. 
Anything above and beyond that is a gift. The ingratitude is stunning.  The 
following was in the press:

   's husband was earning $96,000 a year as an insurance executive 
when he was killed at the World Trade Center. She has figured that under the 
fund she would be entitled to about $1.1 million. But her husband's life 
insurance and a supplemental policy from his employer total $1.4 million, so 
she fears she will get nothing from the government.

The help is needed for the non-executive victims. The ones who don't have 
mega life insurance and supplemental packages that include loss of life 
compensation.     will do just fine with her 1.4 million. Well 
invested she should net the same income. The janitors wife will need a little 
help and should get it.

Do the families think that people and specifically me felt heartsick at the 
financial loss of those who would receive 1.4 million from their own 
resources? Do they believe that the money that poured in from across the 
globe was meant to provide the lap of luxury beyond what they had before Sept 
11? I don't think we were thinking about executives with healthy compensation 
and insurance. I think we were all picking up our checkbooks for the 
minimally insured and lower income families with children to feed, a mortgage 
to pay and no provider. Yes, there are those in more need than others. I 
don't believe this should be an equal opportunity fund.

How much money do you think the fund would have collected if the lead in to 
asking for donations was:

Please help. A victims family will be left with only 1.4 million from 
insurence and supplemental policies for their financial survival so every 
contribution no matter how small is desperately needed.

You can't put a dollar value on this kind of loss. Reality creeps in and so 
apparently does greed. I am ashamed that the world will see just how greedy 
the American culture is. Isn't that what our attackers accused us of? Half 
the worlds population lives on less than 2 dollars a day! I feel traumatized 
again by this uncharitable, selfish, self centered response by certain 
families of victims and political opportunists.

The world did an enormous big hearted thing. It is time for the families of 
victims to do likewise. If not, the damage done to charitable organizations 
will be devastating. You need to show the good that the fund is doing. Get 
spokespeople who have been helped and appreciate what they have received.

Individual Comment


 
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Wednesday, January 09, 2002 3:17 PM
Compensation Fund

Please do not continue to announce that this compensation fund is here to 
assist families of victims of the World Trade Center.  It is an effort to 
bail out the airlines from litigation.  It would be far more appropriate for 
an analysis to reveal to the public exactly how many families would receive 
nothing from this proposal.
Individual Comment


 
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Wednesday, December 19, 2001 12:46 AM
Straight but not narrow


December  19, 2001

Dear Mr. Kenneth Zwick,

I write as a member of Amnesty International, a worldwide human rights
movement committed to ensuring respect for the basic human rights of people
without discrimination, in support of equal access to benefits under the
September 11 Victims Relief Fund for all victims, regardless of sexual
orientation or marital status. As you know, the United States has
committed to uphold international human rights standards, including the
Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the International Covenant on
Civil and Political Rights, which prohibit arbitrary discrimination.
  
As you consider rules for administering the relief fund, I ask that you
apply basic international human rights standards, and the general principle
of equality, by including among relatives eligible for compensation those
who lost their life partners, as well as de facto parents or children,
without regard to sexual orientation or marital status.  The State of New
York has already adopted such a policy, granting compensation benefits "on
a showing of mutual interdependence with the victim, in recognition that
anyone who shared with the victim living expenses, day to day activities
and the emotional bonds of family deserves help in this time of need."

Many lesbian and gay people were killed in the September 11th attacks.
Since then, lesbian and gay surviving partners of those killed have had
mixed results in obtaining equal treatment at the local level in the
distribution of relief funds by private and state agencies.  An inclusive
policy on the part of the federal government would help establish an
important principle for other such funds.  In compensating victims, real
justice will be served only when all families - and all types of families -
impacted by the human rights tragedy of September 11 are treated with
dignity and equality. 

Thank you for considering my concerns. I look forward to hearing from you
about your efforts to ensure that all surviving victims of the September 11
attacks have equal access to the relief fund.


Sincerely,

Individual Comment
Winchester, MA
 
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Friday, December 14, 2001 3:03 PM
September 11 Funds Dispersal


Special Master Kenneth R. Feinberg
September 11th Victim Compensation Fund
U.S. Department of Justice
950 Pennsylvania Avenue NW
Washington, DC 20530

Dear Mr. Feinberg:

I am writing to urge you to ensure fair treatment for all surviving families of
the tragedy on September 11th, including the children and families of low-wage
workers and gay and lesbian families.

Under traditional rules based on lost wages, the survivors of a bond trader
earning millions of dollars per year might receive thousands of times as much
compensation as the survivors of a dishwasher in one of the restaurants
destroyed.  Justice requires looking far beyond the last paycheck to the
inherent worth of all those killed, so that a high minimum compensation level is
set to lessen the disparities. It would be a double blow to the survivors to
first lose their loved one and then watch as most of the taxpayer money went to
those who were already well off in the first place.

The second major issue has to do with recognizing the legitimacy of gay and
lesbian relationships and families. Gay and lesbian families are especially
vulnerable when one partner is killed. Because the option of marriage is
unavailable, these families may find themselves in the traumatic predicament of
having to prove that their union is legitimate. Fortunately, both the Red Cross
and the State of New York have already announced that they will not discriminate
against gay and lesbian families. The Department of Justice should do the same.

Thank you for taking the time to consider my comments. 

Sincerely,



Individual Comment
Brooklyn, NY



 
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December 14, 2001


Special Master Kenneth R. Feinberg
September 11th Victim Compensation Fund
U.S. Department of Justice
950 Pennsylvania Avenue NW
Washington, DC 20530

To Mr. Feinberg:

I am writing to urge you to ensure fair treatment for all surviving families of the tragedy on September
11th, including the children and families of low-wage workers and gay and lesbian families.  Under
traditional rules based on lost wages, the survivors of a bond trader earning millions of dollars per
year might receive thousands of times as much compensation as the survivors of a dishwasher in one of
the restaurants destroyed. Justice requires looking far beyond the last paycheck to the inherent worth of
all those killed, so that a high minimum compensation level is set to lessen the disparities. It would be a
double blow to the survivors to first lose their loved one and then watch as most of the taxpayer money
went to those who were already well off in the first place.

The second major issue has to do with recognizing the legitimacy of gay and lesbian relationships and 
families. Gay and lesbian families are especially vulnerable when one partner is killed. Because the
option of marriage is unavailable, these families may find themselves in the traumatic predicament of
having to prove that their union is legitimate. Fortunately, both the Red Cross and the State of New
York have already announced that they will not discriminate against gay and lesbian families. The
Department of Justice should do the same.

Thank you for considering my comments. I look forward to hearing how you will act on these very
important issues.

Sincerely,

Individual Comment
San Jose, CA

 
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Wednesday, December 19, 2001 12:17 PM
Crisis Relief for Gays too!


December  19, 2001

Dear Mr. Kenneth Zwick,

I write as a member of Amnesty International, a worldwide human rights
movement committed to ensuring respect for the basic human rights of people
without discrimination, in support of equal access to benefits under the
September 11 Victims Relief Fund for all victims, regardless of sexual
orientation or marital status. As you know, the United States has
committed to uphold international human rights standards, including the
Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the International Covenant on
Civil and Political Rights, which prohibit arbitrary discrimination.
  
As you consider rules for administering the relief fund, I ask that you
apply basic international human rights standards, and the general principle
of equality, by including among relatives eligible for compensation those
who lost their life partners, as well as de facto parents or children,
without regard to sexual orientation or marital status.  The State of New
York has already adopted such a policy, granting compensation benefits "on
a showing of mutual interdependence with the victim, in recognition that
anyone who shared with the victim living expenses, day to day activities
and the emotional bonds of family deserves help in this time of need."

Many lesbian and gay people were killed in the September 11th attacks.
Since then, lesbian and gay surviving partners of those killed have had
mixed results in obtaining equal treatment at the local level in the
distribution of relief funds by private and state agencies.  An inclusive
policy on the part of the federal government would help establish an
important principle for other such funds.  In compensating victims, real
justice will be served only when all families - and all types of families -
impacted by the human rights tragedy of September 11 are treated with
dignity and equality. 

Thank you for considering my concerns. I look forward to hearing from you
about your efforts to ensure that all surviving victims of the September 11
attacks have equal access to the relief fund.


Sincerely,

Individual Comment
Long Beach, CA

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Saturday, March 16, 2002 1:46 PM
Discrimination against Gay Victims of Sept. 11th
 

I am writing to express my dismay over the discriminatory policy of the Sept 11th Victim Fund as regards gay men and women.
The idea that victim families of illegal alliens will receive compensation but that the partners of gay people will not is an outrage. 
 
This is blatant prejudice. I urge the Fund to reconsider this decision and fully support the proposition that all victims and their
families and partners deserve recognition!
 
Your truly,



Individual Comment
Paramus New Jersey
 
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            <description>Whether the contributor holds copyright to this item.</description>
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              <elementText elementTextId="357910">
                <text>yes</text>
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            <description>The source of this item.</description>
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                <text>born-digital</text>
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              <text>

December 14, 2001


Special Master Kenneth R. Feinberg
September 11th Victim Compensation Fund
U.S. Department of Justice
950 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20530

To Mr. Feinberg:

I am writing to urge you to ensure fair treatment for all surviving families of the tragedy on September 11th, 
including the children and families of low-wage workers and gay and lesbian families.

Under traditional rules based on lost wages, the survivors of a bond trader earning millions of dollars per
year might receive thousands of times as much compensation as the survivors of a dishwasher in one of the
restaurants destroyed. Justice requires looking far beyond the last paycheck to the inherent worth of all
those killed, so that a high minimum compensation level is set to lessen the disparities. It would be a double
blow to the survivors to first lose their loved one and then watch as most of the taxpayer money went to those
who were already well off in the first place.

The second major issue has to do with recognizing the legitimacy of gay and lesbian relationships and 
families. Gay and lesbian families are especially vulnerable when one partner is killed. Because the option of
marriage is unavailable, these families may find themselves in the traumatic predicament of having to prove
that their union is legitimate. Fortunately both the Red Cross and the State of New York have already 
announced that they will not discriminate against gay and lesbian families. The Department of Justice should
do the same.

Thank you for considering my comments. I look forward to hearing how you will act on these very important 
issues.

Sincerely,
 
Individual Comment 
Royal Oak, MI 


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Kenneth L. Zwick
Director, Office of Management Programs
Civil Division, US Dept of Justice Main Building
Room 3140
950 Pennsylvania Avenue  NW
Washington, DC   20530

March 20, 2002

Mr. Zwick,

We are writing to tell you how shocked we were to hear that you will not be compensating the gay  and lesbian victims of 9/11.  It is our understanding that no payments are being made to gay and lesbian partners and family members if there is no state law to sanction a payment.  We made contributions at our Church to 9/11 funds and it was not just for some of the victims.  Your discrimination hiding behind the shortcomings of state laws goes against the equality the United States Constitution strives to bring all its citizens.  Granting compensation to illegal aliens and their families who were victimized in the attacks
is right and just.  The fact that you are willing to overlook federal laws while helping aliens runs counter to your standing on state law to avoid paying a select group.

Out of a sense of compassion and patriotism, we hope you will look at your current policy and correct the inequality that exists.

Individual Comment
Merrick NY
 
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Monday, November 26, 2001 2:55 PM

Attorney General John Ashcroft






Dear Attorney General Ashcroft,



The deaths on September 11th were the result of an attack on America.
Please do not discriminate against the unmarried partners of September
11th
victims.  All unmarried partners, gay or straight, young and old and
their
dependents should be eligible for compensation.



Individual Comment




 
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              <text>

Wednesday, December 19, 2001 11:33 AM

Equality for Survivors


December  19, 2001

Dear Mr. Kenneth Zwick,

I write as a member of Amnesty International, a worldwide human rights
movement committed to ensuring respect for the basic human rights of people
without discrimination, in support of equal access to benefits under the
September 11 Victims Relief Fund for all victims, regardless of sexual
orientation or marital status. As you know, the United States has
committed to uphold international human rights standards, including the
Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the International Covenant on
Civil and Political Rights, which prohibit arbitrary discrimination.
  
As you consider rules for administering the relief fund, I ask that you
apply basic international human rights standards, and the general principle
of equality, by including among relatives eligible for compensation those
who lost their life partners, as well as de facto parents or children,
without regard to sexual orientation or marital status.  The State of New
York has already adopted such a policy, granting compensation benefits "on
a showing of mutual interdependence with the victim, in recognition that
anyone who shared with the victim living expenses, day to day activities
and the emotional bonds of family deserves help in this time of need."
v
Many lesbian and gay people were killed in the September 11th attacks.
Since then, lesbian and gay surviving partners of those killed have had
mixed results in obtaining equal treatment at the local level in the
distribution of relief funds by private and state agencies.  An inclusive
policy on the part of the federal government would help establish an
important principle for other such funds.  In compensating victims, real
justice will be served only when all families - and all types of families -
impacted by the human rights tragedy of September 11 are treated with
dignity and equality. 

Thank you for considering my concerns. I look forward to hearing from you
about your efforts to ensure that all surviving victims of the September 11
attacks have equal access to the relief fund.


Sincerely,


Individual Comment

Frankfort, KY




 
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              <text>

December 13, 2001


Special Master Kenneth R. Feinberg
September 11th Victim Compensation Fund
U.S. Department of Justice
950 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20530

To Mr. Feinberg:

I am writing to urge you to ensure fair treatment for all surviving families of the tragedy on
September 11th, including the children and families of low-wage workers and gay and lesbian
families.

Under traditional rules based on lost wages, the survivors of a bond trader earning millions of
dollars per year might receive thousands of times as much compensation as the survivors of a
dishwasher in one of the restaurants destroyed. Justice requires looking far beyond the last
paycheck to the inherent worth of all those killed, so that a high minimum compensation level is
set to lessen the disparities. It would be a double blow to the survivors to first lose their loved
one and then watch as most of the taxpayer money went to those who were already well off in the
first place.

The second major issue has to do with recognizing the legitimacy of gay and lesbian relationships
and families. Gay and lesbian families are especially vulnerable when one partner is killed.
Because the option of marriage is unavailable, these families may find themselves in the
traumatic predicament of having to prove that their union is legitimate. Fortunately, both the Red
Cross and the State of New York have already  announced that they will not discriminate against
gay and lesbian families. The Department of Justice should do the same.

Thank you for considering my comments. I look forward to hearing how you will act on these
very important issues.

Sincerely,
     
Individual Comment
Dallas, TX 

 
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Monday, March 18, 2002 6:10 PM
The Victim Compensation Fund: un-American.

To whom it may concern,

I supposed that since I am a gay male this email will not be read and 
responded to or that any action will be taken based on my comments. But 
since I did still wake up in the United States this morning I feel I must 
comment on the recent information I received regarding the 9/11 Victims 
Compensation Fund.

I will quote from just about every gay American I have spoken to in the 
last couple of days:
"I am outraged that gay and lesbian partners of those who died on September 
11 are not automatically going to receive the same benefits as heterosexual 
spouses."

Why?

Why doesn't this country consider the deaths of             ,             ,              and so many others as valid as those of married heterosexual couples. Was there some Capital Hill memo advising all political figures that Gay people don't hurt, that gay people don't cry and suffer loss?  Why shouldn't the partners of committed gay relationships 
qualify for assistance.

To quote from an email I received:

If September 11 has taught us anything, it's that our
patriotism and love of country transcend our differences and
unite us all. We were told that September 11 was the day
that "hyphenated-Americans" were no more, and rather than
being Italian-Americans, African-Americans or gay-Americans,
we were now simply Americans, all of us together as one
American family. Apparently, that family just got a divorce.

  The hyphens seem not to matter when our government wants to
  use our heroism to inspire others, but when it comes time to
  actually aid the families of those heroes, the hyphens come
  back with a vengeance, and it seems that some American heroes
  are now more equal than others.

Please remember that the surviving mates to these gay couples suffer 
(emotionally and economically) as much as any heterosexual partner does. 
Please remember that gay people happily pay tax's and donate to charities 
and support this country as much as any heterosexual. Please remember that 
straight or gay... our blood is as red as any other American. If you doubt 
this please visit the 9/11 site and see if you can tell the difference in 
the blood spots on the floor.

I am betting you won't be able to...

Thank you,

Individual Comment

 
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Saturday, December 29, 2001 11:24 PM
Protect Traditional Marriage


Mr.
Kenneth Zwick
Office
of Management Programs
Department
of Justice
Washington,
DC
Dear
Mr. Zwick:
 
I
want to express my opposition to any effort by the federal government to provide
9-11 victim compensation funds to "domestic partners" of unmarried
survivors of the terrorist attack upon our nation. 
Funds
disbursed through the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund of 2001 should
only go to the surviving family members of those who died on 9-11. Funds must go
to the widows, widowers, orphans, and other blood-related or adopted members of
the family--not to unmarried sexual partners of those who died. 
To
provide funds to "domestic partners" is to undermine the traditional
definition of marriage and family to include any number of sexual liaisons
between same-sex or opposite-sex unmarried couples. Many homosexuals and
swinging heterosexuals, for example, engage in sex with multiple partners. Do we
provide funds to each of the sexual partners? Where do we draw the line on how
many "domestic partners" a person may have? Homosexual
activists are exploiting the 9-11 tragedy by asking the federal government to
redefine what constitutes a legitimate "family" under the law. In
fact, homosexual activist                , writing in Out magazine
has openly called for the subversion of the concept of marriage between a man
and a woman. He has urged homosexuals to fight for the legalization of
homosexual marriages and once legalized to "redefine the institution of
marriage completely . . . . to debunk a myth and radically alter an archaic
institution. . . . The most subversive action lesbians and gays can under
take--and one that would perhaps benefit all of society--is to transform the
notion of 'family' entirely."
If
the DOJ provides funds to "domestic partners," it will be helping
                accomplish his goal: That of redefining marriage and altering what he
calls an "archaic institution." 
We
also oppose September 11th Funds going to the estates of the deceased instead of
to their surviving family members. No one can know for certain where these funds
will end up if they are deposited in the estate of a person who has died. The
person may have willed his estate to a terrorist, racial hate group, or even to
an organization like the North American Man-Boy Love Association. No one will
know unless each person's will is examined by a DOJ lawyer. 
The
money should go to the surviving family members of the deceased, not to the
estate or to the surviving "domestic partner." 
 
Individual Comment
Fredonia, AZ 





 
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            <description>Whether the contributor holds copyright to this item.</description>
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                <text>yes</text>
              </elementText>
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            <description>The source of this item.</description>
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            <name>Media Type</name>
            <description>The media type of this item.</description>
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            <description>Whether the author created this item.</description>
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              </elementText>
            </elementTextContainer>
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            <name>Described by Author</name>
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              <elementText elementTextId="357830">
                <text>no</text>
              </elementText>
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              <text>
Tuesday, December 04, 2001 7:28 PM
Compensate all victims of Sep.11 tragedy

Dear Mr. Zwick:

I am writing in response to the Department's request for public
comments regarding the forthcoming regulations for implementing
and administering the "September 11 Victim Compensation Fund." 
I strongly urge the Department to draft regulations that ensure
compensation is available to all victims of the attack,
including the committed partners and the non-biological children
of gay and lesbian victims.

It is unquestionable that the devastating grief and economic
losses suffered by the families of gay and lesbian victims are
no less than that of other families.  Just as the terrorists
drew no lines in choosing their victims, our country must draw
no lines in compensating those who suffered the most personal of
losses from these horrific attacks.

Many Americans lost their lives on September 11, each of whom
left behind loved ones.  I urge the Department to honor these
bonds by treating the families of gay and lesbian victims as you
would any other.

Sincerely,

Individual Comment
Charlottesville, VA


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            <description>Whether the contributor holds copyright to this item.</description>
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              </elementText>
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      <name>September 11 Email</name>
      <description/>
      <elementContainer>
        <element elementId="65">
          <name>September 11 Email: Body</name>
          <description>The basic content, as unstructured text; sometimes containing a signature block at the end.</description>
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            <elementText elementTextId="357796">
              <text>
December 13, 2001


Special Master Kenneth R. Feinberg
September 11th Victim Compensation Fund
U.S. Department of Justice
950 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20530

To Mr. Feinberg:

I am writing to urge you to ensure fair treatment for all surviving families of the tragedy on
September 11th, including the children and families of low-wage workers and gay and lesbian
families.

Under traditional rules based on lost wages, the survivors of a bond trader earning millions of
dollars per year might receive thousands of times as much compensation as the survivors of a
dishwasher in one of the restaurants destroyed. Justice requires looking far beyond the last
paycheck to the inherent worth of all those killed, so that a high minimum compensation level is
set to lessen the disparities. It would be a double blow to the survivors to first lose their loved
one and then watch as most of the taxpayer money went to those who were already well off in the
first place.

The second major issue has to do with recognizing the legitimacy of gay and lesbian relationships
and families. Gay and lesbian families are especially vulnerable when one partner is killed.
Because the option of marriage is unavailable, these families may find themselves in the
traumatic predicament of having to prove that their union is legitimate. Fortunately, both the Red
Cross and the State of New York have already  announced that they will not discriminate against
gay and lesbian families. The Department of Justice should do the same.

Thank you for considering my comments. I look forward to hearing how you will act on these
very important issues.

Sincerely,

Individual Comment
Montclair, NJ

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          <name>September 11 Email: Date</name>
          <description>The local time and date when the message was written.</description>
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            <elementText elementTextId="357797">
              <text>2001-12-13</text>
            </elementText>
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      <elementSet elementSetId="1">
        <name>Dublin Core</name>
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          <element elementId="50">
            <name>Title</name>
            <description>A name given to the resource</description>
            <elementTextContainer>
              <elementText elementTextId="357798">
                <text>dojA002590.xml</text>
              </elementText>
            </elementTextContainer>
          </element>
        </elementContainer>
      </elementSet>
      <elementSet elementSetId="4">
        <name>911DA Item</name>
        <description>Elements describing a September 11 Digital Archive item.</description>
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          <element elementId="52">
            <name>Status</name>
            <description>The process status of this item.</description>
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              <elementText elementTextId="357799">
                <text>approved</text>
              </elementText>
            </elementTextContainer>
          </element>
          <element elementId="53">
            <name>Consent</name>
            <description>Whether September 11 Digital Archive has permission to possess this item.</description>
            <elementTextContainer>
              <elementText elementTextId="357800">
                <text>full</text>
              </elementText>
            </elementTextContainer>
          </element>
          <element elementId="54">
            <name>Posting</name>
            <description>Whether the contributor gave permission to post this item.</description>
            <elementTextContainer>
              <elementText elementTextId="357801">
                <text>yes</text>
              </elementText>
            </elementTextContainer>
          </element>
          <element elementId="55">
            <name>Copyright</name>
            <description>Whether the contributor holds copyright to this item.</description>
            <elementTextContainer>
              <elementText elementTextId="357802">
                <text>yes</text>
              </elementText>
            </elementTextContainer>
          </element>
          <element elementId="56">
            <name>Source</name>
            <description>The source of this item.</description>
            <elementTextContainer>
              <elementText elementTextId="357803">
                <text>born-digital</text>
              </elementText>
            </elementTextContainer>
          </element>
          <element elementId="57">
            <name>Media Type</name>
            <description>The media type of this item.</description>
            <elementTextContainer>
              <elementText elementTextId="357804">
                <text>email</text>
              </elementText>
            </elementTextContainer>
          </element>
          <element elementId="59">
            <name>Created by Author</name>
            <description>Whether the author created this item.</description>
            <elementTextContainer>
              <elementText elementTextId="357805">
                <text>yes</text>
              </elementText>
            </elementTextContainer>
          </element>
          <element elementId="60">
            <name>Described by Author</name>
            <description>Whether the description of this item was submitted by the author.</description>
            <elementTextContainer>
              <elementText elementTextId="357806">
                <text>no</text>
              </elementText>
            </elementTextContainer>
          </element>
          <element elementId="61">
            <name>Date Entered</name>
            <description>The date this item was entered into the archive.</description>
            <elementTextContainer>
              <elementText elementTextId="357807">
                <text>2001-12-13</text>
              </elementText>
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