621 20 70359 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Department of Justice Emails Description An account of the resource The Department of Justice received more than 11,000 e-mails in response to the agency's public solicitation for comments upon its plans to distribute the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund of 2001 established by Congress to benefit the victims of September 11 and their families. These e-mails have been organized here by date. September 11 Email September 11 Email: Body The basic content, as unstructured text; sometimes containing a signature block at the end. December 16, 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 Athens,GA September 11 Email: Date The local time and date when the message was written. 2001-12-16 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource dojA005350.xml 911DA Item Elements describing a September 11 Digital Archive item. Status The process status of this item. approved Consent Whether September 11 Digital Archive has permission to possess this item. full Posting Whether the contributor gave permission to post this item. yes Copyright Whether the contributor holds copyright to this item. yes Source The source of this item. born-digital Media Type The media type of this item. email Created by Author Whether the author created this item. yes Described by Author Whether the description of this item was submitted by the author. no Date Entered The date this item was entered into the archive. 2001-12-16 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Department of Justice Emails Description An account of the resource The Department of Justice received more than 11,000 e-mails in response to the agency's public solicitation for comments upon its plans to distribute the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund of 2001 established by Congress to benefit the victims of September 11 and their families. These e-mails have been organized here by date. September 11 Email September 11 Email: Body The basic content, as unstructured text; sometimes containing a signature block at the end. Saturday, December 29, 2001 4:09 PM Your attention please. December 29, 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 Cincinnati, OH September 11 Email: Date The local time and date when the message was written. 2001-12-29 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource dojN001204.xml 911DA Item Elements describing a September 11 Digital Archive item. Status The process status of this item. approved Consent Whether September 11 Digital Archive has permission to possess this item. full Posting Whether the contributor gave permission to post this item. yes Copyright Whether the contributor holds copyright to this item. yes Source The source of this item. born-digital Media Type The media type of this item. email Created by Author Whether the author created this item. yes Described by Author Whether the description of this item was submitted by the author. no Date Entered The date this item was entered into the archive. 2001-12-29 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Department of Justice Emails Description An account of the resource The Department of Justice received more than 11,000 e-mails in response to the agency's public solicitation for comments upon its plans to distribute the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund of 2001 established by Congress to benefit the victims of September 11 and their families. These e-mails have been organized here by date. September 11 Email September 11 Email: Body The basic content, as unstructured text; sometimes containing a signature block at the end. Tuesday, December 04, 2001 9:18 PM September 11 Victim Compensation Fund 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 youwould any other. Sincerely, Individual Comment Arlington, VA September 11 Email: Date The local time and date when the message was written. 2001-12-04 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource dojA000582.xml 911DA Item Elements describing a September 11 Digital Archive item. Status The process status of this item. approved Consent Whether September 11 Digital Archive has permission to possess this item. full Posting Whether the contributor gave permission to post this item. yes Copyright Whether the contributor holds copyright to this item. yes Source The source of this item. born-digital Media Type The media type of this item. email Created by Author Whether the author created this item. yes Described by Author Whether the description of this item was submitted by the author. no Date Entered The date this item was entered into the archive. 2001-12-04 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Department of Justice Emails Description An account of the resource The Department of Justice received more than 11,000 e-mails in response to the agency's public solicitation for comments upon its plans to distribute the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund of 2001 established by Congress to benefit the victims of September 11 and their families. These e-mails have been organized here by date. September 11 Email September 11 Email: Body The basic content, as unstructured text; sometimes containing a signature block at the end. Dept. of Justice Victim Comp. Fund Notice of Inquiry Response VIA E-MAIL & TELEFAX & HARDCOPY November 26, 2001 Kenneth L. Zwick, Director Office of Management Programs Civil Division United States Department of Justice Main Building Room 3140 950 Pennsylvania Avenue NW Washington, District of Columbia 20530 Re: September 11th Victim Compensation Fund RIN: 1105-AA79 Structured Settlement Annuities Dear Sir: The following discussion is submitted as "Comments" pursuant to the Department's Notice of Inquiry and Advance Notice of Rulemaking published on November 5, 2001 regarding the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund (the "Fund"). These Comments are provided on behalf of John Hancock Life Insurance Company, of which I am a Vice President with responsibilities for certain annuity product lines. These include the Company's annuity products customarily used to fund structured settlements. We believe that it is highly desirable to permit the Fund to offer benefits in the form of periodic payments, and to have the government provide for those payments through the purchase of annuities from life insurance companies. Although our Comments may be considered as responding to "Topic #6" as they certainly relate to the "Nature and Amount of Compensation", providing for appropriately funded structured settlements should also be considered a general comment on the administration of the Fund. Many of the claimants seeking compensation from the Fund will be the dependents of those individuals who died on September 11th. These people will need the benefits from their claims for many years to come. Parents of young children, the children themselves, the elderly who lost working adult children -- all of these people will be relying on the payments from the Fund to replace the financial support of those loved ones who died. Unfortunately, the experience is that individuals who receive cash settlements have had the misfortune of watching the money dissipate due to poor judgment, bad advice, expensive hobbies, needy family and friends or just plain bad luck. Historically, a vast majority of all large settlements for personal physical injury damages are gone after five short years. In many cases, with their means of support gone, these individuals must then rely on public assistance. Structured settlements, backed with annuities issued by financially sound life insurance companies are designed to assure that the money is there when it is needed. Periodic payments cannot be easily assigned or advanced by financially unsophisticated beneficiaries. Payment schedules can be set to provide larger sums when timely (e.g. for college tuition) and the cost to the purchaser comes at a discounted value when the settlement is funded. Moreover, we believe that the purchaser, in the instant case the United States government, will have the lowest cost, and the payments will be most secure when the structured settlements are funded through competitive bidding among life insurance companies meeting the highest financial standards. In the present situation, there will be thousands of children as beneficiaries of the Fund and the deferral of a portion of their benefits will be desirable. There is ample precedent for the use of structured settlement annuities in programs not dissimilar from the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund. Such annuities are routinely utilized by the Department's administration of the National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program. It is not yet known whether the procedures established by the Department will require the application of any part of the various state Payment to Minors Acts. However, it should be noted that many of these statutes specifically authorize the use of structured settlement annuities from approved insurance companies [see New York Civil Practice Law and Rules Article 12, Section 1206(c)]. The John Hancocok Life Insurance Company, has been issuing annuities for over 60 years and is a provider of structured settlement annuities. The Company is pleased to offer the expertise and experience of its staff in aiding the Department in establishing the procedures for the Fund, either directly or by participation with other members of the insurance industry. We thank you for your attention to our discussion above. All acknowledgments and inquiries regarding our comments should be directed to at . Comments by John Hancock Life Insurance Company September 11 Email: Date The local time and date when the message was written. 2001-11-26 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource dojW000759.xml 911DA Item Elements describing a September 11 Digital Archive item. Status The process status of this item. approved Consent Whether September 11 Digital Archive has permission to possess this item. full Posting Whether the contributor gave permission to post this item. yes Copyright Whether the contributor holds copyright to this item. yes Source The source of this item. born-digital Media Type The media type of this item. email Created by Author Whether the author created this item. yes Described by Author Whether the description of this item was submitted by the author. no Date Entered The date this item was entered into the archive. 2001-11-26 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Department of Justice Emails Description An account of the resource The Department of Justice received more than 11,000 e-mails in response to the agency's public solicitation for comments upon its plans to distribute the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund of 2001 established by Congress to benefit the victims of September 11 and their families. These e-mails have been organized here by date. September 11 Email September 11 Email: Body The basic content, as unstructured text; sometimes containing a signature block at the end. Friday, March 22, 2002 6:28 AM 9-11 compensation To Whom it may concern: When I donated to charities numerous times to the victims of 9/11 I intended for my money to go to ALL the victims...this included the gay & lesbian victims. How can you justify compensation to illegal aliens & NOT our gay & lesbian citizens? They took the loss as well & need to be compensated not just who you pick & chose. Thank you, Individual Comment Akron, PA September 11 Email: Date The local time and date when the message was written. 2002-03-22 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource dojR002623.xml 911DA Item Elements describing a September 11 Digital Archive item. Status The process status of this item. approved Consent Whether September 11 Digital Archive has permission to possess this item. full Posting Whether the contributor gave permission to post this item. yes Copyright Whether the contributor holds copyright to this item. yes Source The source of this item. born-digital Media Type The media type of this item. email Created by Author Whether the author created this item. yes Described by Author Whether the description of this item was submitted by the author. no Date Entered The date this item was entered into the archive. 2002-03-22 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Department of Justice Emails Description An account of the resource The Department of Justice received more than 11,000 e-mails in response to the agency's public solicitation for comments upon its plans to distribute the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund of 2001 established by Congress to benefit the victims of September 11 and their families. These e-mails have been organized here by date. September 11 Email September 11 Email: Body The basic content, as unstructured text; sometimes containing a signature block at the end. Wednesday, December 19, 2001 1:59 PM 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 Claremont, CA September 11 Email: Date The local time and date when the message was written. 2001-12-19 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource dojA003358.xml 911DA Item Elements describing a September 11 Digital Archive item. Status The process status of this item. approved Consent Whether September 11 Digital Archive has permission to possess this item. full Posting Whether the contributor gave permission to post this item. yes Copyright Whether the contributor holds copyright to this item. yes Source The source of this item. born-digital Media Type The media type of this item. email Created by Author Whether the author created this item. yes Described by Author Whether the description of this item was submitted by the author. no Date Entered The date this item was entered into the archive. 2001-12-19 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Department of Justice Emails Description An account of the resource The Department of Justice received more than 11,000 e-mails in response to the agency's public solicitation for comments upon its plans to distribute the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund of 2001 established by Congress to benefit the victims of September 11 and their families. These e-mails have been organized here by date. September 11 Email September 11 Email: Body The basic content, as unstructured text; sometimes containing a signature block at the end. 9 January 2002 To our Elected Officials: In the immediate aftermath of the tragic attack of September 11th upon our nation, Congress enacted the Victims' Compensation Fund of 2001 P.L. 107-42, to compensate the relatives of the victims of that brutal attack. As you know, this Fund was enacted as part of a comprehensive package which bailed out the airline industry and imposed restrictions on the rights of the victims' relatives to sue the airlines in court. We implore upon you, as our elected officials, to demand changes to the interim rules issued by Kenneth Feinberg, the Special Master. As it stands, Mr. Feinberg's self-imposed rules fail to satisfy the letter or the spirit of the legislation which was enacted. Specifically, we request that you act on our behalf and demand the following changes to the interim rules: 1. The arbitrary income limits imposed by the Special Master are not only unfair but also inconsistent with the letter and the spirit of the law. Those victims from the financial industry are specifically harmed by this limit. They were targeted and murdered precisely because of the jobs they held, and where they worked - the World Trade Center, the Financial capital of the world, the embodiment of financial success. Those who achieved such success should see that reflected in their awards. They personified American Business and commerce, democracy and freedom. We ask that you demand that Mr. Feinberg lift the arbitrary income limits so that each family can be treated fairly, commensurate with the support they provided their families before their death. 2. Mr. Feinberg has arbitrarily restricted the non-economic awards for pain and suffering, no matter what the extent of the pain and suffering. This is unacceptable. In the words of Rep. Peter King, "...every death is tragic. A murder is particularly tragic. But to have your loved one murdered in a burning building in full view of the world - in a scene which will be repeated in the media for decades to come - is a horror these families will never escape from.... The Special Master cannot take it upon himself to restrict the rights of the families." Therefore, we request that the interim rules be amended to more appropriately compensate the victims' families for the immeasurable pain and suffering endured by our loved ones. As Mayor Giuliani stated in his farewell address: "we have an obligation to the people who did die... Their families need to be protected just as if they had been alive, financially and every other way that we can help and assist their families.... There should be no compromise about that ever...." We request that the interim rules be amended and redefined to the extent that income caps be removed when computing economic loss and that compensation for pain and suffering more accurately reflect that horror which was suffered. Justice demands no loss. Sincerely, Individual Comment Yonkers, NY September 11 Email: Date The local time and date when the message was written. 2002-01-30 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource dojN002412.xml 911DA Item Elements describing a September 11 Digital Archive item. Status The process status of this item. approved Consent Whether September 11 Digital Archive has permission to possess this item. full Posting Whether the contributor gave permission to post this item. yes Copyright Whether the contributor holds copyright to this item. yes Source The source of this item. born-digital Media Type The media type of this item. email Created by Author Whether the author created this item. yes Described by Author Whether the description of this item was submitted by the author. no Date Entered The date this item was entered into the archive. 2002-01-30 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Department of Justice Emails Description An account of the resource The Department of Justice received more than 11,000 e-mails in response to the agency's public solicitation for comments upon its plans to distribute the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund of 2001 established by Congress to benefit the victims of September 11 and their families. These e-mails have been organized here by date. September 11 Email September 11 Email: Body The basic content, as unstructured text; sometimes containing a signature block at the end. Tuesday, March 19, 2002 4:08 PM Unqualified American patriots. I have repeatedly sought assurances that my contributions to the Sept. 11 Fund would be used equitably. I am furious to find out that survivor's of gay partners will not receive benefits like unborn babies or illegal immigrants. The marketing of the "heroes" is disgusting. Those who fit the All American Apple Pie image are the only ones who seem to have left loved ones behind! Individual Comment Chicago Illinois September 11 Email: Date The local time and date when the message was written. 2002-03-19 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource dojR002221.xml 911DA Item Elements describing a September 11 Digital Archive item. Status The process status of this item. approved Consent Whether September 11 Digital Archive has permission to possess this item. full Posting Whether the contributor gave permission to post this item. yes Copyright Whether the contributor holds copyright to this item. yes Source The source of this item. born-digital Media Type The media type of this item. email Created by Author Whether the author created this item. yes Described by Author Whether the description of this item was submitted by the author. no Date Entered The date this item was entered into the archive. 2002-03-19 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Department of Justice Emails Description An account of the resource The Department of Justice received more than 11,000 e-mails in response to the agency's public solicitation for comments upon its plans to distribute the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund of 2001 established by Congress to benefit the victims of September 11 and their families. These e-mails have been organized here by date. September 11 Email September 11 Email: Body The basic content, as unstructured text; sometimes containing a signature block at the end. Friday, December 21, 2001 12:59 PM Help same sex partners of terrorist victims Dear Mr. Zwick: The very humane Fund for relatives of victims of the September 11 terrorist attacks must include all relatives of all the victims. This importantly should include the partners and children of same sex unions. They suffer just as grievously for their deceased loved ones as do other survivors, and their need for assistance is just as great. Please do not give in to the importuning of callous homophobic groups and individuals who would have the Department of Justice limit compensation to survivors of heterosexual unions. They are interested in a political victory, not humane assistance. This Fund is intended for humane purposes; it is not a political statement, Mr. Zwick. Sincerely, Individual Comment Concord NH September 11 Email: Date The local time and date when the message was written. 2001-12-21 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource dojN000484.xml 911DA Item Elements describing a September 11 Digital Archive item. Status The process status of this item. approved Consent Whether September 11 Digital Archive has permission to possess this item. full Posting Whether the contributor gave permission to post this item. yes Copyright Whether the contributor holds copyright to this item. yes Source The source of this item. born-digital Media Type The media type of this item. email Created by Author Whether the author created this item. yes Described by Author Whether the description of this item was submitted by the author. no Date Entered The date this item was entered into the archive. 2001-12-21 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Department of Justice Emails Description An account of the resource The Department of Justice received more than 11,000 e-mails in response to the agency's public solicitation for comments upon its plans to distribute the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund of 2001 established by Congress to benefit the victims of September 11 and their families. These e-mails have been organized here by date. September 11 Email September 11 Email: Body The basic content, as unstructured text; sometimes containing a signature block at the end. Wednesday, December 19, 2001 12:02 AM Setember 11 Victim Compensation Fund Kenneth L.. Zwick, Director Office of Management Programs, Civil Division US. Department of Justice 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 Seattle, WA September 11 Email: Date The local time and date when the message was written. 2001-12-19 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource dojA002567.xml 911DA Item Elements describing a September 11 Digital Archive item. Status The process status of this item. approved Consent Whether September 11 Digital Archive has permission to possess this item. full Posting Whether the contributor gave permission to post this item. yes Copyright Whether the contributor holds copyright to this item. yes Source The source of this item. born-digital Media Type The media type of this item. email Created by Author Whether the author created this item. yes Described by Author Whether the description of this item was submitted by the author. no Date Entered The date this item was entered into the archive. 2001-12-19 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Department of Justice Emails Description An account of the resource The Department of Justice received more than 11,000 e-mails in response to the agency's public solicitation for comments upon its plans to distribute the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund of 2001 established by Congress to benefit the victims of September 11 and their families. These e-mails have been organized here by date. September 11 Email September 11 Email: Body The basic content, as unstructured text; sometimes containing a signature block at the end. Wednesday, January 23, 2002 9:27 PM same sex partners Please insure that the language of the final qualification statement clearly allows compensation to the same-sex partners who lost their partners. Inasmuch as most state laws do not recognize same sex relationships in matters of inheritance, retirement benefits, etc., the proposed language which leaves the matter to state law, is not sufficient. All Americans who lost their loved ones in the tragic events of September 11 deserve to be compensated equally. Thank you for your consideration. Individual Comment September 11 Email: Date The local time and date when the message was written. 2002-01-23 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource dojP000038.xml 911DA Item Elements describing a September 11 Digital Archive item. Status The process status of this item. approved Consent Whether September 11 Digital Archive has permission to possess this item. full Posting Whether the contributor gave permission to post this item. yes Copyright Whether the contributor holds copyright to this item. yes Source The source of this item. born-digital Media Type The media type of this item. email Created by Author Whether the author created this item. yes Described by Author Whether the description of this item was submitted by the author. no Date Entered The date this item was entered into the archive. 2002-01-23 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Department of Justice Emails Description An account of the resource The Department of Justice received more than 11,000 e-mails in response to the agency's public solicitation for comments upon its plans to distribute the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund of 2001 established by Congress to benefit the victims of September 11 and their families. These e-mails have been organized here by date. September 11 Email September 11 Email: Body The basic content, as unstructured text; sometimes containing a signature block at the end. Wednesday, November 28, 2001 2:21 PM SEPT 11TH VICTIM COMPENSATION FUND Dear Kenneth L. Zwick, I have been informed that the "September 11 Victim Compensation Fund" well not include compensation those who lost their life partners or de facto parents or children in the sad events of Sep. 11th due to their sexual orientation or marital status. I see this as a true slap in the face of all people not just the Americas.Need i remind you this contry was founded for EQUAL rights to all not just a few who fit into the "mainstream" of the world.Those who lost their life partners or de facto parents or children in the attacks are just as intitled to compensation as anyone else no matter how you may feel about the subject.If you do not include these people then you are making a very bold statement to the Amreica People and the world of just what you think of GLBT peoples and other groups and just how narrow minded the government can be.I ugre you not to make yourselfs look any worst now in these times when we need to be as one not fighting over so called religious morals and personal issues with anyone differrent. I now would like to thank you for your time in reading this.I feel very strongly about this matter and as i said i ugre you to do the right thing. Individual Comment Lake Butler,FL September 11 Email: Date The local time and date when the message was written. 2001-11-28 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource dojA000101.xml 911DA Item Elements describing a September 11 Digital Archive item. Status The process status of this item. approved Consent Whether September 11 Digital Archive has permission to possess this item. full Posting Whether the contributor gave permission to post this item. yes Copyright Whether the contributor holds copyright to this item. yes Source The source of this item. born-digital Media Type The media type of this item. email Created by Author Whether the author created this item. yes Described by Author Whether the description of this item was submitted by the author. no Date Entered The date this item was entered into the archive. 2001-11-28 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Department of Justice Emails Description An account of the resource The Department of Justice received more than 11,000 e-mails in response to the agency's public solicitation for comments upon its plans to distribute the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund of 2001 established by Congress to benefit the victims of September 11 and their families. These e-mails have been organized here by date. September 11 Email September 11 Email: Body The basic content, as unstructured text; sometimes containing a signature block at the end. 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 Delta, CO September 11 Email: Date The local time and date when the message was written. 2001-12-14 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource dojA004796.xml 911DA Item Elements describing a September 11 Digital Archive item. Status The process status of this item. approved Consent Whether September 11 Digital Archive has permission to possess this item. full Posting Whether the contributor gave permission to post this item. yes Copyright Whether the contributor holds copyright to this item. yes Source The source of this item. born-digital Media Type The media type of this item. email Created by Author Whether the author created this item. yes Described by Author Whether the description of this item was submitted by the author. no Date Entered The date this item was entered into the archive. 2001-12-14 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Department of Justice Emails Description An account of the resource The Department of Justice received more than 11,000 e-mails in response to the agency's public solicitation for comments upon its plans to distribute the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund of 2001 established by Congress to benefit the victims of September 11 and their families. These e-mails have been organized here by date. September 11 Email September 11 Email: Body The basic content, as unstructured text; sometimes containing a signature block at the end. Tuesday, December 04, 2001 4:10 PM Gay and Lesbian victims Dear Mr. Zwick: I am writing in response to the Department's request for public comments regarding the forthcoming regulations for implementing and admisitering 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 non-biological children of gay and lesbian victims. Sincerely, Individual Comment September 11 Email: Date The local time and date when the message was written. 2001-12-04 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource dojA000345.xml 911DA Item Elements describing a September 11 Digital Archive item. Status The process status of this item. approved Consent Whether September 11 Digital Archive has permission to possess this item. full Posting Whether the contributor gave permission to post this item. yes Copyright Whether the contributor holds copyright to this item. yes Source The source of this item. born-digital Media Type The media type of this item. email Created by Author Whether the author created this item. yes Described by Author Whether the description of this item was submitted by the author. no Date Entered The date this item was entered into the archive. 2001-12-04 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Department of Justice Emails Description An account of the resource The Department of Justice received more than 11,000 e-mails in response to the agency's public solicitation for comments upon its plans to distribute the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund of 2001 established by Congress to benefit the victims of September 11 and their families. These e-mails have been organized here by date. September 11 Email September 11 Email: Body The basic content, as unstructured text; sometimes containing a signature block at the end. Saturday, December 08, 2001 7:21 PM September 11 Victim Compensation Fund 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 San Francisco, CA September 11 Email: Date The local time and date when the message was written. 2001-12-08 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource dojA001351.xml 911DA Item Elements describing a September 11 Digital Archive item. Status The process status of this item. approved Consent Whether September 11 Digital Archive has permission to possess this item. full Posting Whether the contributor gave permission to post this item. yes Copyright Whether the contributor holds copyright to this item. yes Source The source of this item. born-digital Media Type The media type of this item. email Created by Author Whether the author created this item. yes Described by Author Whether the description of this item was submitted by the author. no Date Entered The date this item was entered into the archive. 2001-12-08 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Department of Justice Emails Description An account of the resource The Department of Justice received more than 11,000 e-mails in response to the agency's public solicitation for comments upon its plans to distribute the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund of 2001 established by Congress to benefit the victims of September 11 and their families. These e-mails have been organized here by date. September 11 Email September 11 Email: Body The basic content, as unstructured text; sometimes containing a signature block at the end. Monday, November 26, 2001 3:23 PM Justice Department's September 11th Victim Compensation Fund 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 Los Angeles, CA September 11 Email: Date The local time and date when the message was written. 2001-11-26 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource dojW000618.xml 911DA Item Elements describing a September 11 Digital Archive item. Status The process status of this item. approved Consent Whether September 11 Digital Archive has permission to possess this item. full Posting Whether the contributor gave permission to post this item. yes Copyright Whether the contributor holds copyright to this item. yes Source The source of this item. born-digital Media Type The media type of this item. email Created by Author Whether the author created this item. yes Described by Author Whether the description of this item was submitted by the author. no Date Entered The date this item was entered into the archive. 2001-11-26 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Department of Justice Emails Description An account of the resource The Department of Justice received more than 11,000 e-mails in response to the agency's public solicitation for comments upon its plans to distribute the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund of 2001 established by Congress to benefit the victims of September 11 and their families. These e-mails have been organized here by date. September 11 Email September 11 Email: Body The basic content, as unstructured text; sometimes containing a signature block at the end. Monday, November 26, 2001 2:17 PM Unmarried Partner Compensation 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. Thank you for your consideration. Sincerely, Individual Comment September 11 Email: Date The local time and date when the message was written. 2001-11-26 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource dojW000579.xml 911DA Item Elements describing a September 11 Digital Archive item. Status The process status of this item. approved Consent Whether September 11 Digital Archive has permission to possess this item. full Posting Whether the contributor gave permission to post this item. yes Copyright Whether the contributor holds copyright to this item. yes Source The source of this item. born-digital Media Type The media type of this item. email Created by Author Whether the author created this item. yes Described by Author Whether the description of this item was submitted by the author. no Date Entered The date this item was entered into the archive. 2001-11-26 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Department of Justice Emails Description An account of the resource The Department of Justice received more than 11,000 e-mails in response to the agency's public solicitation for comments upon its plans to distribute the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund of 2001 established by Congress to benefit the victims of September 11 and their families. These e-mails have been organized here by date. September 11 Email September 11 Email: Body The basic content, as unstructured text; sometimes containing a signature block at the end. Wednesday, November 21, 2001 12:49 PM Comments: Victims Compensation Fund - September 11th Dear Mr. Zwick, It is with great concern, and hope of preventing what may be a grave injustice to all the families who lost loved ones during the tragic events of September 11th, 2001 that I am compelled to contact you. On September 11, the very fabric that symbolized the American family was torn with such finality as to eliminate any possibility of mending with "monetary thread." Despite that realization, I understand that the only compensation available to the families of those lost on that horrific day is monetary in nature. Subsequently, the establishment of the "Victims Compensation Fund" (the fund) is logical. However, while the establishment of the fund is logical, I fear that the guiding principals and mechanics of the fund are not. After all, it is commonly stated that "the distance between thought and deed is often far." Having said that, and having reviewed the parameters of the fund, I felt it was imperative to share with you the many reservations associated with the fund's ability to accomplish its single purpose - economic equity for those now painfully suffering from the lose of their loved ones. Below, you will find those reservations. First and foremost, it is imperative that each and every claimant be given the opportunity to share their unique circumstances with the individuals who will be instrumental in determining an award. In doing so, each claimant should be afforded both the opportunity to present evidence through their own personal testimony and enlist the assistance of experts, if desired, in order to provide a clear and concise depiction of their position. Allowing such an opportunity will ensure fairness and objectivity as each case will be heard separately and awards will be based on the circumstances associated with each case. On a personal note, the ability for an individual to share their pain and suffering is instrumental to the long journey associated with the healing process that every individual must now embark upon. Second, I am alarmed by the fact that the government, who will ultimately pay the awards, will be "appointing" one individual (The Special Master) to determine the "extent of harm to the claimant," the amount of compensation to be awarded based on "the harm to the claimant," "the facts of the claim" and "the individual circumstances of the claimant." While I understand that the "Special Master" will be designating individuals (hearing officers) to hear each case independently, that knowledge does not instill the confidence or peace of mind that I require to participate in the fund. Instead, I would prefer an independent panel, perhaps three (3) to five (5) individuals, who demonstrate expertise in areas such as "human life value," "wrongful death" and "taxation." I believe that these Individuals along with a "hearing officer" are more likely to determine an award that is commensurate based on the unique circumstances of each individual. Additionally, I believe by maintaining a panel of "hearing officers," the decision making process would demonstrate a greater degree of objectivity. Equally alarming is the fact that the determinations made by the "Special Master" and "hearing officers" are "final" and "not subject to judicial review." It is imperative that the option to appeal such a determination be made available to the claimants. Again, fairness and objectivity should be the guiding principals of the fund. In the event an award is not viewed as equitable, an individual should, as in any hearing, maintain their right to appeal a decision. The right to appeal a decision is often a cornerstone of legal defences. If appeal is available to a criminal, why then should an innocent person not be afforded that same courtesy? Next, the method used to compute "economic loss" is of paramount importance. A "cap" with regard to recovery associated with "economic losses" is simply not acceptable. In fact, we believe an approach such as the one commonly utilized in personal injury cases is most applicable. Pursuant to such a method, the deceased's retirement date should be set to coincide with the date that the deceased would have been eligible to receive full Social Security benefits. Also, the deceased's income should be averaged over the last three (3) years given the fact that "economic losses of many of these individuals are associated with future income streams that would have been highly contingent, variable, or unpredictable " With that in mind, an approach that utilizes an "average income" is obviously the most appropriate method for determining an individuals income. Also, be sure to keep in mind that it is imperative that "income" include wages, bonus', stock options, partnership earnings etc. Finally, in an effort to fully reflect the earning potential of those lost on September 11th, inflation, historical wage increases, merit and opportunity for advancement must be considered. The final result of such an exercise would represent the individual's "base income." The "base income" could then be multiplied by the number of years that the deceased individual would have worked had he/she been eligible to receive full Social Security benefits. Furthermore, with regard to reducing the amount of the compensation by the amount of the "collateral source compensation," Life insurance proceeds (private and/or group) associated with premiums paid by the deceased, should not be considered as a "collateral source." After all, the deceased, in an effort to ensure financial support for his/her family, made a prudent decision to dedicate a portion of his/her after tax income to that financial security. To consider life insurance proceeds associated with premiums paid by the deceased as a "collateral source" would be akin to punishing the deceased for loving & caring enough about his/her family to ensure their financial future in the event a tragedy were to occur. Also, Social Security benefits should not be considered as a "collateral source." After all, the deceased paid into the system in an effort to ensure "social security." Unfortunately his/her family now represent the members of society that are in need of the very "security" that the system was designed to provide. The deceased was not give a choice of "opting out" of the social security system. On the contrary, an individual has no choice but to contribute to the Social Security system. With that in mind, it is obvious that his/her family should not be punished for receiving such benefits. After all, the Social Security system was never intended to be a "needs based" benefit. All individuals, regardless of income and assets, assuming that they secured the appropriate number of "quarters," have always been entitled to benefits regardless of the other type of assets/income that they may or may not have. Interestingly, countless millionaires receive Social Security benefits despite the fact that the income is not needed to ensure their financial well being. With this in mind, why should a benefit that plays an instrumental role with regard to a family's financial security be deducted from an award? Next, retirement plans (IRA's, 401 k, etc.) funded by the actions and sacrifice of the deceased should not be considered as a "collateral source." Again, the deceased, in an effort to ensure financial support for his/her family, made a prudent decision to set aside funds designed to ensure a comfortable retirement. A great deal of legislation (past & present) has been adopted in order to motivate individual's to plan for their financial future. Today represents the first step of that financial future. To consider retirement plans a "collateral source" would again be akin to punishing the deceased for loving and caring enough about his/her family to forgo current enjoyment in order to ensure financial stability in the event of a tragedy. Additionally, A "cap" with regard to recovery associated with "non economic losses" is simply not acceptable. In fact, it is imperative that the assistance of experts in the field of "human life value," be enlisted to determine an appropriate award given the ambiguity associated with valuing the "non economic role" of an individual. After all, the lose of the family unit, enjoyment of life and emotional pain is not easily discernible. However, given that I am both questioning the "fairness" of the fund and taking the position that benefits (life insurance proceeds & social security benefits) associated with payments made by the deceased should not be considered "collateral source compensation," it is understandable that the benefits funded by an employer (i.e. Workers Comp.) may be deducted from an award. After all, the maintaining of "Workers Compensation" is mandatory for employers and the premium associated with such coverage is an expense of the employer. This in turn may make this benefit similar in nature to the employer provided, non-contributory life insurance coverage - the $100,000 received from CNA. With this in mind, it is easy to understand that the "benefit" is employer provided and may be considered a "collateral source compensation." In closing, I would like to take a moment in advance to thank you for a fair and impartial assessment of our comments. Of course it our only hope to ensure that any award associated with the fund is fair and equitable and accomplishes the funds single purpose - economic equity for those now painfully suffering from the lose of their loved ones. Sincerely, Individual Comment September 11 Email: Date The local time and date when the message was written. 2001-11-21 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource dojW000464.xml 911DA Item Elements describing a September 11 Digital Archive item. Status The process status of this item. approved Consent Whether September 11 Digital Archive has permission to possess this item. full Posting Whether the contributor gave permission to post this item. yes Copyright Whether the contributor holds copyright to this item. yes Source The source of this item. born-digital Media Type The media type of this item. email Created by Author Whether the author created this item. yes Described by Author Whether the description of this item was submitted by the author. no Date Entered The date this item was entered into the archive. 2001-11-21 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Department of Justice Emails Description An account of the resource The Department of Justice received more than 11,000 e-mails in response to the agency's public solicitation for comments upon its plans to distribute the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund of 2001 established by Congress to benefit the victims of September 11 and their families. These e-mails have been organized here by date. September 11 Email September 11 Email: Body The basic content, as unstructured text; sometimes containing a signature block at the end. NAACP LEGAL DEFENSE AND EDUCATIONAL FUND, INC. January 22, 2002 Mr. Kenneth L. Zwick Director Office of Management of Programs, Civil Division U.S. Department of Justice Main Building, Room 3140 Washington, DC 20530 Re: September 11 Victim Compensation Fund of 2001 Dear Mr. Zwick: The NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, Inc. ("LDF") is a non-profit corporation established under the laws of the State of New York. It was formed to assist black persons in securing their constitutional rights through the prosecution of lawsuits and to provide legal services to those suffering injustice by reason of racial discrimination. LDF's first Director-Counsel was Justice Thurgood Marshall. For six decades, LDF attorneys have represented parties in litigation in federal and state courts, including the seminal case of Brown v. Board of Education, 347 U.S. 483 (1954). We urge you to consider carefully the detailed analysis submitted to you on this date by the NOW Legal Defense and Education Fund but write separately to express our deep concerns regarding published reports that the Special Master of the September 11 Victim Compensation Fund, through implementation of the Interim Final Rules, intends to use life expectancy tables that discriminate against minority and female victims of the September 11 terrorist attacks. It is simply incomprehensible to us that an agency of the United States government would sanction the use of race-based and gender- based calculation to disadvantage people of color and women in the determination of compensation to victims. Published reports indicate that the Special Master intends to use the separate "work life expectancy" tables generated by the Bureau of Labor Standards from 1979-80 data. By using these tables (and any other race or gender-based tables) the federal government endorses the concept that minority and female victims of the attack, had they lived, would have faced the same discrimination in the workplace and elsewhere as existed in this country during the last fifty years. The 1979-80 data, if it is to be used, will inevitably reflect the effects of racial discrimination in this country. This is utterly at odds with the federal government's commitment to end race and gender discrimination. Use of race and gender- based classifications in this context is also unconstitutional. The federal government has, for the past fifty years, treated the struggle to end invidious discrimination on the basis of race and gender as among its highest priorities. Pursuant to the statutory prohibitions against discrimination contained in the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the United States Supreme Court struck down as unlawful the use of gender-based annuity tables in Los Angeles Dept. of Water & Power v. Manhart, 435 U.S. 702 (1978). The Supreme Court has, only recently, concluded that even "benign" classifications designed to remove the effects of this Nation's history of racial discrimination are subject to strict scrutiny. Adarand Constructors v. Pena, 515 U. S. 200 (1995). There is no compelling national interest in calculating the value of an African-American life, or a woman's life, at an amount lower than that of their white or male contemporaries. Race-neutral means for making those calculations exist and should be used. The Constitution requires nothing less. We ask the Special Master to disavow publicly and forcefully the use of race-based and gener-based tables for any purpose connected with the administration of the Fund. The Special Master should also publish a detailed explanation of how award calculations will be made and what data sources will be used. The public should be give an opportunity for comment. The use of race and gener-based tables to calculate compensation to families of victims of the September 11th terrorist attacks will surely be divisive, will lead to litigations and by any measure, will be a serious mistake. Very truly yours, Comment by: NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, Inc. New York, NY cc: Honorable John D. Ashcroft, Attorney General Kenneth R. Feinberg, Special Master September 11 Email: Date The local time and date when the message was written. 2002-01-22 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource dojN002649.xml 911DA Item Elements describing a September 11 Digital Archive item. Status The process status of this item. approved Consent Whether September 11 Digital Archive has permission to possess this item. full Posting Whether the contributor gave permission to post this item. yes Copyright Whether the contributor holds copyright to this item. yes Source The source of this item. born-digital Media Type The media type of this item. email Created by Author Whether the author created this item. yes Described by Author Whether the description of this item was submitted by the author. no Date Entered The date this item was entered into the archive. 2002-01-22 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Department of Justice Emails Description An account of the resource The Department of Justice received more than 11,000 e-mails in response to the agency's public solicitation for comments upon its plans to distribute the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund of 2001 established by Congress to benefit the victims of September 11 and their families. These e-mails have been organized here by date. September 11 Email September 11 Email: Body The basic content, as unstructured text; sometimes containing a signature block at the end. Thursday, March 21, 2002 3:58 PM BENEFITS FOR GAY & LESBIAN SURVIVORS/FAMILIES OF 911 As a Canadian who donated to this Fund (or one like it) I INSIST that my donation apply to all EQUALLY. Otherwise, I want my MONEY BACK! This is not how the fund was advertised, nor is it what I intended be done with my money. Gays, Lesbians, Bis, Trans-sexuals are human beings and many of them heroes of this tragedy. Give them the respect, dignity and compassion they so richly deserve. Plus GIVE THEM THE MONEY THEY DESERVE. End this ridiculous discrimination now. There must be some way this man's cop-out, political double-speak can be over-turned. I certainly hope so. Please add my voice to your speaking out wherever it may be of benefit to all those who are being so blatantly discriminated against. Semper Fi All! Individual Comment Waterloo, ON Canada September 11 Email: Date The local time and date when the message was written. 2002-03-21 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource dojR002556.xml 911DA Item Elements describing a September 11 Digital Archive item. Status The process status of this item. approved Consent Whether September 11 Digital Archive has permission to possess this item. full Posting Whether the contributor gave permission to post this item. yes Copyright Whether the contributor holds copyright to this item. yes Source The source of this item. born-digital Media Type The media type of this item. email Created by Author Whether the author created this item. yes Described by Author Whether the description of this item was submitted by the author. no Date Entered The date this item was entered into the archive. 2002-03-21