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Thursday, December 20, 2001 9:51 AM
Please help


December  20, 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
Brunswick, ME


 
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Tuesday, November 06, 2001 1:11 AM
Comment

  I do not believe that any money should be provided by the U.S. government to the victims.  The U.S. government was not at fault, and the taxpayers should not have to pay.

  I strongly doubt that any of the victims' families will ever want.  The generousity of the American people has been tremendous.  Many of the victims left their families provided for--indeed, the firefighters and police had tremedous benefits provided for by union contract
 

  The taxpayers have enough burdens.  No money should be provided.

Individual Comment
Fairfax, Virginia
 
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Wednesday, December 19, 2001 4:43 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
Florissant, MO 




 
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Wednesday, March 13, 2002 4:47 PM
[GayCityDiscussion] 911 Fund to Discriminate against gays


Frankly, I'm kinda disgusted with The Fund. The whole point of including
illegal aliens and possibly (heterosexual) domestic partners, is to NOT make
judgments about who people were and the lives they led because this tragedy
touched EVERY American, and we all want to support the victims/loved ones
left behind. NO ONE should be left out if they can clearly establish a
relationship with one of those murdered on 9/11.

Individual Comment
Seattle, WA
 
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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

New York, NY 

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Wednesday, December 19, 2001 1:41 AM
please support equal rights for all


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 
kirksville, MO
 
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Wednesday, December 05, 2001 7:52 AM
Sept. 11 fund

To:
Kenneth Zwick
U.S. Dept. Of Justice

As you may know, hundreds of victims of the September 11th attacks at the 
World Trade Center, at the Pentagon, and on those airplanes were gay men and 
women.  In fact, many of them were cited for their heroic efforts that day in 
saving other people.  It would be wrong for this country to deny their 
grieving partners and children just compensation from the September 11 fund.  
Their grief and financial need is no less than that of straight families who 
also must find a way to cope and move on with life.

Our country has often treated gay people badly, denying them the same civil 
rights and opportunities as the straight people of our country.  It is time 
to help right those wrongs by treating these victims and their families with 
due respect and dignity at this time of enormous loss.  Please make no 
distinction in the value of their lives, their loves, their grieiving 
families, or their memories.  

In Afghanistan gay people are executed.  In America we often boast that all 
people are equal.  Please make it so.  Anything less would be reprehensible.

Individual Comment
Oviedo, FL 

 
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              <text>

Wednesday, December 19, 2001 10:23 AM
Surviving Partners


December  19, 2001

Dear Mr. Kenneth Zwick,

I am writing 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
Takoma Park, MD

 
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Wednesday, December 05, 2001 9:29 PM
September 11th Victims

I am writing this letter to express my shock at learning that September 11th Victim Compensation fund does not apply to gay and lesbian victims.  How can our government withhold help based on one's sexuality.  Are we not better than that in this country.  Tragedy does not discriminate why would we?  It saddens me to think we praised the gay passenger that help prevent an even worse tragedy and proved his patriotism but we are not sure it "right" to support and compensate his partner.  A gay victim has the same needs as a heterosexual and should be treated with the same dignity we have shown to those individuals.  It is my sincere hope that the Justice Department will not allow the voices a those who seemed to be afraid to show all humans the same rights and respect to make this decision.  I am a happily married heterosexual who feels that the loss of a partner, no matter the type of partnership, is the loss of a family member.  We must show the world that the United States is truly grateful for all its citizens and will take care of them.

Thanks you,
Individual Comment


 
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              <text>Friday, March 15, 2002 5:01 PM
9/11 benefits for partners of gay victims




I have just read of the decision not to bestow benefits on the survivor
partners of 9/11 gay victims unless the victim's state of residence
recognizes such unions.  Since no such distinction is being made with
illegal aliens whose residential legitimacy goes against the law of
their home states, it can only be concluded that this decision is a case
of selective discrimination directed against gays.   This is
unconscionable. Gay and straight people died in this horror with equal
opportunity, and their survivors ought to be treated as equals in the
distribution of compensation.  Sincerely

Individual CommentLos
Angeles, CA

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Monday, March 11, 2002 12:35 PM
outraged


I am outraged that the gay and lesbian partners of gay individuals that died 
will be treated differently than any other couple. The insult and harm 
inflicted pales in comparison to the acts of the terrorists. The gay people 
who died are being told thier lives and families are worthless in the eyes of 
thier country. At least the terrorists did not discriminate!
Individual Comment

 
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Friday, December 21, 2001 10:22 AM
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 &amp;nbsp&amp;nbsp&amp;nbsp&amp;nbsp , 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
&amp;nbsp&amp;nbsp&amp;nbsp&amp;nbsp 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
Milton, FL


 
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Wednesday, December 05, 2001 5:23 PM
Kenneth L. Zwick, Director Office of Management Programs U.S.
Department of Ju

Justice Department please include 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. 

US Government please follow the example already set by New York Governor 
Pataki in 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." 

Individual Comment
San Diego, CA


 
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Wednesday, December 18, 2001 11:38 PM
Support Equal Access to Crisis Relief

December  18, 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
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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
Jacksonville, FL

 
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Thursday, December 20, 2001 2:13 AM
Equal Rights for Surviving Victims of 9-11


December  20, 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.
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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
Fair Oaks, CA 
 
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Thursday, January 10, 2002 8:36 PM
Interim Final Rule

I am VERY concerned about the next time an act of terrorism occurs.  Nobody seems to be considering the problems this program will create next time.  'Unwanted' dependents (infants, handicapped, feeble) will be 'dumped' at the site.  People will flock into the area (in pairs, no doubt, so they will each have a witness of their whereabouts) and claim all sorts of 'injuries'.  Medical facilities will be swamped with people trying to get 'proof' of their injuries.  All of this extra chaos is going to make the job of emergency response personnel impossible, put the legitimate victims in further danger (possibly blocking their rescue), and will get in the way of treating people with critical medical needs - whether it be from the attack or an unrelated stroke/car accident/whatever.  Don't think it won't happen.  Remember that looters were able to get to the lower floors at ground zero long before anyone 'official' did!  This was kept to minimum this time because the federal government has never done anything like this program before.  Now, the lure of the possible hundreds-of-thousands or millions of dollars will be a big incentive for many.  What do you plan do in order to prevent this problem you are now creating?  You can announce now that there will NEVER be another 'special' program for any future events.  But if that is the case, why is there a 'special' program THIS ONE TIME?  It doesn't make sense and it is discriminatory.  If it has never been done before and it will never be done again, then don't do it now!  You can't guarantee there will NOT be a future attack - and you are KNOWINGLY making the situation worse!  I would think the emergency response/medical personnel would be all over you on this.  Next time people are going to lose their lives unnecessarily, and the federal government is going to be held accountable.  The law suits will be unending.  I have found it outrageous when I here the survivors-of-victims-of-9/11 accuse the government of murder.  I think this claim is totally unfounded.  Sadly, next time it will be true.  (Maybe it will only be intentional manslaughter.  I'm not a lawyer.)   I really think you better rethink this whole program.  Now.  Before one cent is distributed.

Individual Comment
Denver, CO
 
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Wednesday, December 19, 2001 8:16 AM
It's Only Fair

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
Middletown, NY

 
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Thursday, December 20, 2001 1:29 AM
crisis relief for surviving partners


December  20, 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
New Orleans, LA 




 
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Sunday, December 23, 2001 7:10 PM
Crisis relief for all


December  23, 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 
Milwaukee, WI 


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                  <text>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.</text>
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    <itemType itemTypeId="18">
      <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>
          <elementTextContainer>
            <elementText elementTextId="300544">
              <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
El Cajon, CA
 
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          <name>September 11 Email: Date</name>
          <description>The local time and date when the message was written.</description>
          <elementTextContainer>
            <elementText elementTextId="300545">
              <text>2001-12-13</text>
            </elementText>
          </elementTextContainer>
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      </elementContainer>
    </itemType>
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      <elementSet elementSetId="1">
        <name>Dublin Core</name>
        <description>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/.</description>
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          <element elementId="50">
            <name>Title</name>
            <description>A name given to the resource</description>
            <elementTextContainer>
              <elementText elementTextId="300546">
                <text>dojA005228.xml</text>
              </elementText>
            </elementTextContainer>
          </element>
        </elementContainer>
      </elementSet>
      <elementSet elementSetId="4">
        <name>911DA Item</name>
        <description>Elements describing a September 11 Digital Archive item.</description>
        <elementContainer>
          <element elementId="52">
            <name>Status</name>
            <description>The process status of this item.</description>
            <elementTextContainer>
              <elementText elementTextId="300547">
                <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="300548">
                <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="300549">
                <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="300550">
                <text>yes</text>
              </elementText>
            </elementTextContainer>
          </element>
          <element elementId="56">
            <name>Source</name>
            <description>The source of this item.</description>
            <elementTextContainer>
              <elementText elementTextId="300551">
                <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="300552">
                <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="300553">
                <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="300554">
                <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="300555">
                <text>2001-12-13</text>
              </elementText>
            </elementTextContainer>
          </element>
        </elementContainer>
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