692 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. Saturday, December 22, 2001 3:31 PM 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 Atlanta, GA September 11 Email: Date The local time and date when the message was written. 2001-12-22 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 dojN000767.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. 2001-12-22 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. December 15, 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 Decatur, GA September 11 Email: Date The local time and date when the message was written. 2001-12-15 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 dojA005281.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. 2001-12-15 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 10, 2001 The Honorable John Ashcroft Attorney General of the United States 950 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW Washington, DC 20530-0001 Re: Victim Compensation Fund Dear Attorney General Ashcroft: Thank you for your leadership during this critical time for our nation. We are grateful for your tireless efforts since September 11 to prosecute terrorists and to ensure our nation's security. As you and other officials defend our freedom, we urge you to continue protecting the family as a source of strength within that freedom. This attention to the integrity of the family is especially important within the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund. Now that a Special Master has been appointed, we would like to express concerns about the administration of the fund. You have expressed confidence that "under [Special Master Kenneth R. Feinberg's] leadership, the program will be administered in a manner that is sensitive and fair to the needs of those who have suffered as a result of the events of September 11th." Our hearts and prayers are with all of the victims of September 11th, including their family, friends and loved ones. We trust that Special Master Feinberg will administer the fund in a manner that is sensitive and fair, and, most importantly, consistent with the laws of the United States. The language of the legislation creating the Victim Compensation fund is unmistakably clear in setting the parameters for who is eligible to receive compensation from this fund: SEC. 403 PURPOSE It is the purpose of this title to provide compensation to any individual (or relatives of a deceased individual) who was physically injured or killed as a result of the terrorist-related aircraft crashes of September 11, 2001. In the United States Code, the term "relative" is usually defined to include parents, children and spouses, sometimes grandparents, but always some variation within blood, marriage, or adoption. Nowhere in federal law does "relative" include "domestic partners," civil unions, roommates, or close personal friends. In fact, the term "domestic partner" is nowhere to be found in the United States Code. Furthermore, the Defense of Marriage Act makes clear that ephemeral state law developments have no bearing on the federal law regarding marriage: Title 1, Chapter 1 § 7. Definition of "marriage" and "spouse" In determining the meaning of any Act of Congress, or of any ruling, regulation, or interpretation of the various administrative bureaus and agencies of the Untied States, the word "marriage" means only a legal union between one man and one woman as husband and wife, and the word "spouse" refers to a person of the opposite sex who is a husband or a wife. To disregard the law and extend compensation to domestic partners opens the door to unending complaints and criticism, from both the relatives and unrelated intimates of the victims. Dilution of the fund by including those who do not qualify as relatives is neither fair nor sensitive to the intended claimants. Whether homosexual or heterosexual, the concept of compensating a "domestic partner" is one that directly undermines the important institutions of marriage and family. As you well know, not every loss is cognizable under the law. The tragic events of September 11 should not be used as a pretext for expanding the gay agenda at the expense of marriage and the family. We support you in your role as Attorney General of the Untied States of America as you seek to uphold the laws and Constitution of this country. Our earnest hope is that you and your colleagues will ensure that the Constitution and laws of the United States will be respected, followed, and enforced and that the radical political agendas of vocal advocacy groups will not deflect you from your sworn obligation. Thank you for your leadership to that end. Sincerely, Comment by: Family Research Council September 11 Email: Date The local time and date when the message was written. 2001-12-10 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 dojA001742.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. 2001-12-10 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, March 16, 2002 8:08 AM New Vote.com votes as of 08:07 AM EST on March 16th, 2002 Dear September 11th Victim Compensation Fund, Vote.com is the Internet's most popular voting site. Millions of people regularly express their opinions and - in just one click - automatically send their views to important decision makers like you. Here are the latest votes on the question, DOES THE GOVERNMENT'S AID PROGRAM FOR FAMILIES OF SEPT. 11 VICTIMS GO FAR ENOUGH?: YES: 11 votes NO: 0 votes Group Comment September 11 Email: Date The local time and date when the message was written. 2002-03-16 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 dojR000857.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. 2002-03-16 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. 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 Knoxville,TN September 11 Email: Date The local time and date when the message was written. 2001-12-13 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 dojA004769.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. 2001-12-13 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 6:04 PM Fair Compensation for All Victims of 9/11 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 urge the Department to ensure that all victims of the attack are compensated, including the committed partners and the non-biological children of gay and lesbian victims. The 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. All Americans who lost their lives on September 1 left behind loved ones. I urge the Department to treat the families of gay and lesbian victims as you would any other. 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 dojA000449.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, March 16, 2002 4:20 PM do what is right! To Whom It May Concern: I am appalled to read that the survivors (partners) of gays and lesbians killed on Sept 11th will not be included in the distribution of funds from the compensations designated for victims families. I would have thought that such a horrible occasion would have cleared some of the muddied thinking surrounding what makes a family. I encourage you to rethink your position and do what is right, in honor of those gays and lesbians who died on Sept 11. To do any less would be un-American. Sincerely, Individual Comment September 11 Email: Date The local time and date when the message was written. 2002-03-16 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 dojR001081.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. 2002-03-16 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. Friday, December 07, 2001 2:22 AM Equal benefits...not Special rights 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. 2001-12-07 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 dojA001256.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. 2001-12-07 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 10:39 PM Distribute Benefits for Sept 11 Victims FAIRLY 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 Nashville, TN 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 dojA003871.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. Monday, January 28, 2002 10:11 AM 911 money Money should only be given to USA familys Individual Comment September 11 Email: Date The local time and date when the message was written. 2002-01-28 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 dojP000227.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. 2002-01-28 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. Tuesday, November 27, 2001 12:03 AM My son died in the WTC disaster. He left a wife and three young children. I have a real dilemma in answering the call for comments. It seems that the government is not a non partial observer here, but conveniently, is appointed to determine the compensation plan, and is suggesting to the families of the victims to sign over their right to appeal. This seems to be counter to all logic, I have always viewed the legal system to be, in some degree, a matter of gamesmanship, who has the best lawyer wins. And it seems that the government is advising the victims not to obtain counsel. Am I incorrect in my observation? I am seriously asking this question, not rhetorically. Shouldn't the victim's families have some idea of a dollar figure? What is the reasonable expectation? I don't think that alot of time has to be spent on form design here. There should be some straight forward method of determining who victims and families are, if we can't figure this out, then the whole process is brought to question. What is Fair Compensation? Well, there are some precedents for this question, what were the settlements in other disasters? How do they relate to this one? Somehow I believe that the trauma of this horrific event exceeds anything that we have experienced to date. It serves no purpose now to assign blame, but security measures from an Airline and Government poin of view were seriously lacking. Then there are issues with what I perceive to be the government's position on reducing any award by any collateral sources of income. My son chose to take the responsible route and funded some security measures, this was a cost that he bore, and was a factor in looking at possible alternatives to employment as it factored into his salary requirements. Now to penalize his family for his investment in insurance seems to send a message that says don't be fiscally responsible, if you sacrifice (by purchasing insurance) you will just provide justification for decreasing the amount of a settlement. Does a family suffer less because they have insurance? I can tell you this isn't the case at all. Another quandry that I have is one of trust, frankly, in the Government, to be really fair; this Airline legislation, why is no one worried about how much money is being moved to the Airlines? There seems to be so much concern about the money going to victim's families, where is this money coming from, well, of course, it comes from the citizens. But it is appropriated and managed by the Government, so the Government has this commitment to fund the victims relief, but is it in their interest to minimize the total payout? Won't it make their problem easier to find the funds if the relief to the families are minimized? So now we have a proposal to not go to court, to minimize the costs, the Government is the author of this proposal. Is this fair or self-serving? I have seen our Legal system work, it seems to be based on the adversarial system. Now we are pushing to remove this adversary process. Did the Airlines not have their lobbyists active during the legislative process? How was the dollar amount of the bailout arrived at? Was there give and take by the pro-Airline lobbyists and politicians? Was this as visible as the Victims Relief issue? There seems to be so many examples of civil cases where the original settlement offers are fractions of what our Legal System finally judged to be fair, will the Government offer be fair from the start? The Government seems to have set itself up as the agent of the Airlines in this issue. I would just like to be more confident that the proceedings will be fair. I think more information is necessary to make a decision. Individual Comment September 11 Email: Date The local time and date when the message was written. 2001-11-27 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 dojA000001.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. 2001-11-27 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, January 18, 2002 9:26 AM September 11 Fund Dear Mr. Feinberg, As a friend of a September 11 widow, I was dismayed to hear about your January 16 meeting in New Jersey. After going to great lengths to insure that there will be a cap on the settlement fund and that there will be FEW awards exceeding 3-4 million dollars, you suddenly change your opinion. After holding several private meetings with various groups, you reassure them that there will be no CAP on the economic portion of the settlement, that they will be taken care of. I realize that you were intensely lobbied by various groups of surviving spouses and their families, but it seems that certain groups have gotten your attention. I am hoping that by enriching one portion of the settlement fund (economic) and its beneficiaries, it is not at the expense of the other (non-economic). It would be easier to increase the non-economic portion of the settlement fund and remove some of the collateral offsets to guarantee an equal treatment to all. I hope that you consider my comments Individual Comment September 11 Email: Date The local time and date when the message was written. 2002-01-18 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 dojN001972.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. 2002-01-18 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. Sunday, December 23, 2001 12:04 PM Crisis Relief Benefits for Surviving Gay and Lesbian Partners 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 Vallejo, CA September 11 Email: Date The local time and date when the message was written. 2001-12-23 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 dojN000826.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. 2001-12-23 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, March 13, 2002 2:49 PM Sept. 11 Fund I understand that the gay partners of victims of Sept. 11 may not be eligible for the same benefits as heterosexual family members of those victims. If this is true, I urge the Sept. 11 Fund to rise above the prejudice of our time and find a way to do the right thing and give gay partners benefits. Individual Comment Evanston, IL September 11 Email: Date The local time and date when the message was written. 2002-03-13 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 dojR000661.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. 2002-03-13 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 2:13 AM Give equal compensation to families of gay victims of Sept. 11! -- Individual Comment 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 dojR002089.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. Saturday, March 16, 2002 3:12 PM THE OPPOSITE OF LOVE IS NOT HATE, IT'S INDIFFERENCE!!! "The opposite of love is not hate, it's indifference." - Elie Wiesel "The majority of people have not the courage to correct others because they don't have the courage to bear correction themselves." - Unknown "The greatest distance is between the head and the heart." - Thomas Merton "I just cannot believe what I am reading about the ruthless and inhuman bigotry and homophobia being reported about the September 11th Fund, and our own government!! This is an outrage! It is completely un-American, and represents savage and greedy NON-thinking along the self-same lines of the very "axis of evil" that America and the rest of the world are currently at war with and trying to destroy! It is completely inhuman, grossly degrading, and extremely hypocritical, you morons! Are we or are we not all equal?! You know? One nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all?!! What ever happened to that? Do you really expect all of us to believe that another American is worth less than even a bloody FETUS or an illegal alien, even after having been murder in the line of duty to their country, simply because of what they did/do with their genitalia?!?!?! Are you all insane?!!! What kind of a God do you people worship that would justify this kind of inhumanity towards one's fellow man? It MUST be an extremely hateful, petty, violent, arrogant and selfish god! But make NO mistake -- it is NO god of LOVE!!! What I REALLY think that this all boils down to is just another vicious form of good old-fashion GREED!!! I think that this irresponsible and selfish move is just another way of GETTING MORE MONEY FOR THEMSELVES! I mean, you do the math. Less money given out, means, ultimately, MORE MONIES LEFT AVAILABLE FOR THEIR OWN SELFISH INTERESTS AND DIVERSIONS FOR THE COMPANY, AS WELL AS THE GOVERNMENT, ITSELF!!! It's all such a no-brainer, isn't it?! Instead of trying to drum up support for our efforts in the war on terrorism, what we truly ought to be doing is trying to get ride of these disgusting, hateful, inhuman and arrogant hatemongers currently infesting our OWN great nation, irregardless of where, whom or what institutions, companies, or government that they stand for. Apparently, these fools don't even wish to look at the fact that some of our country's greatest leaders were, themselves, gay or bisexual! Try Abraham Lincoln and George Washington for starters! How wise Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was when he gave that: "Injustice anywhere is injustice everywhere!!! In my opinion, such as it is, what is most dangerous about any and all extremist groups such as the far right and the September 11th Fund, is not that they take themselves seriously. Most of us do. But rather that they consistently condemn any and all other sexual, spiritual, and moral choices, such as the Buddhist, the Muslim, the Jew, the gay, lesbian, pro-choicers, etc., and many others who consider themselves to be upright and good Christians. And rather than LOGICALLY and COMPASSIONATELY discussing such issues as gay rights, gay adoption(as if the United States or the world needed anymore homeless children in it! And a GOOD parent is a GOOD parent, you morons!!!), or abortion, they disown as vile, hideous and evil all those who favor choice and tolerance. They are consistently disowning their own dark side, while simultaneously magnifying everyone else's, until at the extreme, doctors are murdered in the name of protecting life, all Middle Easterner's are seen as murderers and zealots, and gays and lesbians are STILL being hunted, dehumanized, murdered, denied their equal rights, and demonized! And all in the so-called "Land of the free, and the home of the brave?!" What a joke!!! You'll kindly forgive those of us who are not laughing! In closing I'll only say that hate is hate! Irregardless it's vision, mechanics, machinations or religious, political or self-righteous institutions and convictions! HATE IS HATE IS HATE!!! Even as self-righteousness, ultimately, is simply what it means to be RIGHTEOUS BY YOURSELF!!! Individual Comment Atlanta, GA September 11 Email: Date The local time and date when the message was written. 2002-03-16 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 dojR001033.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. 2002-03-16 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. Monday, January 07, 2002 8:21 PM Benefits Offset Sirs, Your rule provides that an offset shall be made for collateral sources including "life insurance, pension funds, death benefit programs.." Inclusion of pension funds and life insurance raises a number a ambiguities. You should carefully spell out how these are to be resolved so that people can make an informed decision as to whether or not to apply for your program. Let me give you a few examples: 1. Unlike life insurance, pension funds eventually accrue to an individual (and his/her family) even if he/she is not deceased. An event that triggers initiation of a pension benefit is only a windfall for a family if the present value of that benefit exceeds the present actuarial value of the benefit given that the family member had not died. Only the net increase in value of the pension benefit should be offset against the government-provided compensation. 2. Some pension benefits should be construed as deferred compensation and should not be considered a collateral source. 3. Are social security benefits considered to be "pension benefits"? 4. Employers differ in their mix of retirement plans between defined-benefit (i.e. "pension") plans and company-match defined-contribution (e.g. "401-k" or other plans). Self-employed individuals may have no defined-benefit pension. Unionized and blue collar workers often have no "401-k" savings, but will have a pension program. If you only include defined-benefit plans as an eligible collateral source will you not be discriminating against employees whose employers elected to emphasize defined-benefit types of retirement plans? Or, will you include 401-k, IRA and other tax-sheltered and/or company-subsidized retirement savings programs under the rubric of "pension benefits" ? 5. Individuals (or their employers) pay fair value for life insurance premiums. Why should an insurance payout be considered a windfall for the employee's family, especially if the insurance premiums were paid for by the deceased individual. When paid for by the employer, these paid life insurance benefits are really a form of compensation. Also, why should benefits from term life policies (whose entire payout can be construed as triggered by the death of the individual), be treated the same as other "whole" forms of insurance in which a substantial part of the payout is really a return to the family of retirement savings by the individual? 6. Pension benefits are usually taxable, insurance benefits are not. Is the offset to be before or after tax? 7. Beyond the issue of the potential for extreme unfairness in the treatment of different types of retirement programs, there is a significant practical issue that should be born in mind. Most professional workers (and one can assume at the least that a good-sized minority of the victims were white collar professionals) have substantial insurance and pension benefits. Most companies offer at least 2 times salary in life insurance plus some form of pension benefit, at the very minimum. It would not be at all surprising if one-third or more of the victims of the 9/11 disaster would, in effect, lose $250 thousand (or more) apiece due to the collateral offsets rule. You must spell this out in stark black and white for the applicants to this program, or you will have another very significant human catastrophe on your hands. You should make it clear to individual applicants when their particular circumstances deserve close scrutiny by an experienced legal/accounting advisor. If these people are soundly advised, I would predict that a very substantial majority will elect to pursue compensation through conventional legal means rather than through the government program. Individual Comment September 11 Email: Date The local time and date when the message was written. 2002-01-07 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 dojN001427.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. 2002-01-07 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 Memphis, TN 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 dojA004851.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. Thursday, November 08, 2001 11:25 AM RE: September 11th Victims Compensation Fund I lost my son, age 39, in the World Trade Center attack on Sept. 11, 2001. The grieving and the devastating loss of my son will remain with me for the rest of my life. Through my tears, I will try to express my opinion regarding the Compensation Fund. 1. Eligibility To Make a Claim Don't parents count? According to the regulation, if my daughter-in-law, (whom I am very close to), decides to go with the Fund, I am totally excluded from receiving any monetary damages. It should be specified that other family members (parents) should also be part of the award. Their award should not be deducted from the spouses. As the law stands now, I also cannot sue or file a lawsuit against the terrorists, terrorist organization or countries that support terrorism, nor can I sue any company for negligence. I am totally excluded as if my heartache does not matter. The regulation should clearly state that surviving family members have their own, derivative claims. The regulations should also create uniform rules addressing which family members are entitled to share in an award and how they will share in the award. Again, don't I count? 2. Nature & Amount of Awards The victims should have the option of accepting the award or being able to sue on their own. They should not have to sign away their right to sue before they know what the award will be. The victims should also be allowed to sue the assets of the Terrorist funds whether they receive an award from the Fund or not. The Act could not have been intended to protect the financial interest of terrorists or terrorist organizations. Collateral benefits should not include payments from charities. The regulations should create a procedure by which there can be an administrative appeal of the award. I certainly you can help me to have a voice in this matter. Thank you, Individual Comment Princeton, NJ September 11 Email: Date The local time and date when the message was written. 2001-11-08 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 dojW000246.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. 2001-11-08 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. Wednesday, December 05, 2001 7:18 PM Do not exclude WTC survivors of committed Gay/Lesbian couples from compensation Kenneth L. Zwick, Director Office of Management Programs, Civil Division U.S. Department of Justice Dear Mr. Zwick, It would be unconscionable to exclude the committed partners or surviving children of victims of the September 11 massacres from financial benefits for any reason, except lack of financial need. Please make sure that committed partners or surviving children of gay or lesbian victims are not excluded. Everyone should be included. It is only just. To exclude survivors of gay/lesbian victims would be unjust and unethical -- callousness of gargantuan proportions. And, for the benefit of the Christian right (who ought be reminded to re-read the Golden Rule, the Sermon on the Mount and the story of the Good Samaritan), it is also undoubtedly un-Christian. Shame on them! I'm sure President Bush remembers his Sunday School lessons. Perhaps he can quote them to good effect to the proponents of exclusion. It would be scandalous to allow the process of victim compensation to be sidetracked by the unusual infantile, Washington internecine political squabbling. Anyone promoting exclusion of whole classes of survivors ought to be forbidden to wear their little American flags in their lapels. In a time of national catastrophe, individuals who engage in self-serving, selfish and exclusionary posturing are about an unpatriotic as it is possible to be. Please make sure there is fair compensation for everyone! Sincerely, Individual Comment Ossining, NY September 11 Email: Date The local time and date when the message was written. 2001-12-05 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 dojA001014.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. 2001-12-05