827 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. Friday, November 16, 2001 10:26 PM Please Help!! > > > > Submitted to: > > Kenneth L. Zwik, Director > Office of Management Programs > U.S. Department of Justice, Civil Division > Email: victimcom.comments@usdoj.gov > > Submitted by: > > > > November 16, 2001 > > Dear Mr. Zwik: > > As a relative of one of the victims of the September 11th terrorist > attacks, I trust that the regulations for the Victims Compensation Fund > ("the Fund") can be fashioned in such a manner to bring equity and closure > this most awful chapter in American history. Towards that end, the Fund > must be structured to encourage victims' families to surrender their rights > to sue because they believe they will be treated fairly and promptly. To > send such a compelling message I respectfully submit that the regulations > must contain following elements: > > 1. Do not reduce the award from any collateral source funds collected, > including insurance, pension benefits, death benefits, and governmental > payments (which we understand are being considered as offsets). Such > offsets should be disallowed for, among other reasons, the same reason the > IRS exempts life insurance proceeds from taxation (i.e., to encourage > citizens to plan for their heirs). Such offsets would penalize those > victims who sacrificed and saved for their families' futures and unjustly > transfer these assets, thereby representing a lifetime of work, to > insurance companies and other corporate entities that may share the blame > for the consequences that resulted from the tragic events of 9/11. In > a nutshell, these assets have nothing to do with the damages that flowed > from 9/11, and therefore there should be no offset to damages based on the > net worth of the victims' families. It would also result in awarding more > in damages to those who did not sacrifice and save for their families' > futures, which would be an inequitable result. > > 2. Provide the victims' families with the right to appeal the award, as > doing so would undoubtedly increase participation in the Fund. > > 3. Should the Department of Justice decline to offer victims' families > the right to appeal, then at a minimum they should have input regarding the > selection of the mediator who would decide the award. The government > should provide a list of potential mediators with their background (e.g., > educational, work experience, prior award history, etc.), which would allow > victims' families to make an informed choice. > > 4. There should be set parameters for calculating damages (i.e., > mathematical formula factoring lost future earnings, pension benefits, > number of children, and other pecuniary benefits that would have been > earned taking into consideration life expectancy tables), that would > provide a floor for calculating damages and provide assurance to victims' > families as to what they could expect to receive, at a minimum, if they > elected to opt into the Fund. I believe this has been referred to in the > press as the development of a "grid." In short, the victims' families > should be able to calculate, with some certainty, the minimum amount of > money they could expect to be awarded prior to participating in the > hearing. That should serve as a powerful inducement to opt into the Fund. > > 5. Determine pain and suffering at the hearing. > > 6. If the mediator deviates for the guidelines the victims' families > should be able to appeal the decision. > > 7. The regulations should include a scheme that would afford the victims' > families one that is similar to the one they would enjoy in a wrongful > death case. The amount awarded as damages should include all funeral, > burial, and estate administration expenses incurred. Importantly, the > amount should compensate the victims' family for contributions they would > have received between the time of his death and the end of this life > expectancy, such as future lost wages. His gross earnings, including all > fringe benefits between the date of his death and his life expectancy, must > be factored in. Additionally, all monies the victim would have spent for > or given to his family for such items as shelter, food, clothing, medical > car, education, entertainment, gifts and recreation, taking into account > his salary and age, must also be considered. The amount awarded should > also consider the comfort and friendship that he would have given to his > family had he lived and such other elements as work around the home and > provision of society and comfort. > > 8. Since the amount awarded would be intended to restore the victim's > family's loss, it should not be considered as "income." Therefore, it > should not be taxable by the federal or state taxing authorities. > > > In closing, I understand that the DOJ is suggesting that the victims' > families surrender their right to sue without advising them what they > can anticipate by way of award and without the ability to appeal such > award. This is, to be kind, unacceptable. The above suggestions would > encourage attorneys and families alike to opt into the Fund, thereby > forgoing their right to sue. This would bring closure to an American > Tragedy and reassure victims' families that our government has their > best interests at heart. We only want to place them in the financial > position they would have been in had their loved ones not been taken > away in the worst terrorist attacks in American history?which may have > been avoided. But that is another story. Thank you. > > Respectfully, > > Individual Comment > > Bellmore, NY > > September 11 Email: Date The local time and date when the message was written. 2001-11-16 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 dojW000368.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. 2001-11-16 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 of September 11th including the children and families of low-wage workers and gay and lesbian families. Under traditional rules based on lost wages, the survivors of a bond trader earning millions of dollars per year might receive thousands of times as much compensation as the survivors of a dishwasher in one of the restaurants destroyed. Justice requires looking far beyond the last paycheck to the inherent worth of all those killed, so that a high minimum compensation level is set to lessen the disparities. It would be a double blow to the survivors to first lose their loved one and then watch as most of the taxpayer money went to those who were already well off in the first place. The second major issue has to do with recognizing the legitimacy of gay and lesbian relationships and families. Gay and lesbian families are especially vulnerable when one partner is killed. Because the option of marriage is unavailable, these families may find themselves in the traumatic predicament of having to prove that their union is legitimate. Fortunately, both the Red Cross and the State of New York have already announced that they will not discriminate against gay and lesbian families. The Department of Justice should do the same. Thank you for considering my comments. I look forward to hearing how you will act on these very important issues. Sincerely, Individual Comment San Franciso, CA 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 dojA005545.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 7:57 PM 9/11 Victim Compensation Fund REFER: Department's request for public comments regarding the forthcomingregulations for implementing and administering the "September 11 Victim Compensation Fund." Dear Mr. Zwick: FOR HUMANITY'S SAKE AND THE SAKE OF GOOD GOVERNMENT, I strongly support the Department's preparing regulations to ensure compensation is available to ALL victims of the 9/11 attacks, including the committed partners and the non-biological children of gay and lesbian victims. The terrible grief and financial losses endured by the families of gay and lesbian victims are no less than that of any other families. I beg, hope and pray that regulations you draft will be inclusive of these our fellow human beings. To exclude them would be like excluding Irish, Spanish or Italian families or Left Wing or Right Wing politicians because you/we/some people don't like their ethnicity or religious practices or their political views. Good government and human compassion calls for you to include not exclude gay and lesbian family members when determining who shall receive direct compensation for their suffering at the hands of terrorists. It is all our civic and humanitatian duty to assist our brothers and sisters in their time of such overwhelming distress. I believe you should be aware that my views arise from deep within me out of a mid western Christian upbringing and heritage. My seventy Plus years of life have convinced me that our highest and most sacred value is COMPASSION. I pray that it guides your decisions and actions. Thank you. 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 dojA000530.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. Tuesday, December 18, 2001 9:57 PM EQUALITY FOR ALL FAMILIES 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 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 San Francisco, CA September 11 Email: Date The local time and date when the message was written. 2001-12-18 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 dojA002404.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. 2001-12-18 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. Wednesday, December 19, 2001 12:48 PM Fair Allotment of Funds 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 San Francisco, CA September 11 Email: Date The local time and date when the message was written. 2001-12-19 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource dojA003266.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. February 4, 2002 The Honorable Kenneth R. Feinberg Special Master United States Department of Justice Victims Compensation Fund Program 950 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W. Main Building, Room 3136 Washington, D.C. 20530 Dear Special Master Feinberg: Thank you again for coming to East Brunswick on January 16 to discuss the Victims Compensation Fund. Your outline of how the Fund works was very concise and the attendees to the meeting truly appreciated that you made yourself available to answer their questions. As you well understood, some of the principal concerns about the Fund are the collateral source deductions, the calculations of economic and non-economic losses, and the question of whether or not the Fund or any award thereunder is capped. These concerns apply to all who may choose the Fund and go to the basic issues of fairness and clarity: will Fund participants receive something fair in return for waiving their right to sue and will they have a clear idea of what it is they will receive before they opt in. Below, I have set forth my understanding of your position on these points. With respect to the issue of caps, my understanding from the meeting is that you plan to revise the regulations to clarify that there is no cap on the Fund as a whole and that there also are no caps on economic or non-economic losses. The "presumed" economic and non-economic loss amounts are "presumed", not limited. Further, with respect to the presumed economic loss tables, my understanding is that they were based on national average income figures, rather than New Jersey or New York Metropolitan area averages. Using national averages is not appropriate under these circumstances. With respect to the presumed non-economic loss figures, I believe that those were based on awards in cases of lost government or military personnel, who accepted the risks and dangers they faced. Using that basis is also not appropriate. Finally, national data tend to underestimate the earnings and future earnings potential of women and minorities. Therefore, I look forward to revised regulations which incorporate presumed economic and non-economic loss figures based on comparables and assumptions that more appropriately reflect the circumstances of all of the victims in this case. In addition, please clearly set forth in the regulations the methodology used to determine the presumed loss amounts. With respect to the issue of collateral source deductions, as you may know, I have proposed legislation in the House of Representatives to repeal the Air Transportation Safety and System Stabilization Act to the extent that it requires collateral source deductions. In the event that such legislation does not pass, however, I understand that you mean to minimize the deduction of collateral source amounts in general. The regulations now state that charitable contributions will not be deducted (except within your discretion). I also understood you to say that you would not deduct Social Security benefits, workers compensation benefits and certain pensions, and that life insurance premiums would be netted out. Certainly, individuals should not be penalized for good financial planning and personal fiscal responsibility. Therefore, I look forward to revised regulations that more clearly express which collateral source amounts will not be deducted. With respect to the issue of fundamental fairness and clarity, I wish to reiterate the first point I made in my letter to Kenneth Zwick dated November 19, 2001. In order for people to feel comfortable choosing to participate in the Victims Compensation Fund Program, they must have a reasonable certainty of what they would receive before they waive their right to sue. I am certain that you are of the same mind, since you said on more than one occasion that "nobody gets zero." Therefore, again, participation in the Fund would be encouraged if potential participants can expect a minimum payment upon their demonstrating basic eligibility. This must apply to the injured as well as the survivors filing on behalf of a deceased victim. Aside from those fundamental issues, there are many other aspects of the regulations that are of concern to potential participants. I have listed these below, and, with some additions (and with some overlap to the fundamental issues raised above); this constitutes a summary of the comments raised in the January 16 meeting. 1. Some have expressed concern that parents are not accorded any standing to collect under the Fund, despite having suffered at least as grievous a loss as surviving spouses or children. We agreed that some creativity might be required, but that a way might be found to include parents as "beneficiaries" under the Fund without at the same time reducing the amounts otherwise payable to the surviving spouse and children. 2. Some have expressed concern that the definition of "spouse", and the regulations generally, will prohibit same-sex partners and fiancés from collecting under the Fund. Again, some creativity may be required, but I am hopeful that you will find a way to craft the regulations to incorporate same-sex partners and fiancés who may have suffered exactly the same economic and non-economic losses as those now explicitly included under the Fund. 3. The injured are concerned that they may not be able to recover anything under the fund if they did not receive medical treatment within 24 hours of the incidents in question or within 24 hours of being rescued. I have already heard from one such survivor who was completely unable to get herself to a hospital and who only received medical treatment three days later, when her friends came from three states away, picked her up and took her back to a hospital there. Due to the chaos of the situation, it would seem appropriate to define "physical harm" without reference to the time period in which one received medical attention, but rather only with reference to whether or not one received the physical harm as a direct result of the September 11 attacks and their aftermath. 4. Some are concerned that the definition of "immediate aftermath", although extended under the interim final rule to 96 hours, does not in fact recognize the ongoing dangers and health hazards the rescue workers have been facing. I am hopeful that you will revise the regulations to appropriately address the ongoing risks rescue workers have faced in serving their nation and fellow citizens in the wake of these tragic events. 5. Some are concerned that, in the case of deceased claimants, the compensation from the Fund is payable to the estate of the deceased, rather than to the surviving claimant. In some cases, this will subject the compensation to schemes of distribution (in accordance with State-based estate laws) beyond that contemplated in the award. It will also tend to treat the injured (who receive the compensation themselves) differently under the Fund than the deceased, and will treat the deceased in one State differently under the Fund than the deceased in another State. It would seem to be more fair, and more orderly, to structure the regulations to make payments to the claimants under the fund directly, and to circumvent matters of differing State law to the greatest extent possible. 6. Some have expressed concern that the period used to establish ones lost income potential (an average of the income earned over the years 1998, 1999 and 2000) is unfair because it is too old and because it does not incorporate factors such as an increasing growth curve in income. My understanding is that you were inclined to use the three-year period ending September 11, 2001, and that you were amenable to incorporating factors such as an increasing growth curve in income. 7. The Act states that collateral source compensation that "the claimant has received or is entitled to receive" will be deducted, and the Interim Final Rule does not appear to set time limits with respect to future entitlements. The question of what one "is entitled to receive" seems to be wide open and some are concerned that calculations with respect to collateral sources to which one is entitled in the future will be vague, confusing and potentially unfair and unreasonable. Perhaps it would be more fair if the regulations specify that collateral source amounts, in order to be deducted, must be amounts as to which the claimant has a fully vested interest at the time the final determination under the Fund is made. 8. Some are concerned about who will have the final word with respect to their claims. Although the Act specified that there would be no appeal from the final determination of the Special Master, it would appear to be fair that claimants be entitled to appeal to the Special Master if they feel that the determination made upon the record of their Hearing is unjustifiable. Therefore, I would request that the regulations require all hearings to be fully documented, and to allow a claimant to appeal a determination to the Special Master, who will review the decision with reference to the record of the hearing. 9. Some have requested that trial cases and determinations be made available to the public, so that potential filers can gauge how the process is working. It would be helpful if you would clarify whether and to what extent information about claims, hearings and awards will be available to the public. 10. Some understand that, although the Act requires one to waive the right to participate in any civil litigation for damages pertaining to the September 11 events, lawsuits against the Taliban are still permitted. It would be helpful if you would clarify what, if any, sorts of litigation claimants may still participate in if they participate in the Fund. 11. Your introduction to the Interim Final Rule states that "the Department and the Special Master anticipate that all awards from the fund will be free of federal taxation", and it then cites Section 104(a)(2) of the Internal Revenue Code. Because it appears to be your understanding, and the understanding of the Department of Justice, that the awards will be excludable from gross income under I.R.C. 104(a)(2), please incorporate a statement to that effect directly in the regulations. 12. Some are concerned that, despite being otherwise entitled, they will not be able to file a claim under the Fund without jeopardizing themselves from an immigration perspective. Perhaps the regulations could expressly state that information concerning immigration status that is included in any claim filed under the Fund not be disclosed to the Immigration and Naturalization Service. 13. Some are concerned that unborn children, which will require support once born and who will suffer the loss of not knowing their deceased parent, may not be considered "dependents." Please clarify this in the regulations. Thank you again for coming to the 12th District of New Jersey. I appreciate your willingness to listen to the concerns of the very many people in this are affected by the events of September 11, and the time and effort you expended in explaining the regulations to them. You have my support in developing a compassionate and fair set of regulations by which to administer the Victims Compensation Fund. Sincerely, RUSH HOLT Member of Congress RH/mpm September 11 Email: Date The local time and date when the message was written. 2002-02-04 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 dojP000154.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. 2002-02-04 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. Thursday, November 29, 2001 8:46 PM Please equalize treatment for gay partners and their families in the treatment of survivors and victims of the 9/11 attacks. September 11 Email: Date The local time and date when the message was written. 2001-11-29 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource dojA000208.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. 2001-11-29 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Department of Justice Emails Description An account of the resource The Department of Justice received more than 11,000 e-mails in response to the agency's public solicitation for comments upon its plans to distribute the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund of 2001 established by Congress to benefit the victims of September 11 and their families. These e-mails have been organized here by date. September 11 Email September 11 Email: Body The basic content, as unstructured text; sometimes containing a signature block at the end. December 17, 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 Harrisonburg, VA September 11 Email: Date The local time and date when the message was written. 2001-12-17 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 dojA005112.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. 2001-12-17 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 10:00 AM Fund Benefits I am not gay, I am not an activist. I am a middle aged lady in Illinois who is outraged by plans to honor illegal aliens through this fund, but overlook partners of gay victims. God help America! Individual Comment 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 dojR000593.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. Monday, March 11, 2002 5:47 PM 9/11 benefits for surviving gay partners Dear Program Administrator: I am outraged by September 11th Victim Compensation Fund head Kenneth Feinberg's callous and on-going obfuscation regarding the unjust dispersement of 911 Fund benefits: namely, that he "cannot" authorize equitable benefits for the surviving gay partners of the 9/11 attacks. Feinberg rationalizes this blatant discrimination because of state-by-state discrepancies -- and, I might add, moral inadequacies -- in recognizing the eligibility of gay partnerships. It has been pointed out, of course, that the 911 Fund will distribute benefits to folks of any and all heterosexually-based relation to victims of the terrorist attacks, even if those people were deliberately violating federal laws in order to be in the United States on that tragic day. As a gay contributor to several relief funds connected to the September 11th attacks, I support the dispersement of these funds to everyone related to a victim, whether or not their presence in this country was legal, whether or not their partner was of the opposite sex. With all the careful thought that has been devoted to aspects of security and justice in the wake of September 11th (not to mention all the high-toned rhetoric that has been scripted for President Bush's delivery), I certainly expect your program to recognize that the gay and lesbian victims of these terrorist acts -- most of whom were US citizens who, all along, paid the taxes that have now provided you and Kenneth Feinberg with the governmental support to do your jobs -- are equally deserving of recognition for their sacrifice. Therefore, their surviving loved ones are every bit as deserving of benefits. To proceed otherwise, you will dishonor the memory of and every other gay or lesbian hero of September 11th. Sincerely, Individual Comment Glenford, OH September 11 Email: Date The local time and date when the message was written. 2002-03-11 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 dojR000272.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. 2002-03-11 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 14, 2002 8:37 PM Help all victims of terrorist attack Dear Mr. Zwick: The very humane Fund for relatives of victims of the September 11 terrorist attacks must include all relatives of all the victims. This importantly should include the partners and children of same sex unions. They suffer just as grievously for their deceased loved ones as do other survivors, and their need for assistance is just as great. Please do not give in to the importuning of callous homophobic groups and individuals who would have the Department of Justice limit compensation to survivors of heterosexual unions. They are interested in a political victory, not humane assistance. This Fund is intended for humane purposes; it is not a political statement, Mr. Zwick. Sincerely, Individual Comment Austin, TX September 11 Email: Date The local time and date when the message was written. 2002-01-14 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 dojN001804.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. 2002-01-14 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. Monday, November 19, 2001 10:08 PM Include Unborn Children as Victims Regarding your Topic #5 on Claimant Eligibility, I request that you consider those unborn children who were killed along with their pregnant mothers as a result of the September 11 terrorist attacks as "eligible victims." I am currently 7 months pregnant, and were I to be killed in a terrorist attack, I know my husband, children, and extended family would consider our unborn child as a victim. Individual Comment Las Cruces, NM September 11 Email: Date The local time and date when the message was written. 2001-11-19 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 dojW000418.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. 2001-11-19 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. December 18, 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 Washington, DC September 11 Email: Date The local time and date when the message was written. 2001-12-18 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 dojA005025.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. 2001-12-18 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. Wednesday, December 19, 2001 10:33 AM Concerned Citizen December 19, 2001 Dear Mr. Kenneth Zwick, I write as a seminarian of the Episcopal Church and 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 York, NE 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 dojA002991.xml 911DA Item Elements describing a September 11 Digital Archive item. Status The process status of this item. approved Consent Whether September 11 Digital Archive has permission to possess this item. full Posting Whether the contributor gave permission to post this item. yes Copyright Whether the contributor holds copyright to this item. yes Source The source of this item. born-digital Media Type The media type of this item. email Created by Author Whether the author created this item. yes Described by Author Whether the description of this item was submitted by the author. no Date Entered The date this item was entered into the archive. 2001-12-19 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Department of Justice Emails Description An account of the resource The Department of Justice received more than 11,000 e-mails in response to the agency's public solicitation for comments upon its plans to distribute the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund of 2001 established by Congress to benefit the victims of September 11 and their families. These e-mails have been organized here by date. September 11 Email September 11 Email: Body The basic content, as unstructured text; sometimes containing a signature block at the end. Wednesday, December 19, 2001 10:14 AM Victims Relief Fund Non-Discrimination 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 Arlington, VA 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 dojA002950.xml 911DA Item Elements describing a September 11 Digital Archive item. Status The process status of this item. approved Consent Whether September 11 Digital Archive has permission to possess this item. full Posting Whether the contributor gave permission to post this item. yes Copyright Whether the contributor holds copyright to this item. yes Source The source of this item. born-digital Media Type The media type of this item. email Created by Author Whether the author created this item. yes Described by Author Whether the description of this item was submitted by the author. no Date Entered The date this item was entered into the archive. 2001-12-19 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Department of Justice Emails Description An account of the resource The Department of Justice received more than 11,000 e-mails in response to the agency's public solicitation for comments upon its plans to distribute the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund of 2001 established by Congress to benefit the victims of September 11 and their families. These e-mails have been organized here by date. September 11 Email September 11 Email: Body The basic content, as unstructured text; sometimes containing a signature block at the end. Wednesday, December 19, 2001 11:12 AM homosexual partners 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. There is enough religious lunacy abroad in the world today. The morality of 5th century Judaism should not be binding on us in the 21st century unless you happen to agree with that extraordinary passaage in Leviticus 19 where we are enjoined to love our neighbor. 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 Vancouver, WA September 11 Email: Date The local time and date when the message was written. 2001-12-19 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource dojA003075.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. Thursday, March 14, 2002 9:56 PM To: Kenneth Feinberg and Fund We received this by e-mail today. This is appalling, un-American, and downright wrong. Kenneth Feinberg is showing the worst kind of leadership -- weakness and excuses when what is needed is compassion to include everyone equally in recognition of the fact that gay men and women died, gay men and women were heroes on the planes and on the ground, in recognition of the fact that gay men and women, like those who are here illegally, deserve this country's best right now. As taxpayers we ask you to rethink this horrendous and unjust decision. Individual Comment durham nc September 11 Email: Date The local time and date when the message was written. 2002-03-14 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 dojR000807.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. 2002-03-14 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. 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 San Francisco, CA 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 dojA001887.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, November 06, 2001 9:33 AM Brother NYPD WTC victim 1. The American people donated to charities to assist my sister in law and parents not to help balance the government's books. 2. The bailout fund is not charity for the families, but for the airlines. The families have already been robbed by this legislation of the ability to sue the airlines for every penny they have regardless of whether or not the airlines are in any way culpable. The legislation prevents damages awarded from exceeding the airline's insurance. Why do the families have to be the continual victims of this tragedy - first of the terrorists, then of the airlines and now of congress. 3. The idea of this fund is to prevent a mountain of lawsuits against the airlines. If the families sued neither charitable nor insurance monies received would be deducted from any settlement or court decision. 4. The set up of the fund is already outrageous: - Being asked to sign away rights before being offered a settlement - NO appeal to settlement - which seems unconstitutional and is certainly unconscionable - No guidelines for how the amount will be arrived at available to families - A Master of the Fund position with unprecedented powers who has yet to be announced. THIS FUND IS NOT CHARITY, IT ASKS THE FAMILIES TO SURRENDER THEIR RIGHTS IN EXCHANGE FOR A SETTLEMENT. IF THE GOVERNMENT DECIDED TO PLACATE THE AIRLINE LOBBY THE FAMILES OF VICTIMS SHOULD NOT HAVE TO PAY FOR IT. Best Regards, Individual Comment September 11 Email: Date The local time and date when the message was written. 2001-11-06 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 dojW000038.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. 2001-11-06 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 06, 2001 5:03 PM Compensation Opinion I strongly believe that 9/11 victims should be compensated from either charities or government funds, not both. I disagree with the sentiment that those contributing to charity will be disinclined to donate in the future if their funds do not go directly to victims. On the contrary, many donors might be disinclined to donate again if they knew their donations were going to victims who had also received taxpayer support. Given our economy and the many negative repercussions of September 11, I believe double-compensation would be horribly wasteful. Thank you for soliciting public opinion. Sincerely, Individual Comment Portland, Oregon September 11 Email: Date The local time and date when the message was written. 2001-11-06 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 dojW000134.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. 2001-11-06