A000162
Wednesday, November 28, 2001 10:12 PM
9/11/01
Mr. Zwick,
I am writing to you out of concern for the families of those people killed
in the WTC/Pentagon attacks who happened to be members of the gay/lesbian
community.
The relationships these people had with their departed loved ones were no
less valid than the one I have with my husband of seventeen years. I'd
guess a good number of them were of longer duration. And they are just as
emotionally and financially devastated as I would be were I to loose my
spouse.
And yet, in spite of all of this, they are facing no relief, no help,
because our wonderful country cannot see fit to wrap the arms of civil
union around the LesBiGay community. For some reason lost to me, those in
power are unable to separate the 'legal' contract of marriage from the
religious rite of matrimony. There is no reason whatsover to prohibit gays
and lesbians from engaging in civil marriages - to protect themselves,
adopted children, property and other interests. Nothing save the
intolerant, judgemental, paternalism of the religious right. The 'rite'
needs to be separated from the 'right'.
I implore you, in the spirit of dignity and fairness, please afford the
survivors of those killed on that terrible day the same rights you would
afford to me had my husband died that day. Many of these couples were
joined together in religious ceremonies in their churches - their
communities see them as married. Their hearts were married. They may have
lost a person the feel as a parent or child to. They are no less survivors
of that gay person than I would be my husband. They deserve to be treated
as such when applying for assistance.
Individual Comment
Virginia Beach, VA