A001584
Thursday, December 13, 2001 3:25 PM
Ensure Fair Treatment for ALL September 11th Victims' Families
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.
Additionally, it should be noted that gays & lesbians were equally devastated
by this disaster, with one of the killed pilots being a gay pilot, ; one of the heroes of Flight 93 who subverted the terrorists
attack by forcing the plane down in a field in Pennsylvania, was Gay Business
Owner and Rugby player, ; also tragically killed were a gay couple and their adopted son who were aboard Flight 175; and The openly gay
NYFD chaplain who died while reading last rites to a victim at the site of
the WTC; and the list continues and continues.
Just as gays & lesbians are represented in those who morn and are
contributing to relief and recovery efforts and who put their lives on the
line everyday as fire fighters, paramedics and police officers SO is our
tremendous loss and grief.
Please treat all the survivors of the victims' of this terrible tragedy
equally with the greatest amount of respect and honor and financial support
as possible--regardless of financial status, sexual orientation, race,
gender, social standing, religious affiliation.
Thank you for considering my comments. I look forward to hearing how you
will act on these very important issues.
Sincerely,
Individual Comment
Irvine, CA