W000264
Thursday, November 08, 2001 5:11 PM
Victim Compensation
To Whom It May Concern:
It is my belief that the government should only compensate victims after considering the amount they have received from charity.
My wife and I have made a generous contribution. I feel that my tax dollars, over which I have no control, should only be used in such a way to make the victims "whole".
This event has generated an outpouring of sympathy and monetary contributions beyond anyone's imagination and rightfully so. But I would point out that there are tragedies occurring each day such as traffic fatalities, cancer deaths, job loss due to the downturn that are just as devastaing to families and loved ones. Why should they have to deal with such disasters with no help from the government while the Sept 11th victims' families are enriched far beyond what they could have ever have hoped to achieve if their loved one had survived.
My mother died when I was eight years old so I know the grief and financial and emotional impact that can result. My father worked for a government agency that required him to be away for extended periods on special projects so I had to go live with various relatives. And when he was home, the cost of child care destroyed his savings. There was no victims compensation fund to help nor was there any charity. You may say well she wasn't a victim of a terrorist attack. But I can assure you that when death comes to a young parent the consequences to their family has nothing to do with how it occurred.
Quite frankly, I will feel that my generosity was betrayed if the governments victims compensation fund allows what amounts to "double dipping"
Yours truly,
Individual Comment
Chappaqua, NY