W000286
Friday, November 09, 2001 12:14 PM
Comments regarding Compensation for families
I lost my brother in the WTC attacks. Not only that, I witnessed the
entire thing. Traumatized is a mild word describing my state.
Let me list the things wrong with the Bill being considered by our
Congress. First of all, is there any one in our Congress who lost someone
to this hideous event? If not, they are not qualified for the job. So
which Marshall is qualified?
Since there is no other way the families can seek justice except by filing
lawsuits and making the negligable parties pay monetary, that is what we,
as Americans should have the right to.
1) How can the government say that there is one person who represents the
family? There are many people suffering from this loss, not just a spouse,
but how about their children and their parents and siblings? I personally
don't want a red cent, but I want my sister-in-law and my parents to get
what they deserve!
2) How can the government say that this one representative must sign an
agreement to accept a settlement before even knowing what it is, and at
the same time, giving up her and the entire family's right to sue? What
genius decided that? Logically, they should be told what the settlement is
at the time, and then she can choose to accept it or not? What's with game
playing? The families aren't going through enough, so our government has
to torture us more? Is that how it works in this country?
3) Is my mother and father not entitled to sue (for reasons of attaining
revenge and justice, not to get rich) for their anquish of losing a son?
4) Since I, and millions of Americans fully understand that this attack
was the fault of our U.S. government, the government should do what is
right by the families so we can feel some sort of justice is done.
Unfortunately, the way to seek revenge and justice is through making the
responsible party pay in terms of money, since we cannot send someone to
jail or punish those responsible in any way. In other words, we are
helpless against a GIANT beaurocratic system that we have no control over.
How do you think that feels?
I'll tell you why people believe this is the fault of our government. The
reasons are actually obvious but I'll spell them out anyway.
a) Our CIA were asleep at the wheel. Where were they?
b) Our government was so concerned about who Bill Clinton's affairs, that
no one paid any attention to Homeland Security. Where was everyone? Why
were people allowed to walk onto our planes with knives? Why are our
airport workers who have the MOST important job as far as security goes,
receiving minimum wage and have criminal records?
c) Where were our intelligence overseas tracking these terrorists before?
Or did we not know that al-Queda wasn't planning on an attack
on Americans.
The list goes on and on and truth is I'm already mentally exhausted.
However, I, along with 5000 other families will muster up the energy to
fight. We, the "lucky" ones, who have to endure this pain forever, will
have to fight in some way, whether it's through the media or other ways.
We will be heard.
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