A005554
Special Master Kenneth R. Feinberg
September 11th Victim's Compensation Fund
U.S. Department of Justice
Tenth Street and Constitutional Ave NW
Washington, D.C. 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/domestic partnership 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/domestic
partnership 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 forwward to hearing how you will act on these
very important issues.
Sincerely,
Individual Comment
Minneapolis, MN