R000489
Tuesday, March 12, 2002 4:31 PM
DON'T EXCLUDE GAYS FROM 9/11 Victims' Compensation
Dear Mr. Feinberg,
As a survivor of the terrorist attacks on the WTC (I worked in 2 WTC), I am
writing to voice my concern over the exclusion of same-sex partners from
the 9/11 Victims' Compensation Fund. This horrible tragedy was unprecedented
and affected people from all walks of American society. All the affected
deserve our help.
Contrary to your assertion that you have no practical choice other than to
follow the often-discriminatory state and local laws on same-sex partnerships
and benefits, you could actually devise fair rules that recognize functional
households regardless of sexual orientation or marital status. The Bush
administration has recognized that a compassionate and effective response will
entail making certain exceptions to general U.S. policy on eligibility for
public benefits, such as making compensation available to undocumented aliens
(and protecting their employers from prosecution should such individuals come
forward).
Please make sure that ALL affected families and households receive the
assistance they need to cope with this terrorist attack, whether the household
was counting on the income of a brother or sister, an opposite-sex but
unmarried partner, a same-sex partner, or a friend. Fair rules can be devised
for assisting all families and households who were directly affected by this
terrorist attack. Please don't use this as an opportunity to cut out or
further marginalize people whose loss and grief is no less real because they
are not heterosexual.
Sincerely,
Individual Comment
Brooklyn, NY