R000512
Tuesday, March 12, 2002 6:59 PM
compensate 9-11 equally
Dear President Bush and Friends at Department of Justice,
Every segment of our society was affected by the horrible events
of September 11th. So many loved ones were torn from their families and
partners. Some of the committed couples that were torn apart were not
married. These include heterosexual and homosexual couples who were
making a life together. It is not the place of the September 11th Fund
to judge the victims of September 11th, nor to play favorites. You have
shown great moral courage in offering compensation to illegal
immigrants, the least you can do is show the same grace towards citizens
who also lost their life partners, but happened not to be married to
them.
Your purpose should be to help those most in need. People whose
life partners were killed on September 11th have been greatly
traumatized and lost family income they depended on. Because of
prejudicial laws they may even lose their homes or other assets and be
even more financially devastated by the loss of their life partner than
those who were married. Tell me, when Americans responded to September
11th with a flood of donations, did all those checks come in the
charities with notes saying "restrict these funds to heterosexual and
married victims"? No, because donors wanted to help those who needed
help, regardless of their personal characteristics. Did the passengers
on flight refuse his heroic efforts because he was
homosexual? No, people should be judged on their actions, not on their
life partners. Do we restrict the privileges and responsibilities of
citizenship to heterosexual married people only? No, our nation is
strong due to a rich, diverse society of contributers who are both
single and married, heterosexual and homosexual. Please honor the spirit
of generosity which you originally sought to facilitate in response to
this devastating event.
Sincerely,
Individual Comment
Fairfax, CA