R000542
Tuesday, March 12, 2002 11:21 PM
Victims fund
Dear Mr. Feinberg,
I realize the difficulty of the task you have been charged with. However,
after your comments on Meet the Press regarding excluding certain members of
the victim community, I must question if you understand what the point of
the victims fund is. Or maybe I don't understand.
Victims fund = help the victims. ALL THE VICTIMS - not just certain ones.
I certainly don't believe one group of victims is more deserving than the
other - so I am pleased that you have decided to include those people who
are/were in this country without permission. That is the right thing to do.
It would also be the 'right thing to do' to include those victims with same
sex or un-married partners as recipients.
You mentioned that if the local state government recognized these
partnerships - than you would also. In NYC - same sex partners are eligible
to register as domestic partners and receive a number of benefits and
protections. This IS recognition by the local government. It is also illegal
to discriminate in NYC based on sexual orientation. That sounds like
recognition to me.
I think that you and your staff need to get a better grip on what is real.
The point of the fund - again - is to help victims. Please take a stand and
do what is right. Include all victims and not just the ones you feel
comfortable recognizing - otherwise you are not the right person for this
job.
Thank you.
Individual Comment