R000619
Wednesday, March 13, 2002 1:13 PM
the deep disgrace of the 9/11 Victims' Compensation Fund
Mr. President:
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. Few things in my life have angered and
saddened me as much as the events of September 11th, but your
administration's decision to compound the pain of those who have lost loved
ones in the terrorist attacks by failing to provide them their just portion
of the Victims' Compensation Fund has just re-opened that wound and driven
my anger to new heights.
I am a Republican, a deeply patriotic American, a committed free marketeer
and a New Yorker who was downtown on September 11th, who lost colleagues in
the attacks and whose apartment was filled for months with the smoke from
Ground Zero. I fully expect to die an early death from lung cancer due to
all the contaminants I have breathed in since September 11th.
I am also proud to say I include among my friends and family a range of
wonderful people who happen to be homosexual. The very IDEA that Kenneth
Feinberg (Head of the 9/11 Victims' Compensation Fund) can go on TV and tell
me that ILLEGAL ALIENS are going to be given taxpayer dollars for being in
the wrong place at the right time, and in the same breath tell me that
homosexuals (including , one of the heroes that brought down Flight 93 to prevent its crashing into the US Congress) are less-than-human
in your administration's eyes is appalling.
Your 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.
I have every confidence that you will make sure the right thing is done in
this matter, Mr. President. These are difficult times in this country, and
the last thing we need right now is for our President (and policy) to be
influenced by a pack of disgusting bigots hell-bent on denying homosexual
Americans their fair and unbiased share of all America has to offer.
Sincerely,
Individual Comment
Brooklyn Heights, New York