R001384
Sunday, March 17, 2002 11:00 AM
Where is the fairness?
I was dismayed and outraged to hear that Kenneth Feinberg, the special
master in charge of the federal victims' compensation fund, has decided to
let bigotry and discrimination be his watchwords when it comes to
recognizing the families and partners of gay and lesbian victims of
9-11. As its name indicates, the federal victims' compensation fund is
federal money, not state money. ALL people should be treated fairly,
equally, under the blanket of federal jurisdiction regardless of which
state they happen to call home.
The Bush administration has been getting a lot of mileage out of the
rallying mantra of a United America, expecting support from all yet
refusing to give fair treatment to all. There were gay and lesbian
victims and heroes on 9-11--there was no discrimination based on sexual
orientation in those terrorist acts. There continue to be gay and lesbian
people working at ground zero and risking their lives in this war on
terrorism. Their loved ones deserve the same honor and recognition as all
other beloved survivors. Anything less is a shameful example of the
hypocrisy of Feinberg's position--he will compensate illegal aliens but not
gay American citizens. He will compensate fetuses but not the children of
gay families torn apart by 9-11. It is outrageous!
I sincerely hope that the administration will rethink this stand and
recognize that, as the federal government, they must stand up for all of
us, not pick and choose or leave it up to current state statutes.
Individual Comment
Vermont