R002240
Tuesday, March 19, 2002 6:25 PM
9/11 Victims Fund discrimination
Kenneth L. Zwick, Director
Office of Management Programs
Civil Division
U.S. Department of Justice
Main Building, Room 3140
950 Pennsylvania Avenue
Washington, DC 20530
Director Zwick:
I realize that when our government wants to use September 11th heroism to
inspire others, we are all referred to as Americans, with no hyphens to
differentiate us (read, to discriminate against us). Not African-Americans,
not Italian-Americans, not Gay-Americans, but simply Americans in one
American family. However, I am outraged to learn that when it comes time to
actually aid the families of those heroes, the hyphens come back to haunt
and it appears that some American heroes will be deliberately discriminated
against, that the 9/11 Victims Fund distributions apparently will not be
received by particular victims (even though every kind of American
contributed funds in the good faith that they would be distributed in good
faith).
I have learned that the gay and lesbian partners of those who died on
September 11, 2001 are not automatically going to receive the same benefits
as heterosexual spouses. Even fetuses and illegal aliens will receive
benefits. I understand that illegal aliens have even been promised that the
Fund and the federal authorities will overlook federal law and NOT report,
arrest or deport the illegal alien families of illegal alien victims, nor
will they punish the American companies that hired the illegals in violation
of federal labor laws!
Do not misunderstand my ire. I do not think any victims should be deported
or further victimized. However, when it comes to the gay and lesbian heroes
of the day - who helped bring down the flight in Pennsylvania, NY Fire Dept. who died in the line of duty when the first tower fell, and who was of the plane that crashed into the (and there are more) - we are told the law is
the law and no exceptions can be made.
What rubbish! It makes me feel like yelling, "Welcome to Amerika, where some
Amerikans clearly are more equal than others!" When will this
institutionalized discrimination and legalized victimization, accompanied by
incessant, "legal" mumbo-jumbo stop?!
ENOUGH! Heroes are heroes, no matter their origin or orientation. Victims
are already victims.
Be courageous. Stop deliberate victimization; forever.
Thank you,
Individual Comment
Claremont, CA