R002249
Tuesday, March 19, 2002 7:10 PM
justice and fairness
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
Dear Kenneth Zwick,
I would like to voice my extreme outrage that gay and lesbian partners of
those
who died on September 11 are not automatically going to receive the same
benefits as heterosexual spouses from the Victim Compensation Fund.
September 11 reminded many citizens of America's promise of justice,
pluralism, and equality and of how inspiring that promise can be. It is
quite incredible that our very own government would endorse the notion that
some American lives are worthier than others and specifically that some
kinds of love and family are inferior.
Gay and lesbian Americans are tragically barred from legal recognition of
their kin ties, but those kin ties are precious nonetheless. Family members
of gay men and lesbians killed on September 11 do not feel grief of a
lesser order and they should not be compensated in a way that adds to their
pain and suffering.
Individual Comment