R002385
Wednesday, March 20, 2002 3:34 PM
Victim Compensation Fund should not discriminate
All of those who died September 11, 2001, deserve to be remembered,
and their families, "traditional" or not, deserve to be given equally
fair compensation by our government of ALL the people. To deny families
of gays and lesbians the same benefits of the Victim Compensation Fund
would be to say that their children are less deserving of support by our
society and that their partners in life were not just as loved, caring
and supportive as the children and life partners of other families. To
make such assertions would not be fitting of America and it would be
against American values of fairness to deny them the same benefits as
other families.
It is my understanding that many exceptions to current law are being
made to ensure that many victims of 9/11who might otherwise not be
eligible (e.g., alliens and their employers - legal or not) are fairly
compensated by the Victim Compensation Fund, so it would be
unconscionable to discriminate against gays and lesbians and their
surviving families by hiding behind legal technicalities. I strongly
urge you to ensure that no group or individuals are singled out for
discriminatory treatment by the Victim Compensation Fund because they
are labeled gay or lesbian.
Sincerely,
Individual Comment
Belmont, CA