R002598
Thursday, March 21, 2002 3:44 PM
Victim benefits to gay Americans
Mr. Fienberg,
I am horrified by how poorly the gay survivors of loved ones killed in the terrorist attacks of 9/11 are being treated. I am disgusted that our government could respond to their plight in such a callous and cruel manner, and that those responsible for administering the millions and millions of dollars of aid -- designed to protect these victims from such additional tragedies as the loss of their homes, etc. -- could be willing to disenfranchise American citizens based on their own personal bigotry.
You undermine our ability to declare the U.S. any kind of world-wide moral authority or beacon of individual freedom and civil liberties when you continue to treat gay Americans as second-class citizens and less worthy of your concern or support than heterosexual Americans.
Whatever your personal feelings around the issue of homosexuality, there are hundreds of gay people who were profoundly and tragically impacted by the events of that horrible day. As fellow Americans, they deserve as much of your sympathy and support as their heterosexual counterparts have recieved.
I will be watching this issue closely and will be communicating with my federal representatives and urging them not to allow this kind of blatant bigotry to factor in to benefits to survivors.
Sincerely,
Individual Comment
Van Nuys, CA.