N000125
Thursday, December 20, 2001 8:59 PM
Payment plan for survivors of 09/11
Indeed 09/11 was the most tragic event that has taken place in my lifetime.
Lives of generations have been changed forever. I can still vividly see the
news pictures.
I am very concerned over these payments. I have calculated that if I had
died in the WTC my wife and son would have received approximately $1.2
million from this federal fund, the $200,000 I have in life insurance, my
savings, $200,000 from my accidental death policy plus whatever comes from
our church and charities. In addition to these things, since I would have
been at work they would be entitled to workers' compensation payments.
So, you are looking at well over $1.5 million not counting specific numbers
from charities. Even at current interest rates an investment of this would
yield more than my annual income and my family could live off the interest
easily.
I guess the short end of this is that I feel these payments from the Federal
government are excessive. While death is sad, when do you draw the line
about making payments like this. I assure you that if my wife or son were
to die as the result of a terrorist attack I expect to get the same
treatment from my government. That is because this dangerous precedent is
being set.
I have also asked myself is my government doing this to avoid law suits
against the airlines and this is another way to bail them out. I hope not.
I suspect, knowing corporate America, that the airlines will do all they can
to better themselves because of this tragedy. They will seek out any monies
they can get. I only hope that some auditor is comparing their current
status to 09/10.
With regard to gay/lesbian survivors, the bottom line is that the laws of
this land do not provide for payment to those that are not family, spouses
or children. That is the bottom line. If you permit this now you will set
another dangerous precedent.
I am a married man with a child. I am the average American. Gay and
lesbian folks are not. Politics aside, no other animal on this planet
establishes life long sexual relationships with same sex partners. We were
not designed as a species for this. Bottom line, the average American does
not believe in supporting homosexuality. As soon as anyone speaks out
against it we are trampled by a loud gay/lesbian alleging we are homophobic.
This is absurd.
In summary, please reconsider the amount of payments as you are spending our
tax dollars and do not permit gay/lesbian people to claim survivorship
status.
Thank you.
Individual Comment