P000162
Saturday, January 26, 2002 12:29 PM
Revised e-mail
I am outraged about an article I just finished reading in the 1-26-02 edition of the Denver Post newspaper entitled "9-11 Families Recoil At E-Mails Painting Them As Greedy." In this article, AP Reporter Shannon McCaffrey notes that according to Special Master Kenneth Feinberg, the fund's "average award will be $1.6 million, although final details are still being worked out." McCaffrey's article then cites a number of examples of victims' survivors who are not satisfied with the amount of what they believe to be their entitlement. For example, McCaffrey cites the case of , a widower whose husband was killed at the World Trade Center site. complains because she "has figured that under the fund she would be entitled to about 1.1 million. But her husband's life insurance and supplemental policy from his employer total $1.4 million, so she fears she will get nothing from the government." (Underline added).
My outrage is twofold. First, I disagree with the stated purpose behind the government's creation of the fund -- to limit the civil liability of the airlines and other entities arising from the 9-11-01 terrorist attacks. The creation of the fund for this purpose pre-determines that the airlines were negligent and therefore responsible for thousands of deaths because they did not prevent the terrorist attacks. This is an absurd conclusion. Neither the CIA, the FBI, the NSA nor the US Military, entities charged with the responsibility of preventing such attacks, saw the attacks coming. Nevertheless, by virtue of creating the fund, it is apparent that Congress feels like the airlines dropped the ball on this one and are civilly liable. ABSURD!!!!. This was a unique and hopefully one-time occurrence -- one that was impossible to predict -- BY ANYONE including the US Government!!!! It is time for all involved to get a reality check -- sometimes, bad things happen for no particular reason and because of no one's fault.
My second source of outrage arises from the families' feeling of entitlement. I am quite sure that people in Bakersfield, CA, Sidney, NE, Baton Rouge, LA, Mobile AL and a number of American cities also died on 09-11-01. Where do survivors of these victims go to collect their government payoff? Better yet, since my father died when I was 11 years old and I have collected nothing from the government, where do I go to collect my entitlement? Since I am now 36 years of age, all of the interest accruing on my entitlement must have pushed the figure over 2.5 million by now? I cannot wait to get the money and take my family to Disney Land.
Please do not misunderstand me. I truly feel sorry for the families who lost loved ones on 9-11-01. However, I do not feel sorry for a lady who, because she is collecting $1.4 million in private insurance proceeds, might not be able to collect her government entitlement of $1.1 million. She and others like her are GREEDY PROFITEERS whose voices do not deserve to be heard. If anyone is at fault here, it is Bin Laden and his Al Queda organization. Sue their pants off and I hope each survivor collects $1.6 trillion. Until then, do not use my tax revenue to pay off greedy people like .
Individual Comment
Westminster, CO