dojA002666.xml

dojA002666.xml

born-digital

email

yes

no

2001-12-19

Wednesday, December 19, 2001 7:15 AM
Victims Relief Fund Legislation


December 19, 2001

Dear Mr. Kenneth Zwick,

I write as a member of Amnesty International, a worldwide human rights
movement committed to ensuring respect for the basic human rights of people
without discrimination. I ask you to support of equal access to benefits
under the September 11 Victims Relief Fund for all victims, regardless of
sexual orientation or marital status.

As you consider rules for administering the relief fund, I ask that you
apply the general principle of equality, by including among relatives
eligible for compensation those who lost their life partners, as well as de
facto parents or children, without regard to sexual orientation or marital
status. The State of New York has already adopted such a policy, granting
compensation benefits "on a showing of mutual interdependence with the
victim, in recognition that anyone who shared with the victim living
expenses, day to day activities and the emotional bonds of family deserves
help in this time of need." The people of Pennsylvania are as open minded
as those of New York.

Many lesbian and gay people were killed in the September 11th attacks.
Since then, lesbian and gay surviving partners of those killed have had
mixed results in obtaining equal treatment at the local level in the
distribution of relief funds by private and state agencies. In
compensating victims, real justice will be served only when all families -
and all types of families - impacted by the human rights tragedy of
September 11 are treated with dignity and equality.

Thank you for considering my concerns.


Sincerely,

Individual Comment
State College, PA

2001-12-19