dojR000607.xml

dojR000607.xml

born-digital

email

yes

no

2002-03-13

Wednesday, March 13, 2002 11:12 AM
9/11 Fund To Discriminate Against Gay Families?


Dear Mr. Kenneth Feinberg,

I was very disturbed and disappointed to read that on
"Meet the Press" on Sunday 3/10/02 you described how
gay families will be discriminated against by the
September 11th Victim Compensation Fund and not
receive any support.

Just because most states treat gay people as
second-class citizens does not mean that the 9/11 Fund
should. The gay families that have suffered losses
because of the attacks have been hurt just as much as
the straight families. And the gay heroes, like (one of the heroes of United Flight 93 on
9/11), were as instrumental in preventing more death
and destruction during the attacks and helping to save
lives on the ground as the straight folks that day
(don't forget that the first official casualty of the
WTC attacks was , a onsite at WTC 1 to help with the rescue
efforts).

Remarkably, you've indicated that the families of
ILLEGAL ALIENS will get compensation. The families of
non-citizens who are in the USA illegally will get
compensation but the families of gay American citizens
won't? You indicated that the reason gay families
won't get compensation is because the states don't
recognize the relationships. But the states also
don't recognize the right of illegal aliens to be in
the United States illegally and yet you find this to
be an acceptable exception. This is absurd and
un-American.

At a time when our patriotism and love of country
transcend our differences and unite us all as
Americans, the 9/11 Fund is choosing to divide us as a
people, and send the message to all that some American
heroes are more equal than others.

Read the following excerpts from Senator John McCain's
Eulogy for on September 22, 2001 and tell
me how it's OK to discriminate against family
while compensating the families of illegal aliens.


Sincerely,
Individual Comment
Atlanta GA

2002-03-13