dojN000681.xml

dojN000681.xml

born-digital

email

yes

no

2001-12-21

Friday, December 21, 2001 7:54 PM
civil rights concern


December 21, 2001

Dear Mr. Kenneth Zwick,

I write in 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 know, the United States has committed to uphold
international human rights standards, including the Universal Declaration
of Human Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political
Rights, which prohibit arbitrary discrimination.

As you consider rules for administering the relief fund, I ask that you
apply basic international human rights standards, and 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."

Many lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) people were killed in
the September 11th attacks. Since then, LGBT 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.
An inclusive policy on the part of the federal government would help
establish an important principle for other such funds. 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. I look forward to hearing from you
about your efforts to ensure that all surviving victims of the September 11
attacks have equal access to the relief fund.


Sincerely,

Individual Comment
Minneapolis, MN

2001-12-21