dojW000129.xml

dojW000129.xml

born-digital

email

yes

no

2001-11-06

Tuesday, November 06, 2001 4:27 PM
Victim's Compensation Fund

Dear Sir or Madam,

I am writing to express my feelings because I feel that victims of the September 11 tragedies should have their awards reduced by the amount of charitable aid they receive. It is not because I do not know these families have suffered. It is because the purpose of this fund as I see it is to make families whole from this horrible act, not enrich them at the expense of taxpayers.

Workers are killed or permanently disabled every day in on-the-job accidents. One of the functions of my job is to administer a scholarship program for the children of these workers in Alabama. They may receive workers' compensation and/or SSI, but that is it. If workers who are killed have no life insurance, there is no group offering money for these families until their children are grown.

My house burned when I was a child. Of course people gave us clothes and such, but insurance rebuilt our house. My grandparents' house was destroyed by a tornado. Again, insurance rebuilt their house.

To me it is an issue of fairness. What is fair for all the people whose homes are destroyed or who lose a family member each year to hurricanes, floods, tornadoes, car wrecks or robbers? Yes, these families' loss is terrible. However, I feel it is no more terrible than any other family who loses a family member or home to a tragedy.

Sincerely,

Individual Comment
Montgomery, AL

2001-11-06