dojA004251.xml

dojA004251.xml

born-digital

email

yes

no

2001-12-20

Thursday, December 20, 2001 11:21 AM
Don't compound anyone's loss!


December 20, 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. As a member and an American citizen, I support
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.

When considering 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 and gay people were killed in the September 11th attacks.
Since then, lesbian and gay surviving partners of those killed (as well as
straight not-quite-married folks) 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
Urbana, IL

2001-12-20