dojN000085.xml

dojN000085.xml

born-digital

email

yes

no

2001-12-20

Thursday, December 20, 2001 7:12 PM
Equal rights


December 20, 2001

Dear Mr. Kenneth Zwick,

As a member of Amnesty International, a worldwide movement committed to
promoting human rights and preventing discrimination, I urge you to give
all victims equal access to benefits under the September 11 Victims Relief
Fund, regardless of their sexual orientation or marital status.

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 these basic international human rights
standards by including all those who lost their life partners, or their de
facto parents or children, among relatives eligible for compensation. 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.
Their surviving partners have had mixed results in obtaining their fair
share of relief funds distributed by private and state agencies. An
inclusive policy on the part of the federal government would help set an
important precedent for other such funds. Real justice will be served only
when all families - and all types of families - affected by the tragedy of
September 11 are treated with dignity and equality.

Sincerely,

Individual Comment
Princeton, NJ

2001-12-20