dojR001052.xml

dojR001052.xml

born-digital

email

yes

no

2002-03-16

Saturday, March 16, 2002 3:41 PM
9/11 Fund's Treatment of Gays and Lesbians

Kenneth L. Zwick

Mr. Zwick

I was amazed to learn of the way in which the 9/11 fund is discriminating
against gays and lesbians. Unborn children and illegal aliens are being
included without regard to the state and federal laws applicable to those
groups. However, gays and lesbians will only be included to the extent
applicable state laws allow.

It is disheartening to discover that prejudice and hate can continue to live
so strongly in a time when unity is so important. First, in the comments of
, who actually blamed gays and lesbians for causing God to allow the attacks to occur in the first place. And now, in the unfair treatment of gay and lesbian citizens of this country when it comes to their participation
in the fund.

The enormous amount of national pride that has been generated and displayed
since 9/11 is an amazing and wonderful thing. So wonderful that the American
public has been willing to focus less on our country's deteriorating
financial condition. A fact no doubt welcomed, and probably encouraged, by
the current administration. That's smart politics. But to also use recent
events as yet another vehicle for discriminating against the gay and lesbian
community is unconsionable, and has much more to do with hate and intolerance
than it does with politics.

ALL of the deaths caused on 9/11 are tragic, and I mourn every one of them.
It is heartbreaking to learn that the U.S. Government mourns those gays and
lesbians who died on 9/11 less than the other victims.

Individual Comment
Atlanta, Georgia

2002-03-16