dojA002885.xml

dojA002885.xml

born-digital

email

yes

no

2001-12-19

Wednesday, December 19, 2001 9:41 AM
Please consider all families in relief fund


December 19, 2001

Dear Mr. Kenneth Zwick,

I write as a member of Amnesty International 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 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 and gay people were killed in the September 11th attacks.
Since then, lesbian and gay 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.

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
St. Louis, MO

2001-12-19