dojR002861.xml

dojR002861.xml

born-digital

email

yes

no

2002-04-02

3.13.02

Kenneth L. Zwick, Director
Office of Management Programs
Civil Division
U.S. Department of Justice
Main Building, Room 3140
950 Pennsylvania Avenue
Washington, DC 20530
RE: Compensation for 9/11 Survivors

I am disgusted that you effectively excluded the survivors of gay and
lesbian Americans who died on 9/11 from receiving benefits due them from the
9/11 Compensation Fund.

It is completely unacceptable for you to defer to state law on this issue. This is
not a state issue. It is a federal issue. You are fully aware that only two states
have laws that recognize gay partnerships. Your deferral to state law is clearly
nothing more than a thin fabrication to avoid responsibility for your morally
sadistic decision to dishonor the survivors of gay men and women.

Your decision brings to mind too clearly the decision of some of the commanders
of allied troops which liberated the concentration camps after the Nazi
collapse. They ordered that gay concentration camp victims be held in the
camps-among the smoldering and rotting dead-because under German law
their homosexuality made them common criminals. That decision was fairly
quickly reserved, and I hope you will reserve yours.

Yours Sincerely

Individual Comment
San Diego, CA

2002-04-02