dojA000237.xml

dojA000237.xml

born-digital

email

yes

no

2001-11-30

Friday, November 30, 2001 11:03 PM


Dear Attorney General Ashcroft,

The deaths on September 11th were the result of an attack on America.
Please do not discriminate against the unmarried partners of September 11th
victims. All unmarried partners, gay or straight, young and old and their
dependents should be eligible for compensation.

The vast majority of western civilization including religious institutions
used to believe that women and African Americans should not be afforded
equal rights. It's hard to believe that it was ever this way, yet the same
type of rigid thinking discriminates against unmarried and homosexual
people today.

I know that this does not make your job any easier, nor does it make it
easy to administer funds to survivors of victims, and while fairness often
comes with a price, fairness also pays greater social dividends over time.
It would be hard to imagine women and African-Americans being treated today
as they had been at the turn of the century. Society at large takes a long
time to change course and overcome prejudice. Yet wise people with
perspective have to help chart that course, making even small changes that
become significant change over time.

I have faith in your compassion for all people who justly deserve
assistance, and in your dedication to not discriminate on the basis of
religiously-oriented opinion or upon sexual orientation.

Individual Comment

2001-11-30