1017 20 70359 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Department of Justice Emails Description An account of the resource The Department of Justice received more than 11,000 e-mails in response to the agency's public solicitation for comments upon its plans to distribute the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund of 2001 established by Congress to benefit the victims of September 11 and their families. These e-mails have been organized here by date. September 11 Email September 11 Email: Body The basic content, as unstructured text; sometimes containing a signature block at the end. Tuesday, March 19, 2002 7:56 PM Gay Victim compensation Why is it that Gays can rescue those to be rescued, put out the burning building, dig through the rubble - and DIE in service to others??? Because we are people - people that care !!! The exclusion from victim compensation of Gay and Lesbian Domestic Partners is an outrage !!!! If one can document their partnership by a Will or co-ownership of property - then they too deserve to be compensated. This sounds like nothing more than PREJUDICE !!! Individual Comment Gloucester County NJ September 11 Email: Date The local time and date when the message was written. 2002-03-19 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource dojR002258.xml 911DA Item Elements describing a September 11 Digital Archive item. Status The process status of this item. approved Consent Whether September 11 Digital Archive has permission to possess this item. full Posting Whether the contributor gave permission to post this item. yes Copyright Whether the contributor holds copyright to this item. yes Source The source of this item. born-digital Media Type The media type of this item. email Created by Author Whether the author created this item. yes Described by Author Whether the description of this item was submitted by the author. no Date Entered The date this item was entered into the archive. 2002-03-19 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Department of Justice Emails Description An account of the resource The Department of Justice received more than 11,000 e-mails in response to the agency's public solicitation for comments upon its plans to distribute the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund of 2001 established by Congress to benefit the victims of September 11 and their families. These e-mails have been organized here by date. September 11 Email September 11 Email: Body The basic content, as unstructured text; sometimes containing a signature block at the end. Monday, April 01, 2002 9:50 PM Unborn Victims Of 9-11 Support the Unborn Victims of 9-11! Dear Attorney General Ashcroft: First, I want to congratulate you on the way you have responded to the 9-11 terrorist attack upon our nation. You have obviously assembled a highly skilled and dedicated team in the Justice Department. We are praying for you and those in DOJ who are working so hard on our behalf during this time of national tragedy. I am aware that 18 Congressmen have recently written a letter to you asking that you include unborn babies who died in the 9-11 attack as "victims" whose surviving family members are eligible for help under the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund of 2001" that is part of Public Law 107-42. You're already familiar with the story of who died with her unborn child on United Flight 93. 's husband suffered not just the loss of his wife, but of their first child during that terrible crash. Their unborn baby should be considered just as much a victim of 9-11 as and those who died in the World Trade Center and Pentagon attacks. As you prepare regulations on implementing the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund of 2001," please make sure that you add "unborn children" to the list of victims whose survivors are eligible for assistance. Thank you again for taking such an aggressive leadership role during this time of war and national instability. Our prayers are with you! Individual Comment Leavenworth, WA September 11 Email: Date The local time and date when the message was written. 2002-04-01 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource dojR002942.xml 911DA Item Elements describing a September 11 Digital Archive item. Status The process status of this item. approved Consent Whether September 11 Digital Archive has permission to possess this item. full Posting Whether the contributor gave permission to post this item. yes Copyright Whether the contributor holds copyright to this item. yes Source The source of this item. born-digital Media Type The media type of this item. email Created by Author Whether the author created this item. yes Described by Author Whether the description of this item was submitted by the author. no Date Entered The date this item was entered into the archive. 2002-04-01 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Department of Justice Emails Description An account of the resource The Department of Justice received more than 11,000 e-mails in response to the agency's public solicitation for comments upon its plans to distribute the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund of 2001 established by Congress to benefit the victims of September 11 and their families. These e-mails have been organized here by date. September 11 Email September 11 Email: Body The basic content, as unstructured text; sometimes containing a signature block at the end. Thursday, March 28, 2002 4:08 PM Compensation for gay/lesbian partners/caregivers To whom it may concern, I fully support equitable compensation for domestic partners and caregivers of gay and lesbian victims of 9/11. To not do so would be ludicrous, and in my opinion a great civil injustice. I cannot support and will avidly campaign against any elected officials who would discriminate in this way. Individual Comment West Hollywood, CA September 11 Email: Date The local time and date when the message was written. 2002-03-28 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource dojR002800.xml 911DA Item Elements describing a September 11 Digital Archive item. Status The process status of this item. approved Consent Whether September 11 Digital Archive has permission to possess this item. full Posting Whether the contributor gave permission to post this item. yes Copyright Whether the contributor holds copyright to this item. yes Source The source of this item. born-digital Media Type The media type of this item. email Created by Author Whether the author created this item. yes Described by Author Whether the description of this item was submitted by the author. no Date Entered The date this item was entered into the archive. 2002-03-28 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Department of Justice Emails Description An account of the resource The Department of Justice received more than 11,000 e-mails in response to the agency's public solicitation for comments upon its plans to distribute the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund of 2001 established by Congress to benefit the victims of September 11 and their families. These e-mails have been organized here by date. September 11 Email September 11 Email: Body The basic content, as unstructured text; sometimes containing a signature block at the end. Monday, March 18, 2002 7:23 PM Benefits to victims of 9/11 Dear Sirs and Madams: I am outraged that gay and lesbian partners of those who died on September 11 are not automatically going to receive the same benefits as heterosexual spouses. Illegal aliens will receive benefits! So, I don't understand why American citizens who gave their lives for the country would not. Please reconsider your decision, let's not hurt or alienate any more people! GIVE ALL LOVED ONES WHO ARE COMMITTED TO EACH OTHER "SURVIVOR BENEFITS" PLEASE!!! Individual Comment W.Hollywood, CA September 11 Email: Date The local time and date when the message was written. 2002-03-18 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource dojR001835.xml 911DA Item Elements describing a September 11 Digital Archive item. Status The process status of this item. approved Consent Whether September 11 Digital Archive has permission to possess this item. full Posting Whether the contributor gave permission to post this item. yes Copyright Whether the contributor holds copyright to this item. yes Source The source of this item. born-digital Media Type The media type of this item. email Created by Author Whether the author created this item. yes Described by Author Whether the description of this item was submitted by the author. no Date Entered The date this item was entered into the archive. 2002-03-18 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Department of Justice Emails Description An account of the resource The Department of Justice received more than 11,000 e-mails in response to the agency's public solicitation for comments upon its plans to distribute the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund of 2001 established by Congress to benefit the victims of September 11 and their families. These e-mails have been organized here by date. September 11 Email September 11 Email: Body The basic content, as unstructured text; sometimes containing a signature block at the end. Sunday, March 24, 2002 3:56 PM 9/11 Victims Fund to excluded gays & lesbians? Can this be true? We sent $500 to the fund. We did so without any discriminating thoughts as to how and to whom it would be disbursed. It never occurred to me that gays and lesbians would be treated as if their sorrow or loss was any loss than that of a heterosexual. If this is the case, we want our money back! Please advise. Sincerely, Individual Comment Los Angeles, CA September 11 Email: Date The local time and date when the message was written. 2002-03-24 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource dojR002706.xml 911DA Item Elements describing a September 11 Digital Archive item. Status The process status of this item. approved Consent Whether September 11 Digital Archive has permission to possess this item. full Posting Whether the contributor gave permission to post this item. yes Copyright Whether the contributor holds copyright to this item. yes Source The source of this item. born-digital Media Type The media type of this item. email Created by Author Whether the author created this item. yes Described by Author Whether the description of this item was submitted by the author. no Date Entered The date this item was entered into the archive. 2002-03-24 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Department of Justice Emails Description An account of the resource The Department of Justice received more than 11,000 e-mails in response to the agency's public solicitation for comments upon its plans to distribute the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund of 2001 established by Congress to benefit the victims of September 11 and their families. These e-mails have been organized here by date. September 11 Email September 11 Email: Body The basic content, as unstructured text; sometimes containing a signature block at the end. Sunday, March 17, 2002 5:26 PM "9/11 Fund To Discriminate Against Gays" To Whom it May Concern, "In an appearance on the Sunday, March 10 broadcast of NBC's "Meet the Press," Kenneth Feinberg, the head of the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund (a fund created by Congress and run by the Department of Justice), said that gay partners of the heroes of September 11th will not necessarily be eligible for the same compensation as heterosexual family members who lost their loved ones." Commentary by If the facts are accurate as stated in the commentary that is referred to above, and that gays and lesbians will be once again marginalized and discriminated against, it is truly a sad reality that even in response to 9/11, our North American society cannot rise above the crowd and do what is right. One can only hope that you and others within your organization and within the American government have the courage to go beyond hatred and prejudice -- to truly show love, understanding, and acceptance. For all members of society - young and old - that look to you to set an example and to do what is right, I pray that you will find a way to include gays and lesbians and to treat them equally and justly. A wonderful editorial ran in our small local newspaper this week. The editor's comments started with this statement: "...Hate is evil and destructive; love is good and constructive..." When her five year old, in response to an episode of Simpsons, said "Boys can only love girls and marry girls, right momma. And boys can't love boys, and boys can't marry boys..." the mom at first thought that it was too complicated to explain to him that he wasn't right. In the end it turned out it wasn't really a complicated subject at all. Upset with her initial response to him, she revisited the situation with him and explained to her son that "...men can love men and they can live together like husband and wife. And women can love women and they can live together like they're married. Usually it's men and women who fall in love with each other and get married but it doesn't have to be. And that's just the way it is." THIS MOTHER REALIZED SHE DIDN'T NEED TO SEW THE SEEDS OF PREJUDICE IN HER CHILD. It's now that you must show that love is good and constructive, unlike the hatred that caused the evil and destruction of 9/11. Help put an end to discrimination of gays and lesbians! Help stop hatred! Find a way to honour ALL of your heroes! Individual Comment September 11 Email: Date The local time and date when the message was written. 2002-03-17 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource dojR001670.xml 911DA Item Elements describing a September 11 Digital Archive item. Status The process status of this item. approved Consent Whether September 11 Digital Archive has permission to possess this item. full Posting Whether the contributor gave permission to post this item. yes Copyright Whether the contributor holds copyright to this item. yes Source The source of this item. born-digital Media Type The media type of this item. email Created by Author Whether the author created this item. yes Described by Author Whether the description of this item was submitted by the author. no Date Entered The date this item was entered into the archive. 2002-03-17 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Department of Justice Emails Description An account of the resource The Department of Justice received more than 11,000 e-mails in response to the agency's public solicitation for comments upon its plans to distribute the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund of 2001 established by Congress to benefit the victims of September 11 and their families. These e-mails have been organized here by date. September 11 Email September 11 Email: Body The basic content, as unstructured text; sometimes containing a signature block at the end. Friday, December 21, 2001 1:28 PM Support equal access to crisis relief benefits December 21, 2001 Dear Mr. Kenneth Zwick, I write as a member of Amnesty International, a worldwide human rights movement committed to ensuring respect for the basic human rights of people without discrimination, 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 know, 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 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. An inclusive policy on the part of the federal government would help establish an important principle for other such funds. In compensating victims, real justice will be served only when all families - and all types of families - impacted by the human rights tragedy of September 11 are treated with dignity and equality. 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 Holbrook, MA September 11 Email: Date The local time and date when the message was written. 2001-12-21 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource dojN000504.xml 911DA Item Elements describing a September 11 Digital Archive item. Status The process status of this item. approved Consent Whether September 11 Digital Archive has permission to possess this item. full Posting Whether the contributor gave permission to post this item. yes Copyright Whether the contributor holds copyright to this item. yes Source The source of this item. born-digital Media Type The media type of this item. email Created by Author Whether the author created this item. yes Described by Author Whether the description of this item was submitted by the author. no Date Entered The date this item was entered into the archive. 2001-12-21 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Department of Justice Emails Description An account of the resource The Department of Justice received more than 11,000 e-mails in response to the agency's public solicitation for comments upon its plans to distribute the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund of 2001 established by Congress to benefit the victims of September 11 and their families. These e-mails have been organized here by date. September 11 Email September 11 Email: Body The basic content, as unstructured text; sometimes containing a signature block at the end. Wednesday, December 19, 2001 10:57 PM I Support Equal Acces to Crisis Relief Befefits for Surviving Gay and Lesbian Partners of 9-11 December 19, 2001 Dear Mr. Kenneth Zwick, I write as a member of Amnesty International, a worldwide human rights movement committed to ensuring respect for the basic human rights of people without discrimination, 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 know, 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 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. An inclusive policy on the part of the federal government would help establish an important principle for other such funds. In compensating victims, real justice will be served only when all families - and all types of families - impacted by the human rights tragedy of September 11 are treated with dignity and equality. 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 Appleton, WI September 11 Email: Date The local time and date when the message was written. 2001-12-19 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource dojA003885.xml 911DA Item Elements describing a September 11 Digital Archive item. Status The process status of this item. approved Consent Whether September 11 Digital Archive has permission to possess this item. full Posting Whether the contributor gave permission to post this item. yes Copyright Whether the contributor holds copyright to this item. yes Source The source of this item. born-digital Media Type The media type of this item. email Created by Author Whether the author created this item. yes Described by Author Whether the description of this item was submitted by the author. no Date Entered The date this item was entered into the archive. 2001-12-19 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Department of Justice Emails Description An account of the resource The Department of Justice received more than 11,000 e-mails in response to the agency's public solicitation for comments upon its plans to distribute the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund of 2001 established by Congress to benefit the victims of September 11 and their families. These e-mails have been organized here by date. September 11 Email September 11 Email: Body The basic content, as unstructured text; sometimes containing a signature block at the end. Congress of the United States Washington, DC 20515 January 16, 2002 Mr. Kenneth L. Zwick, Director Office of Management Programs Civil Division U.S. Department of Justice Main Building, Room 3140 950 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW Washington, DC 20350 Dear Mr. Zwick, Re: "September 11th Victims Compensation Fund of 2001" P.L. 107-42 In the immediate aftermath of the tragic attack of September 11th upon our nation, Congress enacted the above referenced legislation to compensate the relatives, of the victims of that brutal attack. As elected representatives of many of those relatives, it is our firm belie that the interim rules issued by the Special Master on December 20th fail to satisfy the letter or the spirit of the legislation which we enacted. The legislation authorized payment for economic and non-economic loss. Economic loss was defined as "any pecuniary loss... including the loss of earnings.. to the extent recovery for such loss is allowed under applicable State law." (Sec.402(5)). Non-economic loss was defined to include among other things "physical and emotional pain, suffering...mental anguish..and loss of consortium." (Sec. 402(7)). The sole offsets to the payment for economic and non-economic loss were the "collateral sources" specified in Sec 402(4). These included "life insurance, pension funds... and payments by Federal State or local governments related to the attacks of September 11th." These were clearly intended to be the only offsets. In his proposed rules, however, the Special Master has imposed offsets which are in no way authorized by the statute. Specifically, he imposes arbitrary income limits and restricts pain and suffering awards to $250,000 - no matter what the extent of the pain and suffering may have been. The practical effect of these caps is to drastically reduce the award from what the statute intended. Relatives of the victims who were in the financial services sector or in the public service sector-such as police officers and firefighters-will suffer a particularly adverse effect. This is not only contrary to the legislation but also entirely unfair. The financial services victims were killed precisely because of the jobs they held. They personified American business and commerce. That is why they worked in the World Trade Center and that is why our enemies targeted them. The police and firefighters were killed carrying out the most successful rescue operation in the history of the United States. It is bad enough that these good people were victimized by bin Laden. We cannot allow their relatives to be victimized again. As Mayor Giulliani stated in his farewell address: "we have an obligation to the people who did die... Their families need to be protected just as if they had been alive, financially and in every other way that we can help and assist their families... There should be no compromise about that ever..." The Victims Compensation Fund was created as a part of a comprehensive legislative package which bailed out the airline industry and imposed restrictions on the right of the victims' relatives to recover from the airlines in court. The Fund was established to protect the rights of the victims' relatives. The Special Master cannot take it on himself to restrict those rights. Additionally, at the time the legislation was enacted, the amount of fatalities was expected to be between 6,000 and 10,000. The final number will be less than 3,500. This will result in a significant reduction in the expected expenditures and makes the Special Master's arbitrary economies even less defensible. We request therefore that the interim rules be amended and redefined to the extent that income caps be removed when computing economic loss and that each victim's case be addressed separately when computing the non-economic loss attributable to pain and suffering. Justice demands no less. Sincerely Peter King Vito Fossella John Sweeney Steve Israel Joseph Crowley Carolyn Maloney Ben Gilman Marge Roukema Jose Serrano Eliot Engel Major Owens Ed Towns Felix Grucci Carolyn McCarthy Chris Smith Gary Ackerman List of Signatures 1.Peter King(R-NY) 2.Vito Fossella(R-NY) 3.John Sweeney(R-NY) 4.Steve Israel(D-NY) 5.Joseph Crowley(D-NY) 6.Carolyn Maloney(D-NY) 7.Ben Gilman(R-NY) 8.Marge Roukema(R-NJ) 9.Jose Serrano(D-NY) 10.Eliot Engel(D-NY) 11.Major Owens(D-NY) 12.Ed Towns(D-NY) 13.Felix Grucci(R-NY) 14.Carolyn McCarthy(D-NY) 15.Chris Smith (R-NJ) 16.Gary Ackerman(D-NY) September 11 Email: Date The local time and date when the message was written. 2002-01-16 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource dojN002425.xml 911DA Item Elements describing a September 11 Digital Archive item. Status The process status of this item. approved Consent Whether September 11 Digital Archive has permission to possess this item. full Posting Whether the contributor gave permission to post this item. yes Copyright Whether the contributor holds copyright to this item. yes Source The source of this item. born-digital Media Type The media type of this item. email Created by Author Whether the author created this item. yes Described by Author Whether the description of this item was submitted by the author. no Date Entered The date this item was entered into the archive. 2002-01-16 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Department of Justice Emails Description An account of the resource The Department of Justice received more than 11,000 e-mails in response to the agency's public solicitation for comments upon its plans to distribute the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund of 2001 established by Congress to benefit the victims of September 11 and their families. These e-mails have been organized here by date. September 11 Email September 11 Email: Body The basic content, as unstructured text; sometimes containing a signature block at the end. December 13, 2001 Special Master Kenneth R. Feinberg September 11th Victim Compensation Fund U.S. Department of Justice 950 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW Washington, DC 20530 To Mr. Feinberg: I am writing to urge you to ensure fair treatment for all surviving families of the tragedy on September 11th, including the children and families of low-wage workers and gay and lesbian families. Under traditional rules based on lost wages, the survivors of a bond trader earning millions of dollars per year might receive thousands of times as much compensation as the survivors of a dishwasher in one of the restaurants destroyed. Justice requires looking far beyond the last paycheck to the inherent worth of all those killed, so that a high minimum compensation level is set to lessen the disparities. It would be a double blow to the survivors to first lose their loved one and then watch as most of the taxpayer money went to those who were already well off in the first place. The second major issue has to do with recognizing the legitimacy of gay and lesbian relationships and families. Gay and lesbian families are especially vulnerable when one partner is killed. Because the option of marriage is unavailable, these families may find themselves in the traumatic predicament of having to prove that their union is legitimate. Fortunately both the Red Cross and the State of New York have already announced that they will not discriminate against gay and lesbian families. The Department of Justice should do the same. Thank you for considering my comments. I look forward to hearing how you will act on these very important issues. Sincerely, Individual Comment Washington, DC September 11 Email: Date The local time and date when the message was written. 2001-12-13 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource dojA001816.xml 911DA Item Elements describing a September 11 Digital Archive item. Status The process status of this item. approved Consent Whether September 11 Digital Archive has permission to possess this item. full Posting Whether the contributor gave permission to post this item. yes Copyright Whether the contributor holds copyright to this item. yes Source The source of this item. born-digital Media Type The media type of this item. email Created by Author Whether the author created this item. yes Described by Author Whether the description of this item was submitted by the author. no Date Entered The date this item was entered into the archive. 2001-12-13 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Department of Justice Emails Description An account of the resource The Department of Justice received more than 11,000 e-mails in response to the agency's public solicitation for comments upon its plans to distribute the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund of 2001 established by Congress to benefit the victims of September 11 and their families. These e-mails have been organized here by date. September 11 Email September 11 Email: Body The basic content, as unstructured text; sometimes containing a signature block at the end. Sent: Monday, March 11, 2002 1:26 PM 9/11 Fund To Discriminate Against Gays This discrimination is despicable. Thank you! Individual Comment September 11 Email: Date The local time and date when the message was written. 2002-03-11 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource dojR000118.xml 911DA Item Elements describing a September 11 Digital Archive item. Status The process status of this item. approved Consent Whether September 11 Digital Archive has permission to possess this item. full Posting Whether the contributor gave permission to post this item. yes Copyright Whether the contributor holds copyright to this item. yes Source The source of this item. born-digital Media Type The media type of this item. email Created by Author Whether the author created this item. yes Described by Author Whether the description of this item was submitted by the author. no Date Entered The date this item was entered into the archive. 2002-03-11 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Department of Justice Emails Description An account of the resource The Department of Justice received more than 11,000 e-mails in response to the agency's public solicitation for comments upon its plans to distribute the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund of 2001 established by Congress to benefit the victims of September 11 and their families. These e-mails have been organized here by date. September 11 Email September 11 Email: Body The basic content, as unstructured text; sometimes containing a signature block at the end. Wednesday, December 19, 2001 12:45 PM Equality in Relief Funds December 19, 2001 Dear Mr. Kenneth Zwick, As you consider rules for administering the 911 Victims Relief fund, I urge 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. An inclusive policy on the part of the federal government would help establish an important principle for other such funds. In compensating victims, real justice will be served only when all families - and all types of families - impacted by the human rights tragedy of September 11 are treated with dignity and equality. Thank you for considering my concerns. Sincerely, Individual Comment Seattle, WA September 11 Email: Date The local time and date when the message was written. 2001-12-19 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource dojA005471.xml 911DA Item Elements describing a September 11 Digital Archive item. Status The process status of this item. approved Consent Whether September 11 Digital Archive has permission to possess this item. full Posting Whether the contributor gave permission to post this item. yes Copyright Whether the contributor holds copyright to this item. yes Source The source of this item. born-digital Media Type The media type of this item. email Created by Author Whether the author created this item. yes Described by Author Whether the description of this item was submitted by the author. no Date Entered The date this item was entered into the archive. 2001-12-19 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Department of Justice Emails Description An account of the resource The Department of Justice received more than 11,000 e-mails in response to the agency's public solicitation for comments upon its plans to distribute the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund of 2001 established by Congress to benefit the victims of September 11 and their families. These e-mails have been organized here by date. September 11 Email September 11 Email: Body The basic content, as unstructured text; sometimes containing a signature block at the end. Friday, December 21, 2001 12:10 AM Equal Access To Crisis Relief Benefits December 21, 2001 Dear Mr. Kenneth Zwick, I write as a member of Amnesty International, a worldwide human rights movement committed to ensuring respect for the basic human rights of people without discrimination, 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 know, 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 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. An inclusive policy on the part of the federal government would help establish an important principle for other such funds. In compensating victims, real justice will be served only when all families - and all types of families - impacted by the human rights tragedy of September 11 are treated with dignity and equality. 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 Levittown, PA September 11 Email: Date The local time and date when the message was written. 2001-12-21 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource dojN000180.xml 911DA Item Elements describing a September 11 Digital Archive item. Status The process status of this item. approved Consent Whether September 11 Digital Archive has permission to possess this item. full Posting Whether the contributor gave permission to post this item. yes Copyright Whether the contributor holds copyright to this item. yes Source The source of this item. born-digital Media Type The media type of this item. email Created by Author Whether the author created this item. yes Described by Author Whether the description of this item was submitted by the author. no Date Entered The date this item was entered into the archive. 2001-12-21 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Department of Justice Emails Description An account of the resource The Department of Justice received more than 11,000 e-mails in response to the agency's public solicitation for comments upon its plans to distribute the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund of 2001 established by Congress to benefit the victims of September 11 and their families. These e-mails have been organized here by date. September 11 Email September 11 Email: Body The basic content, as unstructured text; sometimes containing a signature block at the end. Tuesday, March 12, 2002 9:37 AM Treat all alike Dear Sir/Madam: As a US citizen I am outraged that the Mr. Ashcroft's Justice Dept. will not give deserved money to the families and loved ones of 9/11 that happen to be gay. This is outrageous injury to justice. Please reconsider this unjust policy. Individual Comment Chicago, Illinois September 11 Email: Date The local time and date when the message was written. 2002-03-12 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource dojR000376.xml 911DA Item Elements describing a September 11 Digital Archive item. Status The process status of this item. approved Consent Whether September 11 Digital Archive has permission to possess this item. full Posting Whether the contributor gave permission to post this item. yes Copyright Whether the contributor holds copyright to this item. yes Source The source of this item. born-digital Media Type The media type of this item. email Created by Author Whether the author created this item. yes Described by Author Whether the description of this item was submitted by the author. no Date Entered The date this item was entered into the archive. 2002-03-12 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Department of Justice Emails Description An account of the resource The Department of Justice received more than 11,000 e-mails in response to the agency's public solicitation for comments upon its plans to distribute the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund of 2001 established by Congress to benefit the victims of September 11 and their families. These e-mails have been organized here by date. September 11 Email September 11 Email: Body The basic content, as unstructured text; sometimes containing a signature block at the end. Wednesday, December 19, 2001 12:03 AM Please treat gays equally - they have lost too December 19, 2001 Dear Mr. Kenneth Zwick, I write as a member of Amnesty International, a worldwide human rights movement committed to ensuring respect for the basic human rights of people without discrimination, 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 know, 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 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. An inclusive policy on the part of the federal government would help establish an important principle for other such funds. In compensating victims, real justice will be served only when all families - and all types of families - impacted by the human rights tragedy of September 11 are treated with dignity and equality. 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 Seattle, WA September 11 Email: Date The local time and date when the message was written. 2001-12-19 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource dojA002568.xml 911DA Item Elements describing a September 11 Digital Archive item. Status The process status of this item. approved Consent Whether September 11 Digital Archive has permission to possess this item. full Posting Whether the contributor gave permission to post this item. yes Copyright Whether the contributor holds copyright to this item. yes Source The source of this item. born-digital Media Type The media type of this item. email Created by Author Whether the author created this item. yes Described by Author Whether the description of this item was submitted by the author. no Date Entered The date this item was entered into the archive. 2001-12-19 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Department of Justice Emails Description An account of the resource The Department of Justice received more than 11,000 e-mails in response to the agency's public solicitation for comments upon its plans to distribute the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund of 2001 established by Congress to benefit the victims of September 11 and their families. These e-mails have been organized here by date. September 11 Email September 11 Email: Body The basic content, as unstructured text; sometimes containing a signature block at the end. December 13, 2001 Special Master Kenneth R. Feinberg September 11th Victim Compensation Fund U.S. Department of Justice 950 Pennsylvania Avenue NW Washington, DC 20530 To Mr. Feinberg: I am writing to urge you to ensure fair treatment for all surviving families of the tragedy on September 11th, including the children and families of low-wage workers and gay and lesbian families. Under traditional rules based on lost wages, the survivors of a bond trader earning millions of dollars per year might receive thousands of times as much compensation as the survivors of a dishwasher in one of the restaurants destroyed. Justice requires looking far beyond the last paycheck to the inherent worth of all those killed, so that a high minimum compensation level is set to lessen the disparities. It would be a double blow to the survivors to first lose their loved one and then watch as most of the taxpayer money went to those who were already well off in the first place. The second major issue has to do with recognizing the legitimacy of gay and lesbian relationships and families. Gay and lesbian families are especially vulnerable when one partner is killed. Because the option of marriage is unavailable, these families may find themselves in the traumatic predicament of having to prove that their union is legitimate. Fortunately, both the Red Cross and the State of New York have already announced that they will not discriminate against gay and lesbian families. The Department of Justice should do the same. Thank you for considering my comments. I look forward to hearing how you will act on these very important issues. Sincerely, Individual Comment Capitola, CA September 11 Email: Date The local time and date when the message was written. 2001-12-13 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource dojA004184.xml 911DA Item Elements describing a September 11 Digital Archive item. Status The process status of this item. approved Consent Whether September 11 Digital Archive has permission to possess this item. full Posting Whether the contributor gave permission to post this item. yes Copyright Whether the contributor holds copyright to this item. yes Source The source of this item. born-digital Media Type The media type of this item. email Created by Author Whether the author created this item. yes Described by Author Whether the description of this item was submitted by the author. no Date Entered The date this item was entered into the archive. 2001-12-13 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Department of Justice Emails Description An account of the resource The Department of Justice received more than 11,000 e-mails in response to the agency's public solicitation for comments upon its plans to distribute the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund of 2001 established by Congress to benefit the victims of September 11 and their families. These e-mails have been organized here by date. September 11 Email September 11 Email: Body The basic content, as unstructured text; sometimes containing a signature block at the end. Saturday, March 16, 2002 8:37 PM UN-AMERICAN When I consider the courageous acts of , , and , along with others who happened to be gay, and their fate on 9-11, I am sick to my stomach over your offices decision to leave their survivors out in the cold. This is wholly un-American and immoral, and I pray that you will reconsider the decision immediately. Regards, Individual Comment Los Angeles, California September 11 Email: Date The local time and date when the message was written. 2002-03-16 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource dojR001229.xml 911DA Item Elements describing a September 11 Digital Archive item. Status The process status of this item. approved Consent Whether September 11 Digital Archive has permission to possess this item. full Posting Whether the contributor gave permission to post this item. yes Copyright Whether the contributor holds copyright to this item. yes Source The source of this item. born-digital Media Type The media type of this item. email Created by Author Whether the author created this item. yes Described by Author Whether the description of this item was submitted by the author. no Date Entered The date this item was entered into the archive. 2002-03-16 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Department of Justice Emails Description An account of the resource The Department of Justice received more than 11,000 e-mails in response to the agency's public solicitation for comments upon its plans to distribute the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund of 2001 established by Congress to benefit the victims of September 11 and their families. These e-mails have been organized here by date. September 11 Email September 11 Email: Body The basic content, as unstructured text; sometimes containing a signature block at the end. Wednesday, November 21, 2001 12:24 PM Very Important Dear Mr. Zwick, It is with great concern, and hope of preventing what may be a grave injustice to all the families who lost loved ones during the tragic events of September 11th, 2001 that I am compelled to contact you. On September 11, the very fabric that symbolized the American family was torn with such finality as to eliminate any possibility of mending with "monetary thread." Despite that realization, I understand that the only compensation available to the families of those lost on that horrific day is monetary in nature. Subsequently, the establishment of the "Victims Compensation Fund" (the fund) is logical. However, while the establishment of the fund is logical, I fear that the guiding principals and mechanics of the fund are not. After all, it is commonly stated that "the distance between thought and deed is often far." Having said that, and having reviewed the parameters of the fund, I felt it was imperative to share with you the many reservations associated with the fund's ability to accomplish its single purpose - economic equity for those now painfully suffering from the lose of their loved ones. Below, you will find those reservations. First and foremost, it is imperative that each and every claimant be given the opportunity to share their unique circumstances with the individuals who will be instrumental in determining an award. In doing so, each claimant should be afforded both the opportunity to present evidence through their own personal testimony and enlist the assistance of experts, if desired, in order to provide a clear and concise depiction of their position. Allowing such an opportunity will ensure fairness and objectivity as each case will be heard separately and awards will be based on the circumstances associated with each case. On a personal note, the ability for an individual to share their pain and suffering is instrumental to the long journey associated with the healing process that every individual must now embark upon. Second, I am alarmed by the fact that the government, who will ultimately pay the awards, will be "appointing" one individual (The Special Master) to determine the "extent of harm to the claimant," the amount of compensation to be awarded based on "the harm to the claimant," "the facts of the claim" and "the individual circumstances of the claimant." While I understand that the "Special Master" will be designating individuals (hearing officers) to hear each case independently, that knowledge does not instill the confidence or peace of mind that I require to participate in the fund. Instead, I would prefer an independent panel, perhaps three (3) to five (5) individuals, who demonstrate expertise in areas such as "human life value," "wrongful death" and "taxation." I believe that these Individuals along with a "hearing officer" are more likely to determine an award that is commensurate based on the unique circumstances of each individual. Additionally, I believe by maintaining a panel of "hearing officers," the decision making process would demonstrate a greater degree of objectivity. Equally alarming is the fact that the determinations made by the "Special Master" and "hearing officers" are "final" and "not subject to judicial review." It is imperative that the option to appeal such a determination be made available to the claimants. Again, fairness and objectivity should be the guiding principals of the fund. In the event an award is not viewed as equitable, an individual should, as in any hearing, maintain their right to appeal a decision. The right to appeal a decision is often a cornerstone of legal defences. If appeal is available to a criminal, why then should an innocent person not be afforded that same courtesy? Next, the method used to compute "economic loss" is of paramount importance. A "cap" with regard to recovery associated with "economic losses" is simply not acceptable. In fact, we believe an approach such as the one commonly utilized in personal injury cases is most applicable. Pursuant to such a method, the deceased's retirement date should be set to coincide with the date that the deceased would have been eligible to receive full Social Security benefits. Also, the deceased's income should be averaged over the last three (3) years given the fact that "economic losses of many of these individuals are associated with future income streams that would have been highly contingent, variable, or unpredictable " With that in mind, an approach that utilizes an "average income" is obviously the most appropriate method for determining an individuals income. Also, be sure to keep in mind that it is imperative that "income" include wages, bonus', stock options, partnership earnings etc. Finally, in an effort to fully reflect the earning potential of those lost on September 11th, inflation, historical wage increases, merit and opportunity for advancement must be considered. The final result of such an exercise would represent the individual's "base income." The "base income" could then be multiplied by the number of years that the deceased individual would have worked had he/she been eligible to receive full Social Security benefits. Furthermore, with regard to reducing the amount of the compensation by the amount of the "collateral source compensation," Life insurance proceeds (private and/or group) associated with premiums paid by the deceased, should not be considered as a "collateral source." After all, the deceased, in an effort to ensure financial support for his/her family, made a prudent decision to dedicate a portion of his/her after tax income to that financial security. To consider life insurance proceeds associated with premiums paid by the deceased as a "collateral source" would be akin to punishing the deceased for loving & caring enough about his/her family to ensure their financial future in the event a tragedy were to occur. Also, Social Security benefits should not be considered as a "collateral source." After all, the deceased paid into the system in an effort to ensure "social security." Unfortunately his/her family now represent the members of society that are in need of the very "security" that the system was designed to provide. The deceased was not give a choice of "opting out" of the social security system. On the contrary, an individual has no choice but to contribute to the Social Security system. With that in mind, it is obvious that his/her family should not be punished for receiving such benefits. After all, the Social Security system was never intended to be a "needs based" benefit. All individuals, regardless of income and assets, assuming that they secured the appropriate number of "quarters," have always been entitled to benefits regardless of the other type of assets/income that they may or may not have. Interestingly, countless millionaires receive Social Security benefits despite the fact that the income is not needed to ensure their financial well being. With this in mind, why should a benefit that plays an instrumental role with regard to a family's financial security be deducted from an award? Next, retirement plans (IRA's, 401 k, etc.) funded by the actions and sacrifice of the deceased should not be considered as a "collateral source." Again, the deceased, in an effort to ensure financial support for his/her family, made a prudent decision to set aside funds designed to ensure a comfortable retirement. A great deal of legislation (past & present) has been adopted in order to motivate individual's to plan for their financial future. Today represents the first step of that financial future. To consider retirement plans a "collateral source" would again be akin to punishing the deceased for loving and caring enough about his/her family to forgo current enjoyment in order to ensure financial stability in the event of a tragedy. Additionally, A "cap" with regard to recovery associated with "non economic losses" is simply not acceptable. In fact, it is imperative that the assistance of experts in the field of "human life value," be enlisted to determine an appropriate award given the ambiguity associated with valuing the "non economic role" of an individual. After all, the lose of the family unit, enjoyment of life and emotional pain is not easily discernible. However, given that I am both questioning the "fairness" of the fund and taking the position that benefits (life insurance proceeds & social security benefits) associated with payments made by the deceased should not be considered "collateral source compensation," it is understandable that the benefits funded by an employer (i.e. Workers Comp.) may be deducted from an award. After all, the maintaining of "Workers Compensation" is mandatory for employers and the premium associated with such coverage is an expense of the employer. This in turn may make this benefit similar in nature to the employer provided, non-contributory life insurance coverage - the $100,000 received from CNA. With this in mind, it is easy to understand that the "benefit" is employer provided and may be considered a "collateral source compensation." In closing, I would like to take a moment in advance to thank you for a fair and impartial assessment of our comments. Of course it our only hope to ensure that any award associated with the fund is fair and equitable and accomplishes the funds single purpose - economic equity for those now painfully suffering from the lose of their loved ones. Sincerely, Individual Comment September 11 Email: Date The local time and date when the message was written. 2001-11-21 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource dojW000461.xml 911DA Item Elements describing a September 11 Digital Archive item. Status The process status of this item. approved Consent Whether September 11 Digital Archive has permission to possess this item. full Posting Whether the contributor gave permission to post this item. yes Copyright Whether the contributor holds copyright to this item. yes Source The source of this item. born-digital Media Type The media type of this item. email Created by Author Whether the author created this item. yes Described by Author Whether the description of this item was submitted by the author. no Date Entered The date this item was entered into the archive. 2001-11-21 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Department of Justice Emails Description An account of the resource The Department of Justice received more than 11,000 e-mails in response to the agency's public solicitation for comments upon its plans to distribute the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund of 2001 established by Congress to benefit the victims of September 11 and their families. These e-mails have been organized here by date. September 11 Email September 11 Email: Body The basic content, as unstructured text; sometimes containing a signature block at the end. Wednesday, December 19, 2001 12:06 PM Benefits for Survivors of Sept. 11 December 19, 2001 Dear Mr. Kenneth Zwick, I write as a member of Amnesty International, a worldwide human rights movement committed to ensuring respect for the basic human rights of people without discrimination, 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 know, 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 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. An inclusive policy on the part of the federal government would help establish an important principle for other such funds. In compensating victims, real justice will be served only when all families - and all types of families - impacted by the human rights tragedy of September 11 are treated with dignity and equality. 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 San Mateo, CA September 11 Email: Date The local time and date when the message was written. 2001-12-19 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource dojA003165.xml 911DA Item Elements describing a September 11 Digital Archive item. Status The process status of this item. approved Consent Whether September 11 Digital Archive has permission to possess this item. full Posting Whether the contributor gave permission to post this item. yes Copyright Whether the contributor holds copyright to this item. yes Source The source of this item. born-digital Media Type The media type of this item. email Created by Author Whether the author created this item. yes Described by Author Whether the description of this item was submitted by the author. no Date Entered The date this item was entered into the archive. 2001-12-19 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Department of Justice Emails Description An account of the resource The Department of Justice received more than 11,000 e-mails in response to the agency's public solicitation for comments upon its plans to distribute the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund of 2001 established by Congress to benefit the victims of September 11 and their families. These e-mails have been organized here by date. September 11 Email September 11 Email: Body The basic content, as unstructured text; sometimes containing a signature block at the end. Wednesday, March 13, 2002 12:21 PM Compensation Plan Kenneth Feinberg 911 Fund: After reading several articles regarding your appearance and comments on NBC's "Meet the Press," on March 10, 2002, I have been moved to write to you to express my anger, dismay and disappointment in you and the 911 Fund and the treatment of the survivors of same-sex partners. What does it mean when a country as great as ours "segregates" our heroes and determines who is worthy and who is not? Who are you, along with the Attorney General no less, to determine that it is acceptable to acknowledge the loss of one life and assist those left behind and not that of another? Shame on you and your organization Mr. Feinberg. And please do not quote to me your position about state vs. federal laws. These are extraordinary circumstance we are dealing with and they call for someone to stand-up for equality and justice for all. I feel that the following quote sums up my feelings on this matter: "If September 11 has taught us anything, it's that our patriotism and love of country transcend our differences and unite us all. It would be ironic if the generosity of so many Americans in giving to the September 11th Fund were used to further divide us as a people, and send the message to all that some American heroes are more equal than others." Please do not further the divide. Please reconsider your position regarding the survivors of same-sex partners who suffered the same loss and deserve the same assistance. Sincerely, Individual Comment West Hollywood, CA September 11 Email: Date The local time and date when the message was written. 2002-03-13 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource dojR000633.xml 911DA Item Elements describing a September 11 Digital Archive item. Status The process status of this item. approved Consent Whether September 11 Digital Archive has permission to possess this item. full Posting Whether the contributor gave permission to post this item. yes Copyright Whether the contributor holds copyright to this item. yes Source The source of this item. born-digital Media Type The media type of this item. email Created by Author Whether the author created this item. yes Described by Author Whether the description of this item was submitted by the author. no Date Entered The date this item was entered into the archive. 2002-03-13