dojR002189.xml

dojR002189.xml

born-digital

email

yes

no

2002-03-19

Tuesday, March 19, 2002 1:03 PM
Discrimination

Dear Mr. Zwick,

It is absolutely pathetic that the 9/11 Victim's Compensation Fund slaps Gays
and Lesbians in the face with such overt vengeance. It is horrific that
people lost their loved ones on 9/11 but then to have your government overtly
discriminate against you based on your relationship is just as horrifying.
Gays and Lesbians contributed to all the 9/11 Funds just like so many other
people. Our taxes support not only this fund but all the other innumerable
government programs out there. It is is reprehensible not to give us a fair
shake by allowing Gay and Lesbian surviving partners to receive these funds.
By relying on State law, this department knew that the pool of those eligible
to receive benefits would be less than 1/10 of 1%, if that. Yet the
government was willing to overlook Federal immigration law by allowing
survivors of illegal aliens AND their employers off the hook, looking the
other way so that undocumented workers would be eligible to receive funds. I
think anyone who was in a committed relationship with someone that died that
day should be eligible for the fund, regardless of their work status in this
country or their sexual orientation. But as an American, I would think other
Gay and Lesbian Americans would be given the same consideration as foreign
nationals. I guess I shouldn't be surprised that this happened coming from
Ashcroft's DOJ. His level of hypocrisy is unparalleled.

I would urge your department to review and amend this discriminatory ruling.

Sincerely,


Individual Comment
Denver, CO

2002-03-19