Posted on 11/25/2001 12:06:54 PM PST by RobertBauman
Log Cabin Republicans and National Stonewall Democrats Issue Joint Comment
(WASHINGTON, DC) In a display of bipartisan unity, the leading Republican and Democratic organizations in the gay and lesbian community have written a joint "public comment" to the Department of Justice (DOJ) concerning survivor benefits for those killed in the September 11th terrorist attacks.
"We at LCR and NSD are united in seeking to do all we can to console and assist those whose lives were forever changed by the losses suffered during the September 11th attack on our nation," wrote Rich Tafel, executive director of Log Cabin Republicans, and Chad Johnson, executive director of National Stonewall Democrats, in a letter to the DOJ Office of Management Programs, Civil Division.
Attorney General John Ashcroft issued a Notice of Inquiry and Advance Notice of Rulemaking seeking public comment on matters relating to the implementation of the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund of 2001. The Fund, passed as part of the Air Transportation Safety and System Stabilization Act, allows for compensation for survivors of victims of the September 11th attacks.
Under the Act, the Attorney General will appoint a Special Master to administrate the Fund. DOJ will shortly promulgate regulations directing the scope and operations of the Office of the Special Master, which will include criteria for determining who is eligible for survivor benefits.
The Notice of Inquiry solicited public comments that advise the DOJ on how to direct the Special Master in administering the Fund. LCR and NSD issued a joint comment to address questions that affect the families of gay and lesbian victims of the terrorist attacks. Among other things, the comment directed the DOJ to examine the actions of New York Governor George Pataki relating to such matters. On October 11, Governor Pataki ordered the State of New York, when determining survivors for state fund purposes, to include factors that identified and included gay and lesbian partners and families.
"The issue of supporting all the families who were devastated by these attacks on America is so important that there should be no divisions between us," said Rich Tafel, executive director of Log Cabin Republicans. "We are a united community in support of our families in need, speaking with one voice in this joint action today."
"We are working together to ensure that the survivors of gay and lesbian partners aren't forgotten," said Chad Johnson, NSD Executive Director. "We urge the federal government to follow the lead of Governor Pataki to make sure that valid relationships of all kinds are recognized."
"Our goal is to be a resource for the Special Master in identifying legitimate survivors in a manner that transcends party politics," said Johnson. "We are first Americans, then partisans, and I can't imagine that anyone has even contemplated the party affiliation of any victim or survivor."
"By acting in unison, we hope to demonstrate that the questions we raise are concerns that surpass politics," said Tafel.
Most everything you want can be had without a license. Get a will. Make joint purchases. Buy insurance and sign each other over as beneficiary. Make a living will. I bet plenty of insurance companies would look at group insurance offerings through your gay organizations on an individual basis. Talk to them and see.
It stops being just about your rights when you involve innocent kids who cannot choose. Leave the kids alone. That's my issue.
(Hi, by the way....I haven't talked to you in a while. You know we will NEVER agree on this subject!!!)
It's not my decision about your nephews and nieces, obviously. I have a niece who defines herself as a lesbian and I see her at holidays with my son and her girlfriend both there. We politely don't bring the subject up, I inform my kid thoroughly what I believe and instruct him he is to be NICE to EVERYONE!
I can't speak for your family. Honor their wishes is my suggestion, and I assume you do that.
I believe you know what I mean about the children. As soon as gays get marriage licenses they will rush to adopt children. THAT is the biggest issue for me.
Name me some the "special rights", other than adopting children or become foster parents, that you want but can't get. Please. I can't think of any---at least that are a benefit. With every benefit of marriage there is an equal liability that tags along. Marriage has more to do with families---environments for raising future generations--than it does with sex, or even "being in love", at least as far as the State's interest is concerned.
Don't they already "bump" everything in sight?
Uh Oh the gay movement is eatin Andrew alive.
I dunno what to say. For one thing it shows the gay movement to be really hateful of any kind of dissent within their own while Andrew Sullivan is really an unrepentant SOB himself. My oh my, they are able at tracking his anonymous profiles on the internet, talk about vicious and powerful.
There are lost of needy people and lots of demands on our tax dollars. I am sorry but being gay just doesn't make the list for me. A lot of what you listed doesn't apply to me as a married person. Much of it I could live without. The ONLY one that has any real weight, imo, is SS benefits, but you have that on an individual basis anyway. If you are still together when you reach benefits age (or if a tragedy happens in order to receive benefits) you would get use of them by living together anyway. I believe a divorced spouse gets some SS benefits if the marriage lasted a long time and there was only one income earner. That you don't get but I believe a seperate contract regarding financial obligation could be entered into. Honestly, as a married person who hasn't worked in 15 years (since the kid was born---which is usually the reason one spouse doesn't work) if I divorced the hubby and it effected my SS later on I would survive, meagerly, LOL, but I'd survive.
And, again, much of the so called benefits come with liabilities attached.
You're a smart guy (you seem like a guy) and I take you as being sincere in your beliefs. There is zero chance I am going to agree with you on this. I think all of our taxes are too high and so I can support lowering your taxes AND mine so we can pay for our own stuff. There are probably plenty of issues we agree on. This isn't going to be one of them. Sorry.
Uh Oh.... Now you've done it.
[Pre-emptive strike: "Conservative" does NOT mean individual choice or an absence of government.]
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