by James Glaser
May 14, 2003

At least here in America they are not. Let us look at the money our government is going to pay the families who had loved ones die in the attacks on the World Trade Center. I don't even know why our government is paying for these deaths instead of insurance companies, but if tax money pays for these tragic deaths, then why not tax money for the families of murder victims or those killed by a drunk driver.

Now those that died in the September 11th attack have had different values placed on their lives by those in Washington. It is felt that upper income people's families suffer from their loss more than those not making as much money and because of that, we should give those rich people's families more of our tax money.

If you were a dish washer or a floor sweeper and died in the Trade Center, your family will get $250,000, but if you were in upper management you could be worth up to $4.7 million for your family. Common sense would tell our government that the chances are better that those making more money would have private life insurance and also their employer would probably have insurance on them.

What is also sad, many of the families of those that died are complaining that this handout is too small, while many of us don't even understand why we are paying this in the first place.

Think of the fact that the families of Americans that have given their all in defending our nation in War, get only the famous $10,000 military life insurance. Those men and women that gave their life for us, leave behind families that have nothing, while those making truly big money in the Trade Center will leave behind families that are now millionaires.

I feel for all the families who lost loved ones in the terrorists attacks on America. I have nothing but sorrow for the families that lost loved ones in the war. To be honest though, I don't feel that those families loss is any greater than any other family, no matter how a loved one died. A car accident and death on the way to a ball game is just as hard on a family as those terrible deaths in New York and just as unexpected.

It is wrong for America to put different values on different American's lives. It is truly wrong to do so in the same tragedy.