Fund for Victims of Terrorism

Re “Payouts in Trade Center Cases Bring Hope, Anger,” Dec. 23: The great disparity between what the survivors of the Oklahoma City bombing victims got and what the Sept. 11 victims will get points to the need for the creation of an ongoing, national terrorist victims fund, which could be set up and run by the federal government.

Such a fund would help ensure that policies and procedures used to govern financial payouts for such disasters be uniform and consistent. It would help equalize payments for terrorist disasters irrespective of where they occur in our country. Victims from large urban areas would thus be less likely to get more compensation than victims from rural areas. Payments would be based on such things as the severity of the injury, the earning potential of the victim and the degree of financial need of his or her family.

Payments to victims and their families would be distributed much more quickly, as the funds and the organization to distribute them would already be in place. This could go a long way toward alleviating any financial problems these families might experience. There wouldn’t be a sudden need to raise moneys to help such victims, as it could be done on a gradual basis rather than right after a disaster. Victims of any terrorist attack are an unbearable tragedy. Therefore, victims from one such tragedy should not be treated with greater or lesser regard than those from another tragedy.

Kenneth L. Zimmerman

Huntington Beach

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Elizabeth Rivas’ “anger” over the proposed government payout of $1.5 million itself angers me (she wants $3 million). She already has received other help from the charities of the American people and will no doubt receive more from the many assistance programs the government has in place. Her husband earned $478 per week, or $24,856 per year. The $1.5 million, if put in long-term bonds (today yielding 5.1% interest), would earn $76,000 (or $1,471 a week).

Her mean-spirited comments--”This settlement does not make me happy”--and suing for as long as it takes will not sit well with many. If her husband had been murdered by a mugger she would get nothing in a settlement from our government. I hope this is not the first of a long line of suits that may harden the hearts of many taxpayers as well as those who gave to the charities who have less than what will be available to Rivas. Making lemonade when you are dealt lemons in life is an appreciated trait.

Robert E. Carrubba Sr.

Templeton, Calif.