The Congress of the United

States has fallen all over itself trying to "do right" for the

survivors of Sept. 11. Over a billion dollars was donated to the 9/11

survivors from the people of this great country. Yet, in spite of this

generosity, Congress also created a fund for these people. A fund that

would give, on average, $1+ million to the families, and now they have

the "Victims of Terrorism Tax Relief Act." A bill that will

"... relieve the tax burden on families who have lost loved ones.

Under this law, the federal government will collect no income taxes on

wages earned by terrorism victims in the year of their death, or in the

preceding year."

This bill also extends those

same benefits to the "... Families of victims killed in the Oklahoma

City bombing ..." and to the "... members of the armed services

who have been killed in combat zones ..."

As if all of these tax relief

benefits weren't enough to satisfy everyone, Congress also included relief

as far as the charitable monies are concerned. This bill also states "...

payments from charitable organizations to victim's families will be exempt

from federal taxation ..."

I was appalled at what happened

in Oklahoma City and on Sept. 11. I had spent 20 years in the military

and when I saw the devastation in Oklahoma City and the Twin Towers, I

wanted to do unto them 10-fold as they did to us. I know the victims of

these attacks have suffered. I know the rest of this country feels their

pain. The donations immediately following 9/11 have proven that.

But now I'm getting tired of

hearing about the victims of Oklahoma City and Sept. 11. I'm also getting

mad as hell with those politicians in Washington busting their butts trying

to make points with one special class of citizens.

Washington cares nothing about

the person killed in a car wreck or [one who] is murdered by some crazed

person running around with a submachine gun. There is no "Victims

of Terrorism Tax Relief Act" for these survivors. These survivors

suffer on their own time. The politician doesn't care because there are

no votes to be had in these cases. There is no political collateral to

be gained.

Charles G. James

Fayetteville

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