September 11 And The Monetary Compensation
I contemplate that it is safe to say that anyone who witnessed the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001 will always remember it. From the sheer horror of it, to the days following as rescue workers pull out yet another body. Lives were lost that day; business people, cafeteria workers, police officers. Of just the firefighters, you are looking at 343 who lost their lives that day. (McKeown, Meyer 1) The final count totaled approximately 3,500 people. (Carlisle 1)
Many of the victim’s family members have received compensation in many forms. From money, clothes, health insurance, and a roof provided. This was decided by the government that they receive these things to compensate for the families’ losses. Why is this? Are these families more deserving of this compared to those who lost loved ones in Oklahoma City? What about anyone who lost anybody in any other terrorist attack?
To give you a rough idea as to how much the families are receiving, I am going to throw some numbers around. Reports show that if you lost a family member on September 11, 2001, then you would get an average of $1,185,000. The range would be from $250,000 to $4.7 million. (Limbaugh 1) In comparison to this, if you lost a family member who was an American soldier killed in action you would receive $6,000 (taxable), $1,750 (burial costs) and as a spouse you would receive $833 a month until you remarry. On top of that, any children would receive $233 until they turned 18. (Limbaugh 1)
If you lost your life and you were a firefighter or police officer, New York City will provide a one-time payment, equal to a year’s salary, to the families. Widows/Widowers will receive from the city and state a lifetime pension equal to the firefighter or police officers’ pay. It will continue even if you remarry. If you are survived only by children, then they will share the pay until they turn 18 or 23 if they go to college full time. (Carlisle 4) It was estimated that families of firefighters and police officers will immediately be able to receive $270,000. (Carlisle 4)
Families of firefighters and police officers are not the only ones receiving compensation. Families of all the other victims are receiving a fair amount of money as well. Not just from the government. Over half a billion dollars was donated by the American people in less than a month following the attacks. (Carlisle 2) Red Cross, the United Way and New York Community Trust together raised $337 million. The entertainment industry raised $150 million on September 21, 2001 during the telethon “Tribute to Heroes”. (Carlisle 2) Many small towns and cities also did what they had to do to raise money for the fallen victims. Not in the amounts mentioned above, but still they contributed to the donations.
As you can see, many families benefited from this disaster. But again, why these families and no others? What made this incident more significant to warrant such an out pour of contributions?
A utilitarian stand point on this issue would be, “Hooray for all who donated!” A utilitarian view is that we should do the greatest good for the greatest amount of people. Imagine how many people will benefit from the $10 million that Microsoft donated or the $12 million that Coca-Cola donated. (Carlisle 
The money given to the families will help children go to college; it will provide clothing, a roof over their heads and health insurance. It is preventing families from having to live on the streets. It allows a family to depend on income that would have been there had their spouse not met such a tragic and abrupt end.
Even though 3,500 people lost their lives in the attacks, thousands more are benefiting from the contributions donated by the American people, government, and large corporations. These donations were made in response to the attacks.
Immanuel Kant, a duty ethicist, listed a few primary duties that a person should live by; “…be honest, to keep promises, to be fair, to help others…” (Martin 31) It is also stated that “Our nobility lies in this capacity to do what is right because we see it is right, and not solely from ulterior motives, such as to beget our parents or peers or ourselves happy, arrive our careers, or gain religious rewards.” (Martin 32)
Kant would say that the firefighter, law enforcement, and anyone else who lost their lives trying to help someone else should not receive compensation, monetarily or otherwise. Families who lost a loved one should have the knowledge and respect for the men and women who made every inconvenience to attend them before or after the victims passed. They didn’t do it because of job title, but instead it was an act upon their factual principle.
Duty ethicists would also point out that if one of our duties is to help others, then everyone who contributed and dispersed and volunteered to aid the victims families, were well within their moral principle. These people put their worries aside to assist others in need. A good example would be when elderly refugees from Laos, most of them disabled, donated $200 to the relief anguish. (Carlisle 6) Even though they lived in poverty themselves, they still put their issues aside to help others.
Now to try and put my view on the declare in words may prove to be a difficult one. I can’t say that I am a utilitarian; however, I can’t say that I only believe in the deontological view either. Both arguments are valid. I donated blood when the attacks occurred. I prayed for each and every person who lost their lives. I was scared that someone I knew would near up missing, which did happen.
I do beget that what the American people did as far as coming together as one to help everyone out was very noble. This makes me proud to be a allotment of this country. However; I also think that the response as far as the donations and the compensations that the families received may be in excess. The lives lost that day in New York and Washington D.C., along with everyone on the flights were no more tragic than those American soldiers lost at war, or those who died in the Oklahoma City bombing. If we as people are going to stand by our morals and principles only when we decide the event is tragic enough, then we are not as caring or morally correct as we thought we were.
I reflect that it is very obvious that not all ethical stand points are the same. I do see that no matter what you hold in, at that time of need it will be the morals within yourself, that you either learned or discovered on your gain, that have the “power” to bring people together. Such as the events that occurred on September 11, 2001.
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