Action Alert- Calling California’s Senators
Hey all, in honor of the excellent article today by the LA Times, I’m asking y’all to call/write into California’s Senators Barbara Boxer (D-CA) and Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) to ask them to cosponsor the UAFA. (The info is linked to their names above)
Now, the skinny is that Sen. Boxer has supported the UAFA in the previous two Congresses and we think, is likely to support again in this Congress. Sen. Feinstein has NEVER cosponsored the UAFA and has raised the fraud concern as her reason for holding out. Sen. Feinstein, as a key member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, will be a necessary ally if we are to succeed. So please, call in, write in, and ask Sens. Boxer and Feinstein to cosponsor the UAFA.
Up next week, back to the House Judiciary Committee, target: Congressman Henry “Hank” Johnson, Jr. (D-GA)
Speaking of the fraud issue — did ImEq ever have a meeting with Senator Clinton about this? What was the result?
Comment by Christopher — July 16, 2007 @ 12:03 pm
The meeting was rescheduled by her team. A future date has not yet been set.
Comment by adamf — July 16, 2007 @ 12:12 pm
as usual “the L.A. Times site is “DIFFICULT” they need pass words and sign up it’s rediculous?
so I’m sure a lot of people won’t see or read it like me?
Comment by derek — July 16, 2007 @ 12:34 pm
Hi,
I represent one of the couples featured in the L.A. Times article. I have to say, after spending two hours with the reporter, she was incredibly empathetic to our situation and was appalled that our federal government continues to deny same-sex couples to sponsor their partners for a green card, when 16 other Western countries do it now.
I urge you to contact Senators Boxer and Feinstein, and tell them you read the L.A. Times article and urge them to sponsor UAFA. Our senators need to know that this article has inspired you to call. I would also suggest you ask for a response. We must hold our senators accountable!
Fight the good fight!
Comment by Rita Boyadjian — July 16, 2007 @ 12:56 pm
I would like anyone who has friends or relatives in CA to get them to call AND write to Senators Feinstein and Boxer. This is very important and this is how legislation is moved. You get an opening such as the LA Times story and you use it to make things happen. We got a good break here with this story, let’s take advantage of it. Get busy, call everyone you know in CA and ask them for a favor.
Comment by Don George — July 16, 2007 @ 3:16 pm
Dear friends,
Here’s an email template you can use to forward to your friends, family or co-worker:
Can you imagine if you were forced to leave the United States because you married someone from another country? Unfortunately, it is a
reality for many gay couples.
This story is in the July 16th edition of THE LOS ANGELES TIMES’ California section, PAGE 1. I don’t normally mix work with politics, but this situation is close to me and the thought of
having to hear about people in this situation, just breaks my heart.
http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-samesex16jul16,1,192078.story?co
ll=la-headlines-california
Please read it and if you are so moved I ask you to take action and
petition our senators to co-sponsor the UNITING AMERICAN FAMILIES ACT (UAFA).
http://www.immigrationequality.org
Comment by Rita Boyadjian — July 16, 2007 @ 3:30 pm
called both offices
Comment by pam hermens — July 16, 2007 @ 3:31 pm
While we are on this roll, we might as well make a SURGE out of it. I emailed the author of the story as well and personally thanked her. Maybe we can get even more press coverage from her.
teresa.watanabe@latimes.com
Comment by nola — July 16, 2007 @ 3:43 pm
Ok………Just typed, and faxed my 3 letters to Boxer, Feinstein, and Johson.
Comment by derek — July 16, 2007 @ 4:28 pm
just sent her an email
Comment by pam hermens — July 16, 2007 @ 7:53 pm
Hello folks,
Below is a copy of a letter I sent to both Senators Feinstein and Boxer:
July 17, 2007
Dear Senator Feinstein:
Did you catch the Monday, July 16th edition of THE LOS ANGELES TIMES? My personal story was featured on the first page of the “California” section in a feature entitled, “Line in sand for same-sex couples” by Teresa Watanabe.
I wrote you last year about my situation, but I did not hear from you. Well, apparently THE LOS ANGELES TIMES found my story and the other stories of other bi-national gay and lesbian couples tragic enough to devote two pages on the subject.
Just in case you did not catch this article, here’s my situation:
I am an American-born citizen from Egyptian immigrants who came to America for asylum in 1969 to avoid persecution as Christian Armenians. Over five years ago I fell in love with a German national. We have been a couple ever since. My life partner, is seven months pregnant with a baby girl we plan to name “Emma.” We are incredibly excited about starting our family; however, it is coupled with an anxiety and terror we feel every day because my partner’s student visa expires next June. If my life partner cannot get another Visa next summer, we will have to move our family to Vancouver, Canada.
As an American citizen, I cannot believe I may possibly have to flee the supposedly “freest nation in the world” in order to keep my family together. Think about it, how would you feel if you were separated from your loved ones… your children, your grandchildren, your husband, your parents, your friends, your home… how about your entire life? I can’t believe I may have to face the situation of choosing family over my country. If a human being does not have the security of one’s home and country, then what do we have? Life is stressful enough, but to not have the most basic foundation of home and country, is perhaps the scariest, most terror-filled feeling in the world. In fact, I started developing panic-attacks from the stress and was recently hospitalized last weekend from this anxiety.
Let me give you a little more of a back-story:
I own a successful entertainment marketing firm that represents all the major movie studios in Hollywood. I employ 20 people, and pay approximately $1.2 million a year in federal and state income tax. Do you really want to lose Californians like me? Do you really want to send 20 people to the unemployment lines on California’s dime if I have to move my business to Canada?
I truly hope I will hear from you this time around. I would like to speak with you about co-sponsoring the UNITING AMERICAN FAMILIES ACT along with Senator Leahy and Nadler. I voted for you twice, and I would hope that you will at least take the time to consider my case. In the meantime, I will continue to share my story to greater press outlets on the subject, and would love nothing more than to share with the press that you have been very open to dialogue.
Sincerely,
Rita M. Boyadjian
Comment by Rita Boyadjian — July 17, 2007 @ 6:54 pm
Hey Rita……
loved your letter “AWSOME” right on!
A thought to reach out to you, we have similar biz profession, how about meeting and brainstorming and pool our stregnths together start a campaign? or ?
anything to get the word out there ? Book?.no one has done a book on this?….
how to contact one another ?
Comment by Derek — July 18, 2007 @ 5:53 pm
Hi Derek,
I plan to work with Out4Immigration and continue my work through Immigration Equality. Derek – are you affiliated with any organization? Or are you thinking of going rogue on this?
Comment by Rita Boyadjian — July 18, 2007 @ 6:31 pm
While we have the gift of life, it seems to me that only tragedy is to allow part of us to die – whether it is our spirit, our creativity, or our glorious uniqueness.
Comment by NewYork — May 19, 2008 @ 10:44 am