Tyranny - Our United States Congress!

tyr·an·ny

   [tir-uh-nee] noun, plural -nies.

1. arbitrary or unrestrained exercise of power; despotic abuse of authority.

2. the government or rule of a tyrant or absolute ruler.

3. a state ruled by a tyrant or absolute ruler.

4. oppressive or unjustly severe government on the part of any ruler.

5. undue severity or harshness.

You cannot live with your spouse or your life partner. You cannot sponsor them for a green card or United States Citizenship. You cannot marry them and have that marriage recognized.

Does this sound foreign. Does this sound like a despot who will not even allow people to surf the internet. Does this sound like a government with the power to even limit how many children a couple has? Yes it does.

Unfortunately, it is not. It is our US Government. Time and again, the Speaker of the House, John Boehner says that they will deal with the Respect for Marriage Act, by not bringing it up for even a hearing. Time and again Lamar Smith, the Chairman of the Judiciary Committee has made it well known that he is anti-immigration reform/anti-immigrant and will not allow the Uniting American Families Act or really any Comprehensive Immigration Reform Act out of the Judiciary Committee.

This is nothing but an abuse of power. This is nothing but tyranny. It is unAmerican, unDemocratic, and against everything that has made the United States successful and great. To not even allow these bills to come up for hearing or votes, to discriminate against a certain group of people, to oppress ...well that is the definition of tyranny and the United States Congress.

For those who think I am over reacting, know that I have been waiting for over 10 years to be able to sponsor my wife for immigration. When you have been forced to endure such stress, torture and discrimination, then you can say I am being harsh and over reacting. I hold to my belief that our Congress is behaving like tyrants.

State Marriage Equality Does Not Help - Repeal DOMA Pass UAFA

Immigration is under Federal jurisdiction and therefore, the States passing Marriage Equality does not help with Same Sex bi-national couples being able to be together legally here the the United States.

What if you couldn't see your spouse? What if you went months or years without being able to hold your husband or wife? What if that decision was not yours, but your government? What if your future with your family was in the hands of a government? I am not talking about some backwards third world country, I am talking about the United States of America, where all are created equal...that is except for the second class Lesbian and Gay people. They apparently do not deserve the same rights as all American people...just ask Congress.

There are two bills that have been introduced into Congress again and again to help with this situation, yet, they have yet to be brought for a vote. This is because the GOP for whatever reason believes that if they ignore us, they will not have to deal with us. The two bills are the Uniting American Families Act and the Respect for Marriage Act.

Once again the 112th Congress (which has been called the "Do Nothing Congress) refuses to bring the UAFA and the RFMA up for votes.

Please sign the following to help repeal DOMA:

https://secure3.convio.net/hrc/site/Advocacy?cmd=display&page=UserAction&id=1070

The Senate actually did hold a hearing...the first in the long history of the bill:

ABC News’ Arlette Saenz (@arlettesaenz) reports:

The Senate held the first ever hearing on the Respect of Marriage Act, which would repeal the 1996 Defense of Marriage Act and extend to legally married same-sex couples the same benefits and protections provided to heterosexual married couples.

“I’m concerned that DOMA has served to create a tier of second-class families in states like Vermont. This runs counter to the values upon which America is founded, to the proud tradition we have in this country of moving toward a more inclusive society,” Senate Judiciary Committee Chmn. Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., said.

Testifying before the Senate Committee, Rep. John Lewis, D-Georgia, equated DOMA to racism and his personal experiences with discrimination.

“As a child, I tasted the bitter fruits of racism and discrimination, and I did not like it. And in 1996, when Congress passed the Defense of Marriage Act, the taste of that old bitter fruit filled my mouth once again,” Lewis said. “The Defense of Marriage Act is a stain on our democracy. We must do away with this unjust, discriminatory law once and for all. It reminds me of another dark time in our nation's history, in many years when states passed laws banning blacks and whites from marrying. We look back on that time now with disbelief. And one day we will look back on this period with that same sense of disbelief.”

But Republicans pounced on the Respect for Marriage Act and defended the constitutionality of DOMA.

“Traditional marriage is a sacred institution and serves as the cornerstone of our society. We cannot afford to devalue it with legislation like S. 598, and we must oppose any effort that would diminish the definition of marriage,” Rep. Steve King, R-Iowa, said. “The other side argues that you can't choose who you love and that a union between two men or two women is equal to that of one man and one woman. But these are the same arguments that could be used to promote marriage between fathers and daughters, mothers and sons, or even polygamist relationships.”

The Uniting American Families Act would add three words to immigration law "or Permanent Partner". For some reason, Congress feels that they should have the power to keep us from those that we love because it would put a strain on immigration. Our immigration system is so broken and our Congress is so "do nothing" that President Obama had to take steps to not deport the DREAMers or the partners of the Lesbians or Gay people.

Do they not see how cruel it is? Do they get such a power rush by waving their all powerful pens saying I cannot be with my wife. What if Someone had the right keep them from their spouses for as long as they keep DOMA as law...for as long as they refuse to pass the Uniting American Families Act.Maybe it would give them some sort of understanding as to what thousands of bi-national same sex couples are going through daily.

Pass the Uniting American Families Act, Repeal the Defense of Marriage Act Please

The Uniting American Families Act -- Why Pass the Bill?

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Uniting American Families Act
Legislation history
Bill citation	H.R. 1024 S. 424
Bill published on	February 12, 2009
Introduced by	Rep. Jerry Nadler (D-NY) Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-VT)

The Uniting American Families Act (UAFA, H.R. 1024, S. 424) is a U.S. bill to amend the Immigration and Nationality Act to eliminate discrimination in the immigration laws by permitting permanent partners of United States citizens and lawful permanent residents to obtain lawful permanent resident status in the same manner as spouses of citizens and lawful permanent residents and to penalize immigration fraud in connection with permanent partnerships.^[1][2] Section 18 of the bill would be amended to include permanent partnerships as an illegal way to evade any provision of the immigration law and allow for the individual to be imprisoned for no more than five years, fined for up to $250,000 or both.^[3] Also, if the partnership ends within two years the sponsored partner’s legal immigrant status would come under review.^[4]

  It seems that the bill is stagnant in Congress. They talk DREAM Act constantly, however, what of our DREAMS?  What of the dreams of all of those in the same shoes as we.  Am I not an American with certain rights?  Do I not have the right for the pursuit of happiness along with my heterosexual friends?  Am I less of an American because of my sexual preference?  I am an upright citizen.  I love my country, I pay my taxes and I vote.  I am a Christian and live my life as such.  I am a woman who is in love with a woman.  Does that make me inferior?  Does that make me a horrible person with no rights to love and to be loved?  Why has this been an issue for over ten years?  Why has this bill failed time and time again?  I do not know what else to do but to reach out to Congress, the President, the News people and whoever else will listen.

While Congress breaks for Christmas and goes home to their families, I will not be with my family on Christmas Day.  While Americans sit down with their loved ones for Christmas Dinner, I will be far from my loved ones.  

I am not alone in this.  They estimate that there are 36,000 couples that are in the same shoes as I.  I believe that to be a conservative estimate as I am sure that many, many people did not say that they are with someone who is illegal in the Census ten years ago.

The President says that he must change his own thinking to allow for same sex marriage, this bill is not asking anyone to allow same sex marriage.  It says that if I can prove that this person is my Permanent partner, I can sponsor her.  I believe that I personally have that proof.  

Are we less than human?  Are we nothing in the eyes of the law?  Are we less important than animals?  Currently, we have no rights.  Currently, we are nothing.  Currently, we cannot be with our loved ones.  

So tonight when you snuggle against the one that you love, know that it is illegal for me to do the same.  When you go to your Christmas Parties and kiss under the mistletoe, know that my love is far away from me.  When your children are opening their Christmas presents on Christmas Day, please understand that I will not be with my children on Christmas morning.  Now tell me how is that right?  How is it OK that this American Citizen does not have the right to be with my loved ones? 

I am asking that Congress pass the Uniting American Families Act as soon as possible so that I and those like me, will be able to be with our love ones.  It is what is right.   I would love to quote Representative John Lewis (who is quoting Martin Luther King, Jr.), “The time is always right to do the right thing…”

Do what is right.  Allow us to be with the ones that we love.