When a Kiss is Not Just a Kiss

Petty Officer 2nd Class Marissa Gaeta won a raffle on the dock landing ship Oak Hill to be the first to kiss a loved one on its return to port in Virginia Beach. Petty Officer 3rd Class Citlalic Snell was waiting when she crossed the brow. Story  http://hamptonroads.com/2011/12/first-lesbian-couple-get-first-kiss-navy-homecoming

Congratulations to these young ladies.  While many folks may not understand the hoopla and the fanfare around all of this and the importance of this kiss, same sex couples everywhere hail this as a historical kiss.  

Bi-national same sex couples look upon this as it being sweet, sweet indeed.  However, there is a sense of jealousy and longing.  While these two get to hold each other and kiss for all to see, we hide in civil disobedience, talk on Skype, live in exile.  We wait for our country to give us equal (not special) rights.  

Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton made the historical speech to the UN about LGBT rights are human rights and human rights are LGBT rights.  We would like for that to extend to the United States of America.  We would like our human rights.  See Clinton's historical speech:

 

We would like to be able to kiss our loved one in public without fear.  We would like to be able to kiss our spouse without the worry that they will have to leave again soon.  We would like to kiss our sweetheart on American soil as they are granted legal status.

We are American Citizens who are in love with someone who is not an American Citizen.  We cannot sponsor them because we are of the same sex.  We are asking for the right to be allowed to be with our spouses.

While we are encouraged by this kiss, I look forward to the day when bi-national couples can "kiss in the sunlight and say to the sky...behold and believe what you see.  Behold how my lover loves me."

United States of America: Citizens Rights Denied!

Why should it matter to Republicans and Democrats alike? Why should Congress care if they pass the Uniting American Families Act? I can answer this with one sentence:

We are citizens of the United States of America, we should have and deserve the same rights as all citizens of the United States of America.

That should be and really is the bottom line. People have all kinds of reasons to disagree with why I should be able to sponsor my same sex spouse for immigration, but what they are saying is that as a lesbian citizen of the United States, I do not deserve the same rights as heterosexual citizens of the United States.

They can put all kinds of pretty words, Bible verses, morality, and bias to their argument. I can do the same for my side, with Bible verses, morality and equality to my argument, but it all boils down, it all comes down to, the bottom line is:

As a lesbian citizen of the United States, I do not deserve the same rights as heterosexual citizens of the United States.

Is that what you believe? Do you believe that a group of people are less because of whom they love? I do not agree with that stance. I believe that as American Citizens all should have the right to live with whom they want to live; love whom they want to love and sponsor their spouse for immigration....as all citizens of the United States do. Let's try this exercise:

1. As a Christian, I believe I should be able to sponsor my spouse for immigration.

2. As a citizen of the United States, I believe I should be able to sponsor my spouse for immigration.

3. As a woman I should be able to sponsor my spouse for immigration.

4. As a lesbian United States Citizen, I should be able to sponsor my spouse for immigration.

A Gallup poll shows that the majority of Americans support same sex marriage. Most people do not know that couples are cruelly being separated by immigration law. That is because such discrimination is something that they didn't realize was actually happening in these United States. What is your stance on the rights of ALL citizens of the United States of America?

DENIED: US Citizens Denied the Right to Sponsor Spouses for Immigration

One would think that a person who is legally married to a person who is foreign born would be able to sponsor them for immigration. This is not the case of same sex couples in the United States. Five states and the District of Columbia allow same sex couples to marry. It is absolutely a horrible nightmare that even though same sex couples have married in these states, it is not recognized by the Federal Government under the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA).It is because of this, these marriages, these families can be ripped apart legally by the US Federal Government. (ICE)

We really need to get the Uniting American Families Act (UAFA) passed and the Respect for Marriage Act (RFMA) (which repeals DOMA) passed.

What is the opposition? I am not sure. All of the people that are against repealing DOMA and are against the UAFA say that it is immoral. I would like to point out that the Bible says that ALL have sinned. If you discriminate against same sex couples, you must also discriminate against those who take the name of the Lord in vain. To just say that homosexuality is an abomination is simply not Biblical. The Bible lists seven sins that are an abomination. Why isn't Congress up in arms against these abominations? Probably because they are guilty of committing them. Number one being a proud look. The next one is a lying tongue. Let's deport everyone who is guilty of being proud or has ever told a lie. Ridiculous you say. I agree. To hold anyone to the perfect standards of the Bible is ridiculous...whether it be lying, adultery, murder, or being too proud of oneself, it is all an abomination in the eyes of God.

As a student of the Bible, I would also like to point out that whenever same sex relationships are mentioned in the Bible the context is Always idol worship. The Almighty God never condemns a monogamous same sex relationship in the Bible....

As a reference to this argument, please see the previous blog entries:

The Bible Says - Homosexuality

Can You Justify Discrimination Because of Sin

I hope that you will read all of this information with an open mind and heart and know that it is the right thing to repeal DOMA and to pass the Uniting American Families Act

It seems that there is no urgency to get these Bills out of their Judiciary Committees and to the floor to be brought for a vote. Lamar Smith in the House has not returned any of my correspondences regarding bringing the United American Families Act up for a vote. I would like to say that if Congress were separated from their families; their spouses with no permanent solution, there would be more urgency. As a matter of fact, I don't believe we would have to wait at all for these bills to be made law if it were them. We are a minority of a minority, but we are American Citizens and we should have the right to live with our spouses and sponsor them for immigration.

Judiciary Committee: Where My Family's Rights go to Die

The Respect for Marriage Act (RFMA)...you know the one. It would repeal the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA)....you know the one that says Marriage is between one Man and one Woman. It has gone the way of all bills regarding the rights of this US citizen to marry the love of my life. It has gone the way of all bills regarding the Immigration Rights of same sex bi-national couples. It has gone to the Judiciary Committee in both the House and the Senate. I can almost quote http://www.thomas.gov/ as I have seen bills like this one go down to the Judiciary for about 10 years now: "Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary".

I now hear rumors that the Uniting American Families Act will be introduced into Congress probably on Thursday. I wish this could make me excited, I wish this could make me happy and hopeful. Unfortunately, all it does is make me sad and wistful. I hope to the Almighty that someone will say, "Wait, stop this bill should not be sent to committee...this bill should be voted on and passed TODAY." That would give me hope, that would be cause for excitement.

Why Congress thinks very little of United States Citizens, I have no idea. We are just asking to be allowed to live in our country with the person that with whom we have fallen in love. It is not evil, it is not a conspiracy, it is not even equal marriage rights. All we, as same sex bi-national couples want, is to be free to live with our spouses without fear of deportation.

I am willing to talk, to debate, or whatever to anyone who has questions, comments and can be helpful in getting this bill passed.

DO NOT LET IT DIE in Judiciary Committee as it has for the last 10 years. Please, our families depend on it to be able to be together, live in peace and be free.

Bird Behind the Bar "Happy Valentines Day"

Used with permission. Thank you. This story is a powerful & different look at a story that I have followed in my blog (A Love Story & I am My Beloved's) I appreciate the opportunity to post it here in my blog.

bird behind the bar

Rants, wise words and stupid conversations
Thursday, 17 February 2011
Happy Valentine's Day

With the commercial con of Valentine's Day over, this Bird's heart can now turn without cynicism to thoughts of true love. I want to share the story of a friend of mine, a big-hearted and loving woman who deserves the best from life. Philippa has wife in the States, who's daughter from a previous marriage knows her as 'Mum', but under US federal law, unlike a heterosexual couple, her wife is not permitted to sponsor her to move to America. They are both fighting tooth and nail to change this heart-breaking and discriminatory law, with endless brave interviews, campaigns and lobbying.

The link below will tell you more than I can of this perplexing legal situation, but the story I want to tell is the one I have seen with my own eyes. This Bird has the esteemed honor of playing in a band with Philippa. She is passionate, talented and full of life. She lives much of this life, however, via webcams, mobile phones and 'facebook'. Her relationship with her wife, Inger, is so real and present I already consider Inger a friend, although I have never met her. Philippa regularly rings her during band practices, and we will play a new tune to the phone to see what Inger thinks of it. We have group phone conversations full of laughter. She also chats regularly with her daughter, helping with homework on the web cams, and even checking that she's tidied her bedroom.

I also see Philippa on the bad days: the days when all she wants in the world is to hold her wife in her arms because she has had a bad day; the times when her daughter has her first day at a new school and she cannot be there to see her at the school gate; the times when she comes to band practice bleary-eyed because the time differences mean that if she want to talk with her wife after a full day's work she has to wait up until 4 a.m.; the times when, despite the soul-deep love she has for her family, she wonders where she can find the strength to carry on. She does carry on, and I have the utmost admiration for Philippa and her wife for their courage and commitment. Even when the fight for legal change is won, Philippa will face a move 5000 miles to another continent, away from family, friends and the life she has known, to be with her family. This alone would be an act of tremendous courage for anyone, but for Philippa this would be the happy ending to the story, a sobering thought.

This Bird cannot help but wonder that, if the US government is so afraid that family values are becoming a thing of the past, surely anyone willing to make such a determined effort to keep a family together should be heralded, not discriminated against. After all, what couple could show more commitment to love and family?
Click on the title of this blog,or here, watch the short film, and I challenge you not to shed a tear.

Happy Valentine's Day x x x x x x

http://www.shewired.com/Article.cfm?ID=25890
Posted by bird behind the bar at 11:08

The Favorite Sin of the Conservatives

Let me start by saying I do not believe that a monogamous same sex relationship is a sin.  I need to go to those who think that it is a sin...I need to go on their mental level to speak to their hearts and minds.  Let me also state that there are few people that are more conservative than I am.  I just happen to believe that God is a just God and does not condemn us for this.

I have gone to Bible school and my knowledge of the Bible is immense.  From fifth grade to third year of college, I studied the Word of God.  I know what the Bible says, and I know that the Bible never condemns a monogamous same sex relationship.   I have a question for those who say that homosexuality is a sin and therefore homosexuals should not have equal rights.  Why is this "sin" so special?  Why don't you say those who commit adultery also cannot sponsor their spouse.  Here's a great one:  Those who take the name of the Lord in vain must be deported.  It is the second commandment and the Bible states, "the Lord will not hold him guiltless..." for those that take the Lord's name in vain.  Most of the people making the claims that it is an "abomination" have no clue as to where the Bible says that.  When anyone mentions Sodom and Gomorrah I immediatly dismiss them as someone who really has no clue as to what the Holy Scriptures have to say about homosexuality.  Someone who just parrots what someone else has told them is really not a knowledgeable on the subject.  So why this "sin"?  Why is this the one that they have chosen? 

Am I allowed to quote myself on my own blog?

They say that they have family values and that is why they are against the Uniting American Families Act. 
When they speak of family values, what do they mean?  We go to church every Sunday.  Our children are in boy scouts, they make good grades, they go to AWANA,   We volunteer at the local food pantry.  I work in health care and have received recognition for the work that I do.  I have taught in schools about lung health and I love the work I do.  Our children are taught to be good citizens and to respect authority.  We teach them love of God and country.  If these are not family values, what are they?  Because my sweetheart and I are of the same sex does that mean I cannot have family values?  I think not. 

If anyone can tell me why they have chosen homosexuality as the "sin" to be against and not other sins, please let me know.  Please make it concise, polite and an educated response.