For the untold thousands of folks like Shirley Tan, whose relationships and families suffer from immigration laws that don't grant any rights to gay couples, the Uniting American Families Act is the solution. As President Obama decides whether he'll make good on immigration reform, the UAFA is a key ingredient for gay families, since it would permit Americans to sponsor their foreign partners for residency. NAACP president Julian Bond is speaking now.
UPDATE: The hearing has ended.
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I wish I could say I was encouraged by this hearing but I was not.
First the only Senators to attend were the Chairman of the Senate Judiciary and author of UAFA Sen. Patrick Leahy, Sen. Charles Schumer, Sen. Arlen Spector, and Sen. Sessions. Representative Nadler author of the congressional bill gave a great speech as did Schumer, Leahy, and even Specter. Sessions went on about marriage is between a man and a woman and all the usual right wing religious arguments. Shirley Tan gave a very moving speech as did another man living exiled in England. Julian Bond of the NAACP gave a great speech also saying his organization agrees gay rights are civil rights. Representative Spier also gave a good speech as she introduced Shirley Tan and was instrumental in getting her deportation delayed.
I was very disappointed my Senator Dianne Feinstein was not there because she has a lot of power to get things moving.
This hearing made one thing very clear, those of us in exile have a long wait ahead.
Bond is such a class act…and there are damn few of those anymore of any color.
Reminding those who've forgotten; informing those who never knew: the man did THE UNTHINKABLE and refused to go to Coretta Scott King's funeral because it was being held at a major black homophobe's church. How often do we see moral courage like that? How often have we seen it since January 20th?
I know he does a lot of speaking to gay groups, but it's wonderful to see him before Congress, etc. Let's leave some of our professional, mealy mouthed gay "leaders" at home and send him to CNN etc.
I'm about done waiting and pleading for rights we should already have. I'm moving with my partner and not coming back until were treated equally. It will be hard to say the least but Ive just had it.
I hope Sessions(R) from Alabama watched one of Shirley Tan's son's sob during the hearing. Doubt he cares he helps to rip apart families. But then aagain in his eays, were nothing more than 'sex partners'.
I have posted video clips of most of the UAFA Senate hearing on my site:
http://www.inlookout.com/2009/.....-hearings/
@LoveMoby: He watched alright, and does not care. We are not people to him, we are something much less!
I didnt think President Obama would throw us under the bus, at least not this early but he has.
When it comes to equality for the GLBT community the Obama slogan should be:
YES WE CAN…..but we WONT!