The Defense of Marriage Act and the Obama administration have prepared to split apart another legally married gay couple—this time it’s U.S. citizen Bradford Wells and Australian citizen Anthony John Makk. When Makk applied for permanent residency as a spouse of an American citizen, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services denied him because “for a relationship to qualify as a marriage for purposes of federal law, one partner must be a man and the other a woman.”
Makk has not only been Wells’ partner for 19 years, he is also the sole caregiver of Wells who suffers from AIDS. So after Makk gets shipped back to Australia on August 28th, Wells is pretty much on his own.
Representative Nancy Pelosi is reportedly working to help the couple. If Makk and Wells decide to spend another $2,000 to file a mostion to reconsider, it will at most give them 30 more days together and absolutely no guarantees.
While Obama supports the repeal of DOMA, he has not yet intervened in this case. You can call the White House and ask them to intervene (202-456-1111) and call Minority Leader Pelosi’s office to thank her for her work (202-225-4965).
How about we take this to the next level?
Our newsletter is like a refreshing cocktail (or mocktail) of LGBTQ+ entertainment and pop culture, served up with a side of eye-candy.
christopher di spirito
This story makes me livid and my blood pressure go through the roof.
Obama is such a lying, fucking nitwit. He never had a template to address LGBT rights after we foolishly bought his “Hope and Change” mantra and elected him in 2008.
In fact, the sense I get from the Obama administration is, America’s gay community is a nuisance, a burden, they’re forced to toss a few crumbs at in order to shut up and buy the support of morons like Joe Solmonese and the champagne queers at the HRC.
Nancy Pelosi, on the other hand, is a good and decent woman and her record on LGBT rights and equality is about as good as it gets.
My heart goes out to this couple. They’re in good hands if Pelosi is involved now.
Michael DeSelms
This is the “Change” we can believe in? I agree with Christopher. If we are a burden to this administration, then lets bug the holy crap out of them. As I am old enough to remember the Viet Nam protest, it changed things when those protest became more of a burden and hinderence. And yes, Nancy Pelosi is a careing loving person. Afterall…shes from California. Then its always as I’ve said before…Obama needs to get re-elected. Ergo why no LBGTQ action yet. Wait till his 2nd. term. HMMM..What do you think?
christopher di spirito
I’m confident the champagne queers at the HRC will be licking Obama’s taint as the 2012 election grows near. They will remind us — like Rachel Maddow has started to do, of all the “cool things” (Rachel’s words) Obama has done for the gay community.
Like token appointments and DADT repealed and hospital visitation rights. I’ve read them all.
But the fact is, Obama, back in his Chicago days, supported marriage equality. But once the promise of a career in Washington awakened his inner-Reagan, he evolved backward and threw the LGBT community under the bus faster than you can say “Pastor Rick Warren.”
Riker
This is why we need to be more than just a mosquito to the Obama administration. We need to show him we’ve got teeth.
The American public is in possession of the most potentially damning leak since the Pentagon Papers, which was allegedly released by a gay man. Why not use it to our advantage? Hold protests outside the White House in memory of those killed without justice. Loudly call for Hillary’s resignation after she was caught spying on UN delegates.
Pat Duffy
Of course they will. They’re still supporting DOMA and procecuting soldiers under DADT!
One “Good Thing” that’s come out of Predidente Invertibrate’s caving is that 40 yrs of voting for “The Lesser Evil” is OVER. Since we’re Screwed no matter what, I might as well vote my Heart for a change….
James Leahy
Could we maybe have some more humanity for this person? How about “person living with AIDS” rather than AIDS sufferer?
Christ. It’s 2011, right?