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ELizabeth Gilbert: to Lobby for Uniting American Families Act
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Melanie Nathan – August 14, 2010
Best-selling author Elizabeth Gilbert will join Immigration Equality in lobbying Congress for the Uniting American Families Act (UAFA), reports ON TOP Magazine.
My question is – will it be for UAFA as a stand alone or for the inclusion of UAFA into Immigration Reform. Maybe Immigration Equality sees that the choo choo train to reform ought to be via the equality Bill, UAFA, alone instead of through Comprehensive Immigration Reform.
“Gilbert, whose film adaptation of Eat, Pray, Love starring Julia Roberts opened nationwide on Friday, is half of a binational couple herself. She chronicled her experience in her follow-up book Committed.
Immigration Equality has been lobbying for passage of the UAFA, a bill that would allow gay Americans to sponsor an immigrant partner for citizenship. Currently, the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) forbids any federal agency from recognizing married gay couples, reports OUT.
However their report fails to note that for the past year and two months Immigration Equality has taken UAFA out of the realm of a stand-alone Bill with over 120 Sponsors in Congress and spent its time and resources on the currently nowhere journey through a very controversial crash course with Comprehensive Immigration Reform (CIR). UAFA is an equality amendment to the Immigration & Naturalization Act.that would include committed permanent partners instead Immigration Equality has pursued the idea of including UAFA in CIR – and cost desperate bi-national couples another year- in limbo – with no guarantee of inclusion, and constant same-old promises.
The House CIR Bill by Congressman Luis Gutierrez (D -IL) specifically excluded UAFA and although Gutierrez has since said in public and the press that he believes NOW (flip flop) that Uniting American Families Act should be included in CIR – there is no amendment or action yet in sight.
From the Senate side – we have yet to see more than a framework for the Bill, which does include mention of UAFA.
Immigration Equality assured its supporters over a year ago the CIR was imminent, yet all we have from the Senate and Chuck Schumer is yet another a campaign motivated promise in the form of a framework, clearly a rushed direct response to the recent Arizona Immigration debacle.
Gilbert will apparently join IE September 30 to talk to lawmakers about the inequity, reports IE.
As an avid activist myself for UAFA – I am hoping that Gilbert will be a proponent for an immediate stand-alone Bill for UAFA and that while we have a majority in congress, Gay and Lesbian couples should be given priority treatment under an equality banner rather than waiting for (yes the much needed) immigration reform for all.
“In addition to being unjust and cruel and unconscionable,” Gilbert said in June, “these laws [separating LGBT families] are stupid because they are taking away some of the best and brightest minds and prospects out of the country … they are forced to do nothing but fight for their lives. And they are in a fight for their lives. And I am proud to be part of that fight; I’m humbled and honored to be part of that fight.”
Elizabeth Gilbert’s life story, the best-selling author, who traveled millions of miles in what ended up being a search for her own, centered self, caused a sensation with her diary of personal discovery, also known as Eat, Pray, Love.
The book, which became a sort of holistic prescription for self-empowerment via self-fulfillment, was passed from person to person and ended up – in a life-changing moment amidst a story full of such karmic twists – in the hands of Oprah Winfrey.
At its peak, Love was at the top of the best-sellers’ list, and was hailed by millions as the holy text for embodying “la dolce vita.” (I learned about it when a friend sent me a Barnes & Noble gift certificate, and proclaimed, “Use this to buy Eat, Pray, Love!”) Readers have debated its place in the lexicon of feminist literature . . . organized book clubs to swoon over its lush storylines . . . and spent more than a few hours daydreaming about throwing caution to the wind, and following in Gilbert’s footsteps, in pursuit of a more perfect union (with themselves).
In short order, the book’s title – Eat, Pray, Love – became a mantra for the masses. And now, it has become a Hollywood blockbuster, too.
Beginning today, movie-goers are expected to flock to theaters to see Gilbert – played by screen icon Julia Roberts – eat, pray and love her way across Italy, India and Indonesia. But when the film stops rolling, another inspiring and empowering chapter in Gilbert’s life will just be beginning: Her selfless work on behalf of lesbian and gay immigrant families.
So now we are still no where and Bi national couples wait desperately. By September 30th I know two American citizens who will have already exiled for other countries, one who would have had life threatening major heart surgery without his partner at his side, and probably another 100 e-mails from 2nd class American residents and citizens.
by Melanie Nathan
nathan@privatecourts.com
www.privatecourts.com@oblogdeeoblogda
Related articles by Zemanta
- Elizabeth Gilbert: In Her Own Words (observer.com)
- ‘Julia Roberts Doppleganger’: ‘Eat, Pray, Love’ Author Elizabeth Gilbert On Good Morning America (huffingtonpost.com)
- Kudos to Elizabeth Gilbert (gaypatriot.net)
- Steve Ralls: Engage, Lobby, Love: Elizabeth Gilbert’s Passionate Advocacy for LGBT Immigrant Families (huffingtonpost.com)
- Eat, Pray, Love … and Fight For LGBT Families (gayrights.change.org)
8 Responses to ELizabeth Gilbert: to Lobby for Uniting American Families Act
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Jennifer White
August 15, 2010 at 4:34 pm
We don’t desire to move Faen, we have to in order to be together. We cannot afford to put her through a university and get her enough education in a specialized field to MAYBE get an employer sponsorship that will take years to turn into permanent residency if it does at all. That is the only option other than family based sponsorship.
Fraud is an easy question to address. There are other countries that have similar provisions such as Australia, Germany, and more. We can look at what they do to prevent fraud and model some of those policies. It is absurd that her question was ignored.
I agree, the court ruling on DOMA is probably the best hope for relief any time soon. If even MA gets to have federally recognized marriages then we will go to Boston to get married. Otherwise we will do what we have to in order to immigrate to Canada. I will have to resign my job, lease out my home, and we will have to go there and live in an apartment and work whatever jobs we can find. It is ridiculous and incredibly unfair.
sparta jr
September 28, 2010 at 10:39 pm
Hi Jennifer, We are a a gay couple trying to find another couples who are having their life affected by all this immigration.Our life might change in 2011 and i dont want to lose the best thing that have ever happened to me. Lets see if together we can find a way out to all this nonsense going on!!
Jennifer White
August 15, 2010 at 3:22 am
I’m gonna move to Canada. I have degrees, a career, a home, I pay thousands of dollars in taxes every year, and I have to move to Canada to be with my wife. It is ridiculous that I have to leave my whole life and country in order to be in a country foreign to both of us so that we can be together. It is especially wasteful of the government to lose productive people like us and others because they can’t sign one small bill into law that would be life changing for so many people and is clearly the right thing to do.
Melanie Nathan
August 15, 2010 at 10:45 am
Jen; Its an outrage – we know what needs to be done- what is so hard to live with is the fact that most people even in gay community have no clue and also reps don’t seem to give a damn. I know there is so much that they have to deal with that involves compassion BUT heck what in the World could be worse than an commission t (failure to act) that is tantamount to expelling even American Born Citizens. But then look how they treat gay and lesbian service members who are putting their lives on the line.for the country, only to risk firing. But the worst to my way if thinking is – when the impact of immigration inequality is to deny the very relationship that defines our existence. That is why I have worked so fervently with bi-national couples – in personal advocacy and also with UAFA Sacramento and D.C. To my way of thinking it IS NOT an immigration issue, per se, but an equality issue, requiring attention long before immigration reform gets its moment (if ever). All the LGBT community wants is equal treatment. Immigration reform has 4 major issues and political impediments at his helm; whereas UAFA as an equality stand alone Bill – has one tiny issue – the contractual nexus – which can be easily addressed to get Senator Feinstein as a co sponsor or as a committed vote, yet has been ignored by Immigration Equality to this point in time. SO Jen I am hoping that Elizabeth Gilbert is in tune with the big picture and not just another pliable pawn in the hands of the desperate failures of Immigration Equality’.
FAEN
August 15, 2010 at 2:45 pm
Jen–I wish you all the best and I understand the desire to move. The Dems constantly throw us under the bus. Even Feinstein whos should know better, does not support the UAFA bill because she’s afraid of ‘fraud’. What nonsense. Like there isn’t marriage fraud with straight binational couples? Were not asking for special treatment, just equality. Yet this seems to be falling on deaf ears. It’s a disgrace that were still battling this. I think our best hope now is the DOMA case reaching the SCOTUS beause I don’t se IE changing enough minds to make it matter. I hope I am VERY wrong though and something positive does happen.
FAEN
August 14, 2010 at 5:15 pm
I read Elizabeth was going to lobby for the UAFA bill on Huffington Post and while I am very grateful to have her lobbying for us, I hate to say it, but I have lost all faith in Immigration Equality. If they have a plan, they certainly are keeping it to themselves. When the Dems had so much political capital and momentum, they should have really pushed this through. Now it seems the Dems will be in a huge fight until November and of course the UAFA bill won’t be touched by a ten foot pole. And who knows what will happen after November….what will the House and Senate look like? I can understand why some bi-national couples call it a day. The stress, the lack of progress, the constantly living on the edge, unable to fully live….it takes it toll.
Melanie Nathan
August 14, 2010 at 5:24 pm
agreed
LOrion
August 14, 2010 at 12:26 pm
Thanks for this. Sharing and blasting. D just reading this while she was here. It has become as iconoclastic as Silent Spring and Zen and Art of Motorcycle Maintenance…