Another travesty of DoMA

[marshlander]

I don't have a US address, so I am ineligible to sign this petition, but maybe some of you here will feel moved enough by this tragic situation.

Anthony John Makk is an Australian citizen who has been legally married to his spouse Bradford Wells for 7 years and has been residing in the U.S. under a visa. They have been together for more than 19 years, have made many friends, have made a life together, and have sacrificed for each other. Makk is also the primary caretaker for Wells, as Wells has health complications.

On Monday, August 8, 2011, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services board declared that Makk must leave the country by August 25, 2011, citing DOMA, the 1996 bill that federally does not recognize a marriage between same sex partners.

These fellow human beings are in a loving committed relationship, pay taxes, and deserve the same federal rights that all opposite sex couples have. The Obama administration has stated that they will stop defending DOMA and this is proof that they aren't doing their jobs when it comes to the rights of same sex couples.

Everyone, I implore you, Look at your own spouse or partner, now Imagine that the federal government refused to acknowledge your relationship as a legal one. You have built your whole life together, lived in the same place for years. Now imagine that you have only TWO WEEKS left to live with your partner because they were being removed from the country.

http://www.change.org/petitions/stop-the...nding-doma

PA and I are looking at the differences between the rules in the UK and France for same-sex couples at the moment and have been outraged by a massive inequality. I don't understand how the authorities in any civilised country can ignore the real needs of people like Anthony Makk and Bradford Wells :mad:

[Toppo]

I was able to sign it using my Australian home address. Just pick the non USA resident option. With the zipcode/postcode part I changed my 4 digit postcode to 5 by adding a zero to the front of it (it wouldn't accept 4 digits) . Then it provided me with a link to share on my Facebook newsfeed to encourage others to sign. Hope that helps.

[OrphanPip]

There was a similar incident about a couple who were legally married in Canada, but were split up because one of them had Canadian citizenship. Unfortunately, I saw it on the CBC and can't find a print source.

[Synaesthete86]

Where is the Non USA Resident option???????

[Toppo]

Wow. How bizarre. It was right above the red sign up button when I accessed it on my iPhone. Just went back to check it and it's no longer there. :mad:
Certainly making me look like an idiot!
Attached is a photo of the confirmation email I got.



All I can suggest is if you know someone who lives in the USA. Use their address as a proxy address.

[princealbertofb]

That's an idea. conversely, maybe the option of being a foreigner only comes with using the phone... ??

[princealbertofb]

Oh yeah, Toppolino, what's the address of the White House again? :tongue:

[Toppo]

I just shot off an email through my account requesting a link for us foreigners.
Fingers crossed I'll get a reply so I can post the link here ASAP.

[azulai]

This case is heart breaking for so many reasons.
Here's an article I read a couple of weeks ago about them:
San Francisco Gate, August 9, 2011: S.F. gay married couple loses immigration battle.

There has been some progress on a few cases because the Obama administration is not recognizing DOMA, but I think they are not doing anything until the person is facing deportation. So the way I understand it, Makk was doing everything legal and got denied. Sadly, they'll have a better chance once his visa expires. (This is just my uneducated guess and hope.)

I think this article explains things fairly well:
The Advocate, updated August 20, 2011: Some Deportations Halted for Gay Immigrants

[marshlander]

I just shot off an email through my account requesting a link for us foreigners.
Fingers crossed I'll get a reply so I can post the link here ASAP.

Thanks, Toppo, although I can see a case for "foreigners" being excluded from what some might consider purely an internal matter. Sadly, lives are still being turned upside down. It's the very inhumanity of it all that I find so distressing