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 The lesbian and gay community is closely watching Senator Chuck Schumer (D-NY) to see if he includes LGBT families in his Senate version of Comprehensive Immigration Reform (CIR) legislation. Senator Schumer is scheduled to introduce his bill within a couple of weeks. Will his bill be an inclusive bill? The Democratic Party has a history of telling the LGBT community that we are part of their America, part of their vision for America. In fact, Senator Schumer himself as chair of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee (DSCC) made similar statements when fundraising in the gay community. Now that Senator Schumer is responsible for the Senate version of CIR, we will find out whether all these words were hollow or if he meant them. Will Senator Schumer’s immigration bill demonstrate that gays are part of his America? Will it be inclusive of gays? There are innumerable reasons why any Comprehensive Immigration Reform bill must include gay and lesbian couples. Here are just a few: 1. It’s really not comprehensive if it doesn’t include our families. 2. The Democratic/Obama/Progressive coalition includes women, blacks, Latinos AND gays and this coalition should not be divided by our own side. The Republicans always try to divide us. The Democrats shouldn’t be helping them do this. The coalition is strongest when it’s together. 3. In a bill that is going to cover 12 to 15 million immigrants, gay partners add only 18,000 more people (there are 36,000 binational gay couples — and one half of each couple is already a US citizen). Adding 18,000 to a bill that will include 12 to 15 million total people is miniscule. 4. After repeatedly telling us that we are part of their America, to exclude LGBT foreign born partners when the immigration laws are being revised to welcome new immigrants, would be a slap in the face by Senator Schumer in particular and the Democratic Party in general. 5. It’s simply the right thing to do. Another reason gays must be part of immigration reform is to simply catch up with the rest of the civilized world. Of the world’s leading 20 democracies, 19 allow their gay citizens to sponsor their foreign born partner so that both can live in that country together. The 20th country, the United States, does not. Most of these countries, like the US, don’t recognize gay marriage, so it’s not a marriage issue. In fact, all the other English speaking countries (our cultural cousins) have provisions in their immigrations laws to allow gay partners to stay together in that country. Unfortunately, a US citizen who falls in love with a foreign born citizen usually ends up having to move to another country. The citizen must live in exile if the couple wishes to stay together. If you wish to weigh in with Senator Schumer to tell him CIR must be inclusive of gay families, his office number is: (202) 224-6542. Ask to speak with or leave a message for a Judiciary Aide.
Off Topic Action: Haiti Earthquake Relief: Resources and how to help -resources compiled by Tommy News Haiti Chief Says Thousands May Be Dead United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today issued an urgent call to the international community to assist Haiti following yesterday’s catastrophic earthquake that has devastated the impoverished Caribbean nation’s capital. “There is no doubt that we are facing a major humanitarian emergency and that a major relief effort will be required,” he said. Expressing gratitude to nations rushing aid to the earthquake’s victims, he called for the world to “come to Haiti’s aid in this hour of need.” The UN, he said, is also mobilizing an emergency response team to help coordinate humanitarian relief efforts and is expected to be on the ground shortly. Source: http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=33470&Cr=haiti&Cr1 United Nations Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) Donate Here: http://ochaonline.un.org/cerf/DonateNow/HowtoDonate/tabid/1819/language/en-US/Default.aspx Haiti: Resources and how to help Associated Press: The U.S. State Department Operations Center set up the following number for Americans seeking information about relatives in Haiti: (888) 407-4747. The department cautioned that because of heavy volume, some callers may hear a recording. The department also suggested contacting agencies such as the Red Cross or Mercy Corps to help with relief efforts. American Red Cross Disaster Online Newsroom Disaster Alert: Earthquake in Haiti 12:30am (1/13/2010) You can text “HAITI” to 90999 to donate $10 to American Red Cross relief for Haiti. The donation will be charged to your cellphone bill. 6:20 pm The American Red Cross is pledging an initial $200,000 to assist communities impacted by this earthquake, and is prepared to take further action as local responders assess the situation. As with most earthquakes, we expect to see immediate needs for food, water, temporary shelter, medical services and emotional support. The American Red Cross is accepting donations through their International Response Fund. Donations can be sent to the American Red Cross, P.O. Box 37243, Washington, D.C. 20013 or made by phone at 1-800-REDCROSS or 1-800-257-7575 (Spanish) or online at www.redcross.org. Mercy Corps Make a donation through Mercy Corps Call for registered nurses to help quake victims OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — A national organization of registered nurses is calling for nurse volunteers to assist residents of earthquake devastated Haiti. In a statement Tuesday, National Nurses United Executive Director Rose Ann DeMoro said the organization is calling on nurses throughout the U.S. to join in this critical effort. Through the Registered Nurse Response Network, the organization says it hopes to send nurses to provide emergency short term and long term medical support as it has in previous major disasters. The organization says details are still being worked out, but nurses can sign up at the NNU Web site, www.nationalnursesunited.org. The 7.0-magnitude quake — the most powerful to hit Haiti in more than 200 years — struck Haiti’s capital on Tuesday. http://www.latimes.com/news/nation-and-world/la-fgw-haiti-earthquake-resources13-2009jan13,0,1415237.story Huffington Post: An earthquake centered near the impoverished Haitian capital of Port-au-Prince caused the collapse of several buildings and an unknown number of fatalities Tuesday. The quake measured 7.0 on the Richter scale and at least 1.8 million people live within the area where the earthquake had its highest intensity. Huffington Post Impact is working to collect a comprehensive list of links and ways to get involved in relief efforts, detailed below. NOTE: We will continually be updating this page. If you have more information about how people can get involved in relief efforts, leave a comment or e-mail us at [email protected] U.S. President Barack Obama said on Tuesday that his “thoughts and prayers” were with the people of Haiti. “We are closely monitoring the situation and we stand ready to assist the people of Haiti,” Obama said in a statement. The Obama administration said that the State Department, USAID and the U.S. military were working to coordinate an assessment of the situation and any possible assistance. •The American Red Cross is pledging an initial $200,000 to assist communities impacted by this earthquake. They expect to provide immediate needs for food, water, temporary shelter, medical services and emotional support. They are accepting donations through their International Response Fund. •UNICEF has issued a statement that “Children are always the most vulnerable population in any natural disaster, and UNICEF is there for them.” UNICEF requests donations for relief for children in Haiti via their Haiti Earthquake Fund. You can also call 1-800-4UNICEF. •Donate through Wyclef Jean’s foundation, Yele Haiti. Text “Yele” to 501501 and $5 will be charged to your phone bill and given to relief projects through the organization. •Operation USA is appealing for donations of funds from the public and corporate donations in bulk of health care materials, water purification supplies and food supplements which it will ship to the region from its base in the Port of Los Angeles. Donate online at www.opusa.org, by phone at 1-800-678-7255 or, by check made out to Operation USA, 3617 Hayden Ave, Suite A, Culver City, CA 90232. •Ben Stiller’s Stillerstrong campaign will be temporarily diverting all donations to support the Haiti relief effort. •Partners In Health reports its Port-au-Prince clinical director , Louise Ivers, has appealed for assistance: “Port-au-Prince is devastated, lot of deaths. SOS. SOS… Temporary field hospital by us at UNDP needs supplies, pain meds, bandages. Please help us.” Donate to their Haiti earthquake fund. •Mercy Corps is sending a team of emergency responders to assess damage, and seek to fulfill immediate needs of quake survivors. The agency aided families after earthquakes in Peru in 2007, China and Pakistan in 2008, and Indonesia last year. Donate online, call 1-888-256-1900 or send checks to Mercy Corps Haiti Earthquake Fund; Dept NR; PO Box 2669; Portland, OR 97208. •Direct Relief is committing up to $1 million in aid for the response and is coordinating with its other in-country partners and colleague organizations. Their partners in Haiti include Partners in Health, St. Damien Children’s Hospital, and the Visitation Hospital, which are particularly active in emergency response. Donate to Direct Relief online. •Oxfam is rushing in teams from around the region to respond to the situation to provide clean water, shelter, sanitation and help people recover. Donate to Oxfam America online. •International Medical Corps is assembling a team of first responders and resources to provide lifesaving medical care and other emergency services to survivors of the earthquake. Donate online. Go Here for the links: http://news.yahoo.com/s/huffpost/20100113/cm_huffpost/421014 http://news.yahoo.com/s/huffpost/20100113/cm_huffpost/421014
According to Cleve Jones, the lawsuit shows a change in the leadership of gay movement. I have to agree. What do you think?
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