Should VisaJourney also sponsor the petition to end the widow penalty?

[TBoneTX 45,304]

As private citizens we can do as we please

Perhaps this is the route, then. If a mechanism is made known whereby individual VJ members (the USCs, obviously) can endorse the effort and sign the petition, many names can be added. Even better might be to publicize how individuals can write to their elected officials.

And, as a general comment regarding "panty wastes" (sic), a lot of people who stick their necks out on behalf of causes (or their "rights") later wish that they hadn't. I retract my earlier implication that THIS is such an issue, however.

Edited August 1, 2009 by TBoneTX

[Randall Emery 0]

As private citizens we can do as we please

Perhaps this is the route, then. If a mechanism is made known whereby individual VJ members (the USCs, obviously) can endorse the effort and sign the petition, many names can be added. Even better might be to publicize how individuals can write to their elected officials.

And, as a general comment regarding "panty wastes" (sic), a lot of people who stick their necks out on behalf of causes (or their "rights") later wish that they hadn't. I retract my earlier implication that THIS is such an issue, however.

TBoneTX -- speaking of issues, I was looking at your timeline and it's outrageous. Are there a lot of people waiting this long here?

[sara..... 371]

As private citizens we can do as we please

Perhaps this is the route, then. If a mechanism is made known whereby individual VJ members (the USCs, obviously) can endorse the effort and sign the petition, many names can be added. Even better might be to publicize how individuals can write to their elected officials.

And, as a general comment regarding "panty wastes" (sic), a lot of people who stick their necks out on behalf of causes (or their "rights") later wish that they hadn't. I retract my earlier implication that THIS is such an issue, however.

TBoneTX -- speaking of issues, I was looking at your timeline and it's outrageous. Are there a lot of people waiting this long here?

im not TBone but i can help u with that answer there are prolly a hand full of us here on vj that have been caught in some kind of hole in service centers, embassies, or nvc im sure there are a lot more than we know about cuz they just drop off of vj

sara

[jundp 191]

We could have a million people with a problem, but if we don´t ask, and ask specifically, in a coordinated way, they won't hear the message.

I fully believe that grassroots organizing can and does make a difference.

[rebeccajo 14]

Hey, don't shoot me. It is not my site. I am sure if Ewok wanted to endorse any particular issue, he would have responded to this thread by now. Silence is also loud, yah know?

There is no "we", really. The site belongs to Ewok. As private citizens we can do as we please; but to assume a "we" is a bit OTT me thinks.

I'm not "shooting" you.

I simply believe our voices are loudest collectively.

The internet is a powerful vehicle. I believe our new President would not be sitting in the White House without it. Vj is a heavily trafficked site - probably THE most heavily traffic as a place for individuals in family relationships to read and write about moving from other countries to the US.

As far as silence from Admin, I figure that Ewok hasn't even noticed. Admin responds to the Report button - I don't believe they really sit and read threads.

As such I shall hit the button now.

Edited August 1, 2009 by rebeccajo

[rebeccajo 14]

As private citizens we can do as we please

Perhaps this is the route, then. If a mechanism is made known whereby individual VJ members (the USCs, obviously) can endorse the effort and sign the petition, many names can be added. Even better might be to publicize how individuals can write to their elected officials.

And, as a general comment regarding "panty wastes" (sic), a lot of people who stick their necks out on behalf of causes (or their "rights") later wish that they hadn't. I retract my earlier implication that THIS is such an issue, however.

TBone - how do you think real change happens? By putting your head in the stand?

[rebeccajo 14]

I feel compelled to add that I have known Randall for about three years now. I have spoken to him on the telephone on more than one occasion. He has done much personally to fight for the rights of immigrants coming to the US via family-based cases and has fought for issues such as waivers; child age-outs; and FBI namecheck (which is how I got to know him).

Randall once arranged for an interview with a radio talk show about delays with FBI namecheck. I and another Vj member took part in the 'call-in' portion of that show.

Edited August 1, 2009 by rebeccajo

[rebeccajo 14]

As private citizens we can do as we please

Perhaps this is the route, then. If a mechanism is made known whereby individual VJ members (the USCs, obviously) can endorse the effort and sign the petition, many names can be added. Even better might be to publicize how individuals can write to their elected officials.

And, as a general comment regarding "panty wastes" (sic), a lot of people who stick their necks out on behalf of causes (or their "rights") later wish that they hadn't. I retract my earlier implication that THIS is such an issue, however.

TBoneTX -- speaking of issues, I was looking at your timeline and it's outrageous. Are there a lot of people waiting this long here?

Randall - Take a look at the timelines for the members 'estadia' and 'Gogo'. These are cases of a lack of transparency and due process at the Consular level.

[Kathryn41 3,205]

Even though this is a poll, I have moved it to site discussion as it is an issue that really belongs in site discussion. Rebeccajo is right - moderators and administration don't patrol the threads so a thread like this one may not come to our attention until someone deliberately points it out to us.

Speaking personally and not as a moderator (I will let the Captain address site issues) I fully support legislation ending the widow penalty. I know I was scared to death during my own visa journey about what would happen to me if my husband died during the process. It took nearly 2 years for my green card to be processed - 2 years of fear waiting in limbo having left behind the life I knew and had made for myself, knowing that the new life I was building could be destroyed and taken away from me in a few minutes. Death of a spouse is a horrible situation to face on its own and it is made triply worse by the immigration consequences of having everything else taken away from you too.

Edited August 1, 2009 by Kathryn41

[Captain Ewok 1,891]

Hey, don't shoot me. It is not my site. I am sure if Ewok wanted to endorse any particular issue, he would have responded to this thread by now. Silence is also loud, yah know?

There is no "we", really. The site belongs to Ewok. As private citizens we can do as we please; but to assume a "we" is a bit OTT me thinks.

Organizations often express support of a 'cause' and this is no different. As becca said, VJ has a long history that began with support of people who were being neglected by the USCIS. I would like to review the information before endorsing anything on behalf of the website. I will ping back in this thread later with my reply.

[Richard-Joanna 1]

Maybe I missed it... But setting aside the sponsorship of VJ... Shouldn't this be a thread in the K1 forum? As much as the people here have come to hate the USCIS I think that at least some individuals will call and write their representative.

Just my 2 cents

[Kathryn41 3,205]

The 'widow penalty' is not just a K-1 issue, and since the topic is about whether VJ should support ending the widow penalty it really does belong in site discussion.

[Richard-Joanna 1]

The 'widow penalty' is not just a K-1 issue, and since the topic is about whether VJ should support ending the widow penalty it really does belong in site discussion.

Yes, I understand it is not just a K1 issue... my question stemmed from... if the OP wants to gain support... Support 'might' better come from other threads. I have no idea and can only guess.. that maybe 20% or 40% of the users come to this area of the forum? and by posting it elsewhere, perhaps, more support could be gained.

[NatPatBen 3]

If this is so worthy why have 10 out of 25 respondents voted no?

I don't know much about this issue or the sponsoring organization but the vote count so far gives me pause.

People vote no because if it does not affect them, they don't give a toot.

Sad, isn't it.

[Captain Ewok 1,891]

While there may be exceptions, in general I believe that the "Widow" Penalty as it stands now is unfair and a consequence of "legacy law" that lacked the foresight to envision this when it was drafted. I would be happy to place VisaJourney on the "support" list for changing the law as it stands now to help the spouses of US Citizens that have lost their husband or wife through death. I do not know the correct legislation nor constructs of the change in law that would be required (to both protect immigration rights and the family) but clearly as things stand now, families and lives are being torn apart unjustly (which does not align with the great American spirit that the US Immigration process should promote).