Guest Blog - Lakewood, OH passes resolution in support of UAFA - #25!

This is a guest blog from Tim K who helped get Lakewood OH to pass a resolution in support of the Uniting American Families Act! Interested in getting your city pass a resolution in support of UAFA? Contact Tom Tierney at tom [at] out4immigration.org

Hello Everyone!

OK, this is a long post but I hope you will please read it through to the end...

I pray I am not stealing Tom T.'s thunder, but I wanted to share with you all that tonight Lakewood, Ohio (http://www.onelakewood.com/) passed a unanimous resolution in support of UAFA passage - including the signature of Mayor Ed FitzGerald! I think Lakewood now makes it twenty-five cities coast-to-coast that have issued resolutions of support for UAFA passage...

Lakewood is one of Cleveland, Ohio's larger "ring suburb" cities. I have been working hard to get a resolution in support of UAFA passage from my hometown of Cleveland. While that is still in the works, I wanted to share with you that along the way I not only got a resolution from The Lesbian Gay Community Service Center of Greater Cleveland but, during that outreach, they "turned me on" to Lakewood Councilwoman Nickie Antonio, herself an openly gay council member. Tonight (Monday, 19 July 2010) was the council meeting where the resolution was introduced; Councilwoman Antonio asked me if I would speak about my situation at the meeting and I was happy to do so.

I won't bore you with all the details but, after being introduced by Councilwoman Antonio, I got to address the entire Lakewood City Council. My speech was about four minutes long and, honestly, owes a great deal of thanks to Tom T., Peter F. and Debbie E. (thanks, you three!) who all inspired me and coached me with their own speeches and suggestions. BTW, I'd be happy to share the entire text of my speech with anyone that is interested. Anyway, the room seemed to get very quiet right before I spoke. I was lucky enough to have four of my dearest friends with me, supporting me. After my speech, Council President Kevin Butler asked if any of the council members had any questions...

One council member immediately spoke up and questioned the possibility of fraud in same gender immigration. Without thinking (I was actually a little embarrassed later that I had said this), I commented that it, "...wasn't easy to fake being gay or lesbian." The council all chuckled a bit, then I went on to list the criteria that same gender binational couples must meet to "pass" the couples test. I also went on and explained how the fines and penalties for fraud were just as severe as those for heterosexual couples and that, above and beyond all those tests, the sponsoring (American) partner of the binational couple will be required to sign an affidavit of support for the foreign national partner for ten years, even if the relationship dissolves. The councilman smiled and nodded. And then, before he could answer, I reminded him that twenty-three other countries now allow their lesbian and gay citizens the right to sponsor their foreign partners for immigration. I said, "With all due respect, councilman, twenty-three other countries have already done the work for the United States. All we have to do is implement it."

The room collectively sighed and giggled...

He thanked me for my concise and fact-filled response. I asked him if I had answered his question and if the question of fraud was still an issue for him. He said "No."

From the opposite end of the table, another councilman spoke up and shared that, as an attorney, he was very familiar with the legislation and commended me for sharing that The American Bar Association supports passage of UAFA (Thanks Peter -- I "borrowed" that from your speech!) That councilman went on to say that the legislation was "...solid, focused and necessary." With that, Council President Butler asked if resolution passage should be put to a vote -- it was, and the affirmative vote was unanimous! After the vote was recorded, Mayor FitzGerald said he would be proud to also sign the resolution. Then the mayor and the council president both thanked me for my informative, passionate and personal account of my situation.

I must say that, while it isn't easy to get up there in a public forum and speak so openly about one's life, it IS necessary. Please do not think I am being preachy or anything -- I have been very humbled by this entire experience. But, so far, I have called on both my Senator's state offices, marched in Washington, DC, participated in Vigil at the Monument and have now appeared before a city council giving testimony. I write, call and fax every week. I know that I am fortunate to have a life that allows me to do all these things but every one of us MUST be doing all we can, at the highest level of participation we can, to ensure that UAFA passage is a reality.

O4I has all the tools you need -- The Grassroots Groundswell Kit is AMAZING!!! I mean, literally, about all you have to do is print letters off and sign your name. Tom T. and Amos have always been available to me, and I am sure they would be to you as well. (For example, Tom sent me a list of UAFA "talking points" to prepare for my meeting tonight and that was the source I used for the information to shoot down that councilman's fraud concern.)

People, twenty-five cities have now issued resolutions -- there are a LOT of us that can "talk you through" what to do. I mean, I am publically stating here that I am willing to answer almost any question that anyone e-mails me. Please -- we have to do the work NOW to see the results. I really feel that this is our window in time...

OK, OK, enough "coaxing" (badgering?) from me for tonight. Thanks for reading through to the end. One last favor? Please send a quick "Thank You" e-mail to the following people:

City of Lakewood Mayor Ed FitzGerald (yes, it is spelled that way): mayor@lakewoodoh.net

Sponsoring Lakewood City Councilwoman Nickie Antonio: nickie@nickieantonio.com

Lakewood City Council President Kevin Butler: butler@councilmanbutler.com

You just never know who might be friends with whom...

Thank you for all you are doing to ensure UAFA passage in 2010. My beloved "M" and I are doing all we can -- we hope you are, too...

Tim K in Cleveland, OH and my Beloved "M," 4000+ miles away from me...