The campaign continues...

[Argyle]

Hi All,

 

Below is the first draft of my next letter to the media. I know this letter is more first person than my last, but I hope I made up for it in the third to the last paragraph...

 

Please let me know what you think. I plan to work on it a little more this weekend, and send it out on Monday.

 

Dear XXXXXXXX

 

After the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001 there was an outcry to make our borders more secure. Our immigration system was in desperate need of a major overhaul. How could it have failed us so miserably?

 

Well, now we have a new Bureau of Homeland Security and a new immigration system, but we¡¯ve given up some of our liberties in exchange for this security. It wasn¡¯t a fair exchange, and we¡¯re not more secure.

 

These new security measures are applied with extreme political correctness. I've seen senior citizens forced to remove their shoes and belts before they were allowed to board their flights. These are not the people who crashed airplanes into our cities. Whatever happened to common sense?

 

On 1/11/2002, 86 year old former South Dakota governor and retired Marine Corps General Joe Foss was detained by security personnel at Phoenix International Airport because he tried to bring an object that a security screener felt could possibly be used as a weapon on board a domestic flight. The object that he refused to surrender, or trust to baggage handlers... his Congressional Medal of Honor, personally awarded by President Franklin Roosevelt during WWII. Unbelievable!

 

Another effect of these new security regulations is that ordinary Americans are kept apart from their loved ones in China. Some of us have been forced to wait more than one year. These delays are caused by the new security checks initiated last year.

 

I¡¯m not sure that these extraordinary delays are unintended. They aren¡¯t imposed on everyone applying for fianc¨¦e visas to this country. Western Europeans seem to breeze through the fianc¨¦e visa process with relative ease. These current immigration practices bring to mind the Chinese Exclusionary act of 1882.

 

A security check should take no longer than a few weeks to complete. Sadly, this is not the case. Our Chinese wives and fianc¨¦es are not terrorists. They represent absolutely no threat to our country. So, why has the F.B.I. subjected us to these endless delays in the name of national security?

 

I have spent the past twenty years in the service of our country, but this apparently means nothing to our F.B.I. The most disgraceful part of this is that I am not alone in this shameful treatment. Others like me are caught up in this endless cycle of setbacks and deferral. Many are proud veterans who¡¯ve served our country during time of war. Some are active duty military members. All are decent honorable Americans who simply want to be reunited with their loved ones.

 

Each time I made an inquiry about the status of our visa, I was told to wait ¡°two more weeks.¡± I¡¯ve waited more than 40 weeks for this security check. I shouldn¡¯t have to wait two more weeks. But, if this ordeal would truly be over in ¡°two more weeks¡±, I would rejoice! But, over the past several months, I¡¯ve learned that ¡°two more weeks¡± at our State Department really means, ¡°I have no idea, and there¡¯s nothing I can do about it.¡±

 

Our security check has been pending for almost ten months, and there¡¯s no end in sight. I refuse to accept that no one can do anything about these infinite delays. Surely our F.B.I. is accountable to someone for their actions.

 

Please help me to bring this absurd injustice to light.

[Robert S.]

Wow, what a great letter! In any kind of a reasonable world this would bring a thundering response.

 

The story about Gov. Foss was new to me. How ridiculous. Did you hear about when they confiscated the plastic rifle from a GI Joe toy?

[Guest R2D2]

Excellent letter, Clay, and well written. Let's get it out to the media worldwide-not just in the States. Let's bring some embarrassment on the paranoia that is being perpetrated on the American people. There is an aura of mean spritedness that is now touching the hearts of the American people. The politicians are playing off of that and continuing that mean spiritedness for their own agendas. Like a previous administration that wanted to do away with unions so that the rich could get richer and the workers could get poorer with less wages and benefits, there is legistration pending that will do away with overtime pay. I, personally, do not think that the American people will come to their senses until the laws and situations that are being created touches them personally in a negative way. They don't seem to care what happens to others. This will happen, in time, like it did in the past. However, this is like a giant merry-go-round. The politicians play off the people, and the media plays off the politicians, and the merry-go-round rolls over again, and again, and again until it breaks down. Eventually, all merry-go-rounds break down and the ride will be over. Until then, the ride will continue and the general opinion of the American public is anti-immigration and a disregard for civil liberties and the Constitution. We are the lucky ones. We are not the ones that are being arrested on suspicion, thrown in jail, and not allowed an attorney or a court trial or hearing. People are being arrested for what they think-not for what they do. It is a sad state of affairs when air marshals that carry guns on airlines have not had security checks. However, we have to assume that a medal of honor winner or a retiree might be a terrorist. It makes me wonder what ever happened to good old American common sense? Should everyone now file single file for a hole in Nebraska?

[rocksplit]

Argyle,

 

I am with Robert S.: WOW; it is an impressive and well written letter. Thank you.

You are doing your best to help nudge towards changes in this mess! You have my vote along with the gratefulness of my wife. We vote: You deserve the relief of a clearance . To bad that vote is useless . It would be sadly amazing indeed, if your letters would flicker across all screens without any response. Please keep us posted of any reactions or responses.

 

Daniel

 

PS: The visa specialist who once again confirmed my pending status this morning told me she thinks I do everything possible. By now I doubt my abilities at any efficiency: I repeatedly fail to get any aid from Senators or Congressmen to address the agency responsible for the delay in clearance. They insist to send useless inquiries to GZ and then reply back what all of us know for too long all ready. How can the underlying problem be addressed?

Your efforts carry the promise of being that effort.

Where and why is reason and common sense hiding?

[whoever]

Good job sir!

Hats off to you!

[Argyle]

Thank you Robert S, R2D2, Rocksplit and Whoever for your kind comments.

 

I'm afraid that the letter is too long though. We live in a "sound bite" society, and most people simply don't have the patience to read more than a few paragraphs.

 

It's so hard to decide what to keep, and what to throw out. My purpose in posting it now was to try to get some feel for which parts of it worked, and which didn't.

 

I need to find a way to shorten it, while keeping the message intact.

 

Best Wishes.

[whoever]

Maybe we could skip the full sentence for some point.

For example:

Formor Gov. Foss, South Dakota were detained at airport;

 

Chinese K-1 is significantly slower than the other nationality. The "Chinese Exclusion Act" of ......?

 

I am sure you have better English than I do.

[rocksplit]

Dear XXXXXXXX

 

After the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001 there was an outcry to make our borders more secure.   Our immigration system was in desperate need of a major overhaul.  How could it have failed us so miserably?

 

Well, now we have a new Bureau of Homeland Security and a new immigration system, but we¡¯ve given up some of our liberties in exchange for this security.  It wasn¡¯t a fair exchange, and we¡¯re not more secure.  

 

These new security measures are applied with extreme political correctness.  I've seen senior citizens forced to remove their shoes and belts before they were allowed to board their flights.  These are not the people who crashed airplanes into our cities.  Whatever happened to common sense?

 

On 1/11/2002, 86 year old former South Dakota governor and retired Marine Corps General Joe Foss was detained by security personnel at Phoenix International Airport because he tried to bring an object that a security screener felt could possibly be used as a weapon on board a domestic flight.  The object that he refused to surrender, or trust to baggage handlers... his Congressional Medal of Honor, personally awarded by President Franklin Roosevelt during WWII.  Unbelievable!

 

Another effect of these new security regulations is that ordinary Americans are kept apart from their loved ones in China.  Some of us have been forced to wait more than one year.  These delays are caused by the new security checks initiated last year.  

 

I¡¯m not sure that these extraordinary delays are unintended.  They aren¡¯t imposed on everyone applying for fianc¨¦e visas to this country.  Western Europeans seem to breeze through the fianc¨¦e visa process with relative ease.  These current immigration practices bring to mind the Chinese Exclusionary act of 1882.

 

A security check should take no longer than a few weeks to complete.  Sadly, this is not the case.  Our Chinese wives and fianc¨¦es are not terrorists.  They represent absolutely no threat to our country.  So, why has the F.B.I. subjected us to these endless delays in the name of national security?

 

I have spent the past twenty years in the service of our country, but this apparently means nothing to our F.B.I.  The most disgraceful part of this is that I am not alone in this shameful treatment.  Others like me are caught up in this endless cycle of setbacks and deferral.  Many are proud veterans who¡¯ve served our country during time of war.  Some are active duty military members.  All are decent honorable Americans who simply want to be reunited with their loved ones.  

 

Each time I made an inquiry about the status of our visa, I was told to wait ¡°two more weeks.¡±  I¡¯ve waited more than 40 weeks for this security check.  I shouldn¡¯t have to wait two more weeks.  But, if this ordeal would truly be over in ¡°two more weeks¡±, I would rejoice!  But, over the past several months, I¡¯ve learned that ¡°two more weeks¡± at our State Department really means, ¡°I have no idea, and there¡¯s nothing I can do about it.¡±  

 

Our security check has been pending for almost ten months, and there¡¯s no end in sight.  I refuse to accept that no one can do anything about these infinite delays.  Surely our F.B.I. is accountable to someone for their actions.

 

Please help me to bring this absurd injustice to light.

Argyle,

 

I just reread your draft. It is well balanced and editing down seems unnecessary. Some context simply is necessary, even if this makes it longer than a sound bite

"I'm not sure that these extraordinary delays are unintended..." is a question like statement (inviting one to read on), where as a stronger statement would require evidence and proof opening into a quagmire.

What do you feel possibly could be left out?

 

How to and whom to address is the question we should discuss.

 

What are others thinking? Suggesting?

[Argyle]

Hi Dan,

 

Well, I've sent the letter out to several Chinese-American newspapers today as is, but I did a little editing before I sent it to Joe Scarbrough at MSNBC tonight. I dropped the paragraph, "Each time I made an inquiry..."

 

It really wasn't necessary to the message, and it made the letter a little shorter.

 

I am always open to suggestions, and I would love to get some input about who else to send this letter to.

 

Best Wishes.

[Guest R2D2]

Hi Dan,

 

Well, I've sent the letter out to several Chinese-American newspapers today as is, but I did a little editing before I sent it to Joe Scarbrough at MSNBC tonight.  I dropped the paragraph, "Each time I made an inquiry..."

 

It really wasn't necessary to the message, and it made the letter a little shorter.

 

I am always open to suggestions, and I would love to get some input about who else to send this letter to.

 

Best Wishes.

I sent another one to Joe, too.

[wolf]

Argyle,

Thanks for the great letter. It says it all, maybe not all, but a very good. Try sending it to the Justice Dept. Bush, Channey, and anyone else of power. I just got a thing in my e-mail today about how the US government is condemming China about article 23 and how the US whats the Chinese to start giving more freedoms to HK and their own people. How about our government giving us citizens some freedom an let us marry who we want.

[Argyle]

Hi R2D2,

 

Joe Scarbrough has been addressing the immigration issue quiet a bit lately. If everyone here were to send him an email, can you imagine the interest it would pique?

 

Best Wishes

[tonado]

Good job. 10 months wait for security check is ridiculous.

[Lukexjxc]

Hello Argyle,

 

I was reading your post and the “10 months” wait rang a bell. It looks like we are pretty much on the same time line. The last movement on my process is from DOS, they said it was resubmitted may 19, like that is suppose to mean something. I asked GZ why it took from September to January for them to submit our cast to DOS , and they can’t give a good answer, same old same old. Anyway we are on the same timeline.

Luke

[Argyle]

Hi Luke,

 

I think there are a number of people in this same situation. Our namecheck was submitted in September, December, and April.

 

We're still waiting. But, I'm through sitting around and waiting. Everyone's going to know that I'm waiting. I plan to write daily to every major newspaper and civil rights organization in this country.

 

Best Wishes.