Letter to Sara Rimensnyder

[PJ]

Hi All,

 

david got in touch with me and said that I should contact Sara Rimensnyder

as she was interested in writing a story about the delays. Thanks, david, for providing this contact!

 

I have drafted the email below ... please take a look and provide thoughts and feedback. If everything looks good I will send it first thing in the morning. I will also be providing my full contact at the end of the email to Ms. Rimensnyder even though I am not posting that here.

 

Thanks,

 

P.J.

 

===========================================

 

December 16, 2002

 

 

Sara Rimensnyder

Assistant Editor

Reason Magazine

 

Dear Ms. Rimensnyder,

 

Greetings! My name is Philip Tenn, and I was told that you are interested in writing a story about the delays. I am the creator and administrator of "A Candle for Love" (http://candleforlove.com), a site dedicated to generating awareness about the agonizing delay for Chinese people waiting to be reunited with their loved ones in the United States. I am very passionate about this issue, as my fiancée is caught in the delays as well, and would be more than happy to provide any assistance that would facilitate your story.

 

To summarize the situation:

 

The delays began August 1st, when a new security background check was required for all visas, both immigrants and non-immigrants from China. At the time, we were told it would take 2 weeks. After that, still no visas were issued and then we were told 2 months. During this time, however, the security clearances began coming through for students and tourists from China, while fiancées, wives, and children were put on the backburner.

 

As one of our members posted, "We started an intensive campaign of calling, emailing and letter-writing, lasting another month or so, which yielded only the growing realization on our part that no one could be held accountable for the situation, there was no appeal procedure, and nobody was going to go to bat for us to get to the bottom of it." And so, we continued waiting, our lives and our futures with our families on indefinite hold.

 

On December 2nd, we received a ray of hope, learning that 5,000 clearances had come through and the U.S. Consulate in Guangzhou had been notified. However, the consulate was overwhelmed with this sudden deluge of clearances, and the number of visas actually given out has been very small. The majority of us are still separated from our families and are desperately hoping that the Consulate will be able to find a fair and efficient manner to distribute the visas.

 

I hope this information helps. If I can be of any further assistance, please do not hesitate to call or email.

 

Thank you very much for your time and energy.

 

Sincerely yours,

 

 

Philip "P.J." Tenn

[PJ]

By the way, I will unpin this topic in the morning after I send the email. Thanks!

[LaoMao]

J.J.

Great writing!! Thank you.

[Guest jennifer_lam]

ptenn, Thanks for what u did for us!!!

by the way, we 001 JMs will have get-together party in GZ on Dec.21. If ur honey want to join us, feel free to contact me for more details.

[happle]

Thanks for gathering us together. Well done!

[KandY]

Nice letter.... i believe that things obvious to us - are not to our government. I would add something like "CA needs to send temporary workers to GZ so the back log can be reduced in a reasonable amount of time".

 

btw - i am a Dolphin fan

[PJ]

All,

 

I sent the letter this morning 8 AM EST and am unpinning the topic. I will keep everyone updated on any progress on this front.

 

Thanks,

 

P.J.