Letter and signature page

[Mengxin]

Please, please, please change all references to "wives" to "spouses" and "fiancees" to ... I don't know what. Or just "family". Don't forget the "sisters" - we suffer from all this too.

Is this for people who have the visa? I can send mine sig in a couple weeks, Lord willing. .

Pray the lord lights a fire from he(double hockey sticks) under somebodys butt to get em' moving.

Good luck Jenny. http://us.i1.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/i/mesg/emoticons6/24.gifhttp://us.i1.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/i/mesg/emoticons6/24.gifYour funny...

Fiancee's could be refered to as "wannabe spouses".

Let's not forget the babies of the families that have sisters in the same family as the fiancees that are waiting to be with there husbands. - yes, we all suffer.

[Luo_Bin_&_Jialu]

We'll leave these pinned until a week or so after the letter goes out to gain as much exposure as possible.

 

This whole thing has evolved quite fast and I'm a bit surprised at the quality of the letter. Those who have been active on this should be proud.

 

Don:

 

Thanks for the vote of confidence--by your words and your actions of pinning this thing. My rewrite was performed during a pretty busy week--I had a bit of trepidation moving on to the signature portion and am glad we are getting continued support. I hope we at least get this thing read.

 

I said this in a previous post, but there are some talented people here. It has been very healthy for my sanity to have been part of this website.

Do you know what is funny--a GZ employee referred me to this site. There are some very proactive people working there who are interested in keeping parity and equality. It is good we made a reference to that in our letter.

 

Let us hope Maura reads this.

 

Trigg:

 

If the factual information is valid .."it is the longest period".. would look great in our item #1

[John & Hai Yan]

Trigg, This is my 600th post. I never thought I would accumulate this many posts while waiting for our visa. Many have waited longer. The long wait truly is not necessary, but I believe it is intentional and not accidental. I think it has more to do with politics than any of us understand. Therefore the system does need more transparency.

 

I haven't been around too much the last few weeks, but I am happy to see some attempt to address some of the perrenial concerns about the visa process. I'll be happy to sign the letter to which so many on CFL have contributed. As a former English teacher. I'll be happy to help correct any dangling participles, misplaced modifiers, or split infinitives. Let me know if you need any help.

[Trigg]

Don, thanks man. Your vote of confidence will go a long long way with the CFL Brethren.

 

Rob, Hank, Boba and all the others--great collaborative work-yea, I'll change the sentence to Does take the longest time

 

John, hell yes I would like your help. I'm hardly a wordsmith. We really can not change anything significant at this time as members have already committed to signing what we have. I'll make a few changes in gedner refferences etc. then email it to you to take care of the dots and spots

 

did I really dangle my participle--years of therapy and I still can't stop dangling the damned thing!! I think I only dangle it now when I see one of those split infinitive thingys.

[Dan R]

Wow this did move fast. I had planned today to spend time over the letter. Is it too late to add something? I have been reveiwing the comments during the week and had thought to input today.

 

We are at about the middle of the process at this time. We haven't reached the visa point yet like many of the others. This may be why my focus is on a matter I don't feel is being fully addressed. This is the transparency issue. Each stage of the process should be reviewable by the petitioner. We can access the NVC stage online. Why can't we see the progress of the petition after it is received by the Guangzhou Consulate? This should be available on line so that we don't need to be interrupting the process at GZ with email questions.

 

The emails to the Consulate have often been answered with vague references to our cases that leave our specific questions unanswered.

 

I wrote asking if my fiance's response to the mailing from them had been received. The answer was that the petition is in process and to be patient.

A friend of mine, whose fiance's interview was cancelled because she did not receive her packet, wrote an email asking about rescheduling. The response was that they had no file on his case. Three months later after involving Congressman and lawyers GZ rescheduled. (She arrived last month.) Obviously they had the file.

 

Can't A seperate point # be inserted on Transparency?

 

?) The Guanzhou Consulate is denying the petitioners access to the continuing process by providing erroneous information in response to inquiry by the petitioner. There is a need for a means, by which the petitioner can monitor the case through decision making and processing stages, but also to relieve the visa section personnel from being occupied by repeated inquiries that receive poor response. Being able to monitor ones case removes the feeling of helpessness and uncertainty that many might regard as cruel and inhuman punishment without being convicted of a crime. As American citizens are we not entitled to know the decisions affecting one of the most important events in our lives so that we can conduct ourselves accordingly?

 

Ok I gave my 2 cents ....... oops, I seem to have lost them somewhere along the way.

[Luo_Bin_&_Jialu]

One thing I keep forgetting to mention--or add to our "2000 law-abiding, taxpaying citizens" line is to ask how it would look if it read "2000 law-abiding, taxpaying, VOTING, citizens" (obviously not in capitals, I just did that because I for one can't see these tiny letters on this screen)

 

I am sure we all remember the presidential election in 2000 that was decided by what...a few hundred votes? I am sure all of our elected officials do. How easy would it be for a person of political aspirations to speed up our process a few months to ensure some votes? I know I would be grateful and make darn sure I voted for that person.

[Trigg]

I think that any content changes at this time would be difficult at best as several have already put there signature page in the mail and may or may not agree with any changes. I doubt we could possibly cover everyhting that needs covered. She will assume we are voters when we state we are USCs -or at least half of us vote anyway. I think that this letter will open the door for a relationship between Ms. Harty and CFL--and that has to be a good thing.

[Dan R]

Ok, I'll prepare my signature page to send.

[Trigg]

I've had several questions about the sample signature page. Like most of my ideas this one was brilliant when I though of it but seems to lose most of the brilliance when it is bounced off others.

 

There is some confusion as to the signature procees. All I really need is a typed page from each member stating that he 'affixes his signature to the aformention letter" (meaning the acutla letter to Ms. Harty). Then sign it using a pen-ya'll remember those-they have a point and blue or black messy stuff inside ( your real name, moonybutt or other puter code names won't get it). This is NOT a computer signature thingy. After you sign-send it to me the old way-US mail.

 

Sorry, I included a confusing sample letter--hell I was on a roll

 

My sample page was how i signed

[warpedbored]

Maybe we should invite her to post here.

[pingme]

I think that any content changes at this time would be difficult at best as several have already put there signature page in the mail and may or may not agree with any changes. I doubt we could possibly cover everyhting that needs covered. She will assume we are voters when we state we are USCs -or at least half of us vote anyway. I think that this letter will open the door for a relationship between Ms. Harty and CFL--and that has to be a good thing.

i think if some one wants to include personal comments or personal details of their own cases in their signature letter, that should be fine.

 

the signature page basically says that you agree with our comment point, and if there are others you would like to include, then those are your personal points that you wish to mention to her.

[Trigg]

Whoa--it is a signature page--NOT a second letter. PULEASE keep it to a sentence stating where you are in the visa process etc... Anyone who wants to write a seperate letter can feel free to do so but lets keep this one what it is. Many are signing and we don't need anyones personal comments appearing to be endorsed by each and every person who signs.

[ed and ying]

Trigg

I will mail you my sig page, with short statement of my position in the visa process. I am going to send a copy of the final letter to my senators ( cc will be included on my sig letter).

 

A question - will the final letter you post have the names of all signers ? This would be only way my senators would know how many folks signed the letter - unless copy of letter with all sig pages is sent to senators on the cc lists ???? I would contribute to photocopy and postage fund.

 

If I have time, I may get my sig page notarized - might be useful to have some more proof that I am involved in the process beside filling forms and waiting, waiting, waiting ........

 

Thanks to all for doing the work on this

[Trigg]

Ed, good question. As some may ne putting personl information on the sig page I think it may be difficult to copy and release them but perjaps a list of names or at least numbers of CFL members may help. I can't release full names and/or identifying info without their permission sooooooo????????????? Maybe a statement with the numbers of signed members stating they are 'on file' at Ms. harty's office??? I dunno, maybe others have a better idea.

 

wait to cc you reps until we post the final draft. The content will be unchanged but john is helping me put the dots and spots in the right place.

 

Trigg

[tywy_99]

Correct me if I'm wrong but isn't a signature page just that? A signature page?

It seems to me if everyone sends in a page with their signature and a some sort of remark, then that just takes away from the intent of the original letter. If that be the case then the letter doesn't stand a chance.

It would be overzealous for each person to send an individual sheet signed and containing their remarks, whatever it may be. That is what the letter you guys started is for and the letter is what you all are signing to. In petitions like this, it is the quantity of signatures that count most.

Now, I know that everyone is spread far and wide. The only practical way is to scan each signature and e-mail it to Trigg, or, send your signature in the mail and Trigg can scan it. By the scans, the names can be cut and pasted in a manner that will have them all on sheets together. The more the merrier! and impressive, I might add. With the 3 or 4 page letter with as many signatures attached to it would be much more effective and have more impact than a 3 or 4 page letter with scores of pages individually signed and including whatever remarks.

Does that make sense?