Month: January 2008

Dissent Of The Day

A reader writes:

That reader should get his facts straight. The Bosnian conflict ended under Clinton’s leadership and a multinational NATO coalition. It was George Bush who initially had the conflict, waffled for years and passed it on to his predecessor. It is amazing how some will try to rewrite the most basic and obvious historical facts. And Clinton and our allies eventually put an end to the Bosnian conflict in which mostly Muslims were getting slaughtered.

On the foreign policy front Clinton put troops in Haiti and, eventually, ended the military dictatorship and had elections.

Not one American casuality or terrorist bombing or insurgency from that. The Clinton administration had peace with North Korea that de-activated their nuclear program and stopped the proliferation to other nations from the rogue dictatorship.

The Suharto dictatorship ended swiftly under Clinton because he -as opposed to the past five presidents- untangled American support from the bloody dictatorship which collapsed afterward. Hussein was isolated and contained.

There was an actual potential for peace in the Mideast under Clinton and honest-to-God real talks and negotiations. Unfortunately Arafat wanted to maintain his kleptocracy and that was what unraveled very productive talks. There was more peace and prosperity in the Mideast under America’s balanced leadership.

There was peace and prosperity at home. The unemployment rate never received such ridiculously low rates. African American families -typically the most vulnerable- prospered more under Clinton than any president. More black, brown, and yellow families entered the middle class, acquired affordable homes, and became apart of the American dream. Economic prosperity was not limited to Wall Street hedge funds and the elite.

All this was possible because he was a pragmatist. He hired competent smart people who were more concerned with the problem at hand than enforcing a personal ideology. That is all we need as a president. We don’t need a Lincoln or FDR, although that would be nice. All that is required to be effective is to have a moderate progressive and pragmatic sense of government, a willingness to compromise, an ability to understand the other side, and courage to hire competent people across a continuum of party lines and faiths that can get the job done.

Gay Couples In Exile

It’s an increasing trend for gay couples who commit to each other but come from different countries. Most straight people don’t even begin to understand this. It is a given that if they were to fall in love with someone from another country, they could find a way to be together in America as a married couple. That kind of love is recognized by government as something worth protecting. For some:

I and my partner’s own story is one of the unfortunate many. We met in London while studying, and he returned with me to the States nearly 15 years ago on a student visa (I’m a US citizen). His visa eventually ran out and as life became increasingly more difficult in the U.S., we opted to emigrate to Canada.

Understand, Andrew, that we had full careers and lives in the U.S., which we didn’t want to leave. He is a nurse, I a web developer. We had purchased a ‘fixer-upper’ in a depressed Milwaukee neighborhood, became involved in community organizations, paid our taxes. We were fully accepted and integrated with our US families and friends.

And while our employers offered domestic-partner benefits, our state and federal governments did not and would not recognize us as a couple. Coming to Canada has not all been easy: I am still traveling back and forth, holding down one job while looking for a new one here. But we did get married here and it is a wonderful feeling to have full legal protection after 15 years of being together. And we are thankful to this good Northern Neighbor and its humane and intelligent view of immigration and gay-relationships. You know Andrew, this country is increasingly young – immigrant young – vibrant and culturally rich. We joined thousands of fellow Torontonians at Nathan Square for the arrival of the New Year last night, watching so many different nationalities interact happily and peaceably. The future is here, Andrew, in cities and nations that open themselves to change and the future. And we are very fortunate to be a part of it. One hopes that the United States will see and seize the historic opportunity the upcoming election presents. We all don’t yet "Know Hope," but many do yearn for it.

Another reader writes:

My partner and I met in the U.S. 1988.  He had been attempting to legitimize his residency here since 1985.  We spent the following 17 years of our lives together waging a legal war of attrition on the INS. During that entire period, we could never inform the government that we were a committed couple.  There was not a single day when we forgot that the mail or a knock on the door could signal an expulsion.  Finally, as we were preparing a move to Canada, the INS gave way and granted him legal status.

We were lucky to have sufficient means and the cool nerves necessary to solve the problem.  Our hearts go out to the many couples who, unfortunately, have neither.