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No one should have to choose between Spouse and Country
By Melanie Nathan, April 23, 2012

It is a rare day that we find an opportunity to declare the plight of binational couples on mainstream television.

Andrew Sullivan had that chance and although he spoke eloquently to his personal journey toward immigration in the USA, he may have fallen short of the opportunity for a full expression to advocate  on the issue the binational plight.

Sullivan spoke of the lift on the ban for immigration of HIV persons into the USA and also of the plight of binational same-sex couples.

Credit must given to Sullivan for seizing the opportunity as he  spoke today on the CNN’ Fareed Zacharia show when he did indeed mention the abhorrent plight of Americans in same-sex marriages who cannot sponsor their foreign born spouses for green cards and immigration to the U.S.A. despite legal marriages.  He spoke about Americans forced to live in exile to be with binational partners because of the federal legislation that does not recognize gay marriages.

He told Fareed Zacharia, in not so new news for us activists and binational couples living this nightmare for decades, that in the only time in American history, we the United States  are splitting couples up because of the Defense of Marriage Act, otherwise known as DOMA.

Green cards for same-sex couple  will only be resolved when DOMA is repealed through current legislation known as the Respect for Marriage Act.

However Sullivan stumbled on the name/s of the legislation that has already been introduced into congress; The Respect of Marriage Act which would repeal DOMA and the Uniting American families Act, (UAFA)  both which he seemed to lump together, in what he conjured as “The Families Act.”  I will have to review the video when available , to see exact name he contrived to the legislation, (perhaps he did not know the name or  a mere slip of the tongue!)

He  fell short in his opportunity to express a precise and accurate advocacy for same-sex binationals; that said, I am still grateful for his exposing the dilemma which I believe has received minimal attention in mainstream media.

The plight of binational same-sex couples is probably the most onerous of all federal exclusions emanating from DOMA as it prevents gay Americans from pursuing their happiness – a constitutional right.

Let us hope mainstream media will pick up more on this aspect of DOMA and consider programs around this the worst form of discrimination currently legalized by American law!