Speak up for discrimination-free immigration policy

Saw this at change.org:

Senate hearings began yesterday on the Uniting American Families Act, a bill sponsored by Sen. Patrick Leahy "that would allow American citizens and legal immigrants to seek residency in the United States for their same-sex partners, just as spouses now petition for foreign-born husbands and wives."

Immigration Equality has worked hard to see this day, and has reached out to build support for the bill, netting endorsements from moderates like Senators Chuck Schumer and Arlen Specter.

Some in the religious community are not happy with this development and want to keep the UAFA out of any comprehensive reform bill. As a former employee of the Catholic Church, I know the faith community does incredible work on behalf of immigrants. That is why it is painful for me to see their reaction to this news. I hope that the churches consider what is at stake for same-sex families like Shirley Tan's and reevaluate their position on UAFA.

I know that outgoing AILA President Charles Kuck is a man of faith (I'll note he's in the NY Times again representing another immigrant targeted by DHS after the feds couldn't get criminal charges to stick). I commend him for leading AILA to take a strong stand in favor of UAFA. Below is AILA's statement in full.

If you haven't yet asked your representatives in Congress to support UAFA, you can do so here.

( American Immigration Lawyers Association Statement )

( What I did today to make the world a better place )

Here's a day-brightener

What an absolutely gorgeous garden!

This guy is absolutely superhuman

Bone-deep happiness

I planted my garden containers with miniature tomatoes. They are already noticeably thriving after a mere week and a half. The hanging baskets on the porch look great. The hostas look lovely in the front. And I never have to buy flats of impatiens to plant in that front garden ever again.

The hanging pot of mixed white and blue lobelia gives me deep joy every time I walk out the back door.

Rob has a job interview next Wednesday for a job he really really wants, for which he would be well-suited, and which I think would make him ecstatically happy. Grateful thanks to jenett who brought the opening to our attention! He made the cut to the top four candidates (there will be a later interview for the top two). Please send good thoughts and prayers our way.

The weather the past week has been gorgeous.

I will get a lot of overtime pay in my next paycheck.

At the end of the month, Rob will have been unemployed for a year. Yet, we are still managing to pay all our bills on time, and we actually have more money in the bank than a year ago. I have been a good steward of our resources, and God has truly been good to us.

I am hopeful and happy--for the most part--about our new President.

New Hampshire joined the list of states today that allow gay marriage.

Fiona got a call from that high school jobs program. She may get a job with them after all--at a public library. Man, the universe is doing a good job of finding jobs for her that exactly suit her.

I think I have finally achieved some hard-won peace about something Elinor Dashwood has been processing for over a month.

I think the Decrease Worldsuck has changed my thinking about my life. I have found such joy in discovering that I can make a difference every day (well, most days) and I am eager to see what this project will bring me and my family for the remainder of the year.

I dropped Fiona off at karate tonight and then drove to Anodyne Coffee where I had a delicious vegan salad. Then, I drove to Tanglewood Gardens, where I browsed the lovely plants for awhile and then stepped across the street for a hot fudge frozen custard sundae. As I was driving back to pick Fiona up again, I rolled down the window and looked up at the blue, blue sky, and admired the flowers in the gardens I passed, and I thought to myself, I am happy. I am truly, truly happy. I must remember this feeling so I can pull it out on dark winter days for comfort. I can see the holy tree growing within in my own heart without the slightest difficulty. The branches are flowering, the fruit is beginning to form, and the light from it is so bright that it illuminates my whole life with happiness and wonder.

I love being alive. I love my life and my family.

Right now, this moment, I am perfectly, exquisitely happy.

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( Cut to spare the uninterested )