Closed Borders, Closed Minds

Wasn't our country, in her early days, nothing but immigrants?  Settlers from Spain, Sweden, France, Germany, England.  Catholics, Puritans, Quakers.  Rich, poor, successful, not-so-successful...People looking for a second chance.  An opportunity to make a difference.  To "be somebody."  To be free from persecution by their former governments.  To create an ideal settlement, a colony, a new life.

You know, I read about our Nation's history and then I read about "Immigration Reform" and I get a little confused.  When did "Americans" decide to close our borders?  At what point did we forget that these United States happened only because other people left their own countries, seeking a better opportunity?  Seeking freedom?  Seeking domestic tranquility?

Immigration Reform is a term tossed around all over the news and internet these days.  People are arguing whether foreign nationals should be permitted to enter the US temporarily to do a job no American is willing to do.  (Have you ever been eager to pick tomatoes or okra?  It's not easy, nor fun.)

Now, people are afraid to try to enter the US.  Our border with Mexico is heavily guarded, and people trying to cross into our country do so in fear.  Why?  Why are we so against letting people from other countries come here for a better life?  If it weren't for settlers coming here in the first place, don't they realize that we wouldn't be where we are today?

Now, if you don't have a lot of money in the bank or a really good job in your home country, it is extremely difficult to get a visa to visit the Land of the Free.  Wasn't Georgia founded merely as a home for debt prisoners?  Didn't unsuccessful fisherman from France settle New Hampshire because they needed a better fishing spot?

Now, if, due to your religion, you dress a certain way, you pray in a different language, or read Scriptures that are not the Bible, you are persecuted.  Trying to get on an airplane in a turban?  Forget it.  Wearing a headscarf to class?  You better not be a terrorist.  That's the attitude in most places around the country.  What is that??  That's not Freedom.  Weren't Massachusetts, Maryland, Rhode Island, and New Jersey all settled by persons/groups seeking freedom from religious persecution?

Our differences are what define the United States of America.  We came together in the late 1700s to unite ourselves for a common cause - freedom.  What has happened to our country since then?  Why do we not allow others to seek the same liberty for which we have always seemed to struggle?

IMPACT Invitation

Over the past few years, I have been interested in becoming involved in LGBT advocacy in the community, and have tried to "get in" with SAVEDade and Unity Coalition.  But it has proven to be a lot more difficult than I originally thought, due to seemingly "closed" circles that surround these organizations.  And now that I am back in Miami, I am ready to take action again.  This time, instead of trying to join the ranks of an already-established organization, I (along with a group of other interested activists) have decided to form a real advocacy group, IMPACT - Individuals Motivated to Produce Actual Change Today.

 We hope to represent the diversity of the LGBT community and have an open and transparent agenda which welcomes the participation of all. We intend to concentrate on legislative issues, but will also work on educational campaigns and other projects as our members and our community see fit.

Our first order of business will be to get every municipality in Miami-Dade County (as Miami Beach has done) to pass a resolution in support of the Uniting American Families Act, a bill in Washington that seeks to amend the Immigration and Nationality Act to eliminate discrimination in the immigration laws by permitting "permanent partners" of United States citizens and lawful permanent residents to obtain lawful permanent resident status in the same manner  as spouses of citizens and lawful permanent residents. We are already writing language for the resolution and have made calls to elected officials in Coral Gables and Doral about placing it on their city agendas. Once we get a supporting resolution from every municipality, we might go to Broward County and get support from the governments there before forwarding them to the bill's advocates in committee.

We can also take on other issues, such as anti-hate and anti-bully education (making it a legislated requirement) in schools, among other timely issues, but we want to include more of you in the discussion before we take any direction.

We would love for you to join us. It does not take a huge commitment of time. Maybe you just want to attend the community conversations so that we may "pick your brain" so to speak, get your ideas and opinions on issues, so that we can make decisions and move on issues that are more representative of the community. In fact, strength in numbers can also have impact so by joining, you help. If you want to become involved with IMPACT, please let me know. We are trying to get a nice group together for the Miami Beach Pride event April 16 so that we can do some outreach there. We will soon have a Facebook page to keep everyone informed on our activities (we will post when we are before a town council or city commission so you know if it's your elected officials and you can be there to lend support). Also, feel free to forward the information on the new group along to your friends and colleagues in the community, LGBT or not, who want to make a difference.

Ready to take action,

Megan Conyers

Founding Member, IMPACT