ragz4u
04-24 10:50 PM
You represent a very important category of people who are planning to not go through this ordeal having observed others before you. You are exactly the kind of people US cannot afford to lose!
Your story can also help us immensely. We would appreciate it if you could please send me an email using the first post as a template
Thanks
Shrey
Your story can also help us immensely. We would appreciate it if you could please send me an email using the first post as a template
Thanks
Shrey
wallpaper Golden retriever puppy sitting
abhijitp
11-21 02:35 PM
More house-keeping:)
zazona.com
09-08 12:10 AM
Could do our jobs why would the employers be willing to sponsor our GREEN CARDS and spend '000s of dollars to keep us :confused:
:D:D:D:D:D
look at the filth that is bestowed upon you from everyone -
http://immigrationvoice.org/forum/showthread.php?t=13125
ur employer treats u like shit, people here don't want u here, government don't want to listen to u. disgusting. why do u even exist?
:D:D:D:D:D
look at the filth that is bestowed upon you from everyone -
http://immigrationvoice.org/forum/showthread.php?t=13125
ur employer treats u like shit, people here don't want u here, government don't want to listen to u. disgusting. why do u even exist?
2011 Miniature Golden Retriever
mjdup
12-18 10:16 PM
Ok team, the MVP anurakt has challenged rest of the team :) and we need to step up and not only be good role players but try to be the MVP !! Let's show that we will follow the mvp but at the same time not let down the entire team..ok enough sports, time to accept the challenge and make the MVP pay...;)
thanks anurakt for the challenge, you da man...
thanks vina92 and the_jaguar for your contrib..
thanks anurakt for the challenge, you da man...
thanks vina92 and the_jaguar for your contrib..
more...
saibalagi
07-08 04:32 PM
Order Number: FNL1789250
Order Date: Sunday 07/08/2007
Delivery On: Tuesday 07/10/2007
Delivery To: T. Gonzalez Emilio
Residence
20 MASSACHUSETTS AVE NW
WASHINGTON, DC 20314-0001
USA
2023071565
Gift Message: "Kindly do not return our I-485 petitions in July
and honor the original DOS visa bulletin" [first last name] - An employment based immigrant.
Order Date: Sunday 07/08/2007
Delivery On: Tuesday 07/10/2007
Delivery To: T. Gonzalez Emilio
Residence
20 MASSACHUSETTS AVE NW
WASHINGTON, DC 20314-0001
USA
2023071565
Gift Message: "Kindly do not return our I-485 petitions in July
and honor the original DOS visa bulletin" [first last name] - An employment based immigrant.
dontcareanymore
08-25 03:13 PM
It is really SAD to see you go through all that. One can only imagine the elation one gets when she was ready to stamp and the depression when she can't get a visa number.
Looks like the numbers for EB2 I have dried up.
I guess My interview didn't go as expected.
1) I reached the office an hour early.
2) After waiting,they did security check and let us in
3) Then the lady who was assigned my case, came and took us into her room
4) Oath, etc
5) She then started asking for Birth cert, Marriage Cert, kids birth certi, 140 approval copy.
6) Then she pulled a file (which was labelled DOS Visa bulletins) and spent around 15 mins on Oct 2007 bulletin.
7) Then asked us who filed your 485..you did your self or your employer did..we said employer.
8) Then she said, something is not right..per Oct 2007 bulleting Visa's are unavailable so yours was not filed properly.
9) Then I said, ours was filed in Aug 8th 2007. She insisted the receipt date is oct 2007..then we showed her our 485 reciept.
10) Then she thanked us and started looking at Aug 2007 visa bulletin. and said, even then in Aug 2007 EB2 was U, so yours was not properly filed.
11) I told her, There was an interim Memo released by USCIS that they will accept application until Aug-17 2007 based on July 2007 visa bulletin
12) She said she will look at DOS bulletins
13) After 10 mins she said, she cant find any such memo..and said, since there is no evidence with her, she has to deny our case based on "Improper filing when PD was not current"
14) Then I said, if PD was not current, wouldn't TSC return the application denying on the spot? Why would they accept the application?
15) She said, you would think so..but they accept many times..so we are told to verify all the time
16) THen said, she believes us but for process, she needs evidence and said she will look into further and then make a judgment.
17) We had no choice and we were over the interview. we were little disappointed though
18) After coming home, I realized she took all I-94s and we got panicked..because if 485 is getting denied and I-94s are gone, how do we prove our legal status, so we thought of going back..then I thought, if have to go anyway, then I should take a print out of Interim Memo
19) I went back an hour later with the print out
20) I told security that, we had finished our interview and officer forgot to return our I-94..they insisted that we shud take infopass and they wont allow anyone to go back..I had to really argue with them (I decided I have nothing to loose..anyway 485 is screwed and so stood there asking them to let me in)
21) After consistent nagging, the security guy took our passports, interview response letter(After interview if your app doesn't get appproved they willgive a kind of reciept saying u attended the interview..blahblah) and went in
22) Came back and told me to go in since the officer wants more details from you (I thought this was a miracle)
23) I went inside, and after a while officer came back. We apologized and told her that we came back for I-94s..she said they will retain and wont return..We told her that we are not using EAD and we are still on H1B..she said she will give back..
then she asked, I am sure you didnt come back for I-94 alone, did you get any document?
24) We showed her the memo.
25) She read that and said I am glad you came back..this clears everything out..I will run this by my supervisor and will see if we can adjust status today
26) We waited for 2 hrs and then she took us inside.
27) Asked our passports (to stamp...really)
28) Then she looked into the computer to get the visa #.
29) The we noticed a changed in her face and then she quickly turned into a folder of current VISA bulletin..we said..oh..no..not again.
30) The officer said, per visa bulletin u r current and ur PD is dec 2005..there is no reason for system not to allocated a visa #..
31)She tried for 10-15 mins and finally gave up..said she cant stamp in the passport without allotting the visa number..said sorry..I cant do anything..I will follow up with DOS ppl and will let you know in a week or so.
32) The reason she gave is, when she tried to allot the visa, she got a message, "cut off date not established". I have no idea what this means.
hmmm....still keeping fingers crossed..this is nothing short of a car race.
:confused:
Looks like the numbers for EB2 I have dried up.
I guess My interview didn't go as expected.
1) I reached the office an hour early.
2) After waiting,they did security check and let us in
3) Then the lady who was assigned my case, came and took us into her room
4) Oath, etc
5) She then started asking for Birth cert, Marriage Cert, kids birth certi, 140 approval copy.
6) Then she pulled a file (which was labelled DOS Visa bulletins) and spent around 15 mins on Oct 2007 bulletin.
7) Then asked us who filed your 485..you did your self or your employer did..we said employer.
8) Then she said, something is not right..per Oct 2007 bulleting Visa's are unavailable so yours was not filed properly.
9) Then I said, ours was filed in Aug 8th 2007. She insisted the receipt date is oct 2007..then we showed her our 485 reciept.
10) Then she thanked us and started looking at Aug 2007 visa bulletin. and said, even then in Aug 2007 EB2 was U, so yours was not properly filed.
11) I told her, There was an interim Memo released by USCIS that they will accept application until Aug-17 2007 based on July 2007 visa bulletin
12) She said she will look at DOS bulletins
13) After 10 mins she said, she cant find any such memo..and said, since there is no evidence with her, she has to deny our case based on "Improper filing when PD was not current"
14) Then I said, if PD was not current, wouldn't TSC return the application denying on the spot? Why would they accept the application?
15) She said, you would think so..but they accept many times..so we are told to verify all the time
16) THen said, she believes us but for process, she needs evidence and said she will look into further and then make a judgment.
17) We had no choice and we were over the interview. we were little disappointed though
18) After coming home, I realized she took all I-94s and we got panicked..because if 485 is getting denied and I-94s are gone, how do we prove our legal status, so we thought of going back..then I thought, if have to go anyway, then I should take a print out of Interim Memo
19) I went back an hour later with the print out
20) I told security that, we had finished our interview and officer forgot to return our I-94..they insisted that we shud take infopass and they wont allow anyone to go back..I had to really argue with them (I decided I have nothing to loose..anyway 485 is screwed and so stood there asking them to let me in)
21) After consistent nagging, the security guy took our passports, interview response letter(After interview if your app doesn't get appproved they willgive a kind of reciept saying u attended the interview..blahblah) and went in
22) Came back and told me to go in since the officer wants more details from you (I thought this was a miracle)
23) I went inside, and after a while officer came back. We apologized and told her that we came back for I-94s..she said they will retain and wont return..We told her that we are not using EAD and we are still on H1B..she said she will give back..
then she asked, I am sure you didnt come back for I-94 alone, did you get any document?
24) We showed her the memo.
25) She read that and said I am glad you came back..this clears everything out..I will run this by my supervisor and will see if we can adjust status today
26) We waited for 2 hrs and then she took us inside.
27) Asked our passports (to stamp...really)
28) Then she looked into the computer to get the visa #.
29) The we noticed a changed in her face and then she quickly turned into a folder of current VISA bulletin..we said..oh..no..not again.
30) The officer said, per visa bulletin u r current and ur PD is dec 2005..there is no reason for system not to allocated a visa #..
31)She tried for 10-15 mins and finally gave up..said she cant stamp in the passport without allotting the visa number..said sorry..I cant do anything..I will follow up with DOS ppl and will let you know in a week or so.
32) The reason she gave is, when she tried to allot the visa, she got a message, "cut off date not established". I have no idea what this means.
hmmm....still keeping fingers crossed..this is nothing short of a car race.
:confused:
more...
Legal
03-10 10:37 AM
Receipt ID: 0975-7215-5178-2818
paid 100$
paid 100$
2010 golden retriever puppy
waitnwatch
04-25 02:15 PM
I have started the process where my employer is working on the filing. Of course they keep reminding me that EB1 is retrogressed and so I cannot file concurrently. Sunil is right if you mean "actual filing" as the process having started. As for me I am dithering because once I file I will have to sit tight for the whole thing to end and right now there is no end in sight. If I change jobs after filing I will have to go through this whole pain again! Hope this clarifies the situation. Let me know if I can be of any help.
more...
ujjvalkoul
12-18 05:17 PM
I wish this thread would reach 100 pages just like the one during the last days of the Lame Duck sessions when folks were jamming senator sessions' phone lines.
hair GOLDEN RETRIEVER Dog Pictures,
newuser
06-09 03:23 PM
Great Job by IV.
In fact, I met a fellow IV'ian who joined IV three days ago after learning about it through a friend and came to DC for the advocacy day.
In fact, I met a fellow IV'ian who joined IV three days ago after learning about it through a friend and came to DC for the advocacy day.
more...
eb3_nepa
08-14 12:50 PM
Does LUD on I 140 necessarily tie to 485 receipt generation? I don't think so - why would they touch the already approved I 140 case to begin processing 485? Unless I am missing something...
My I 140 has been approved in Feb 07 from TSC and 485 application was mailed to NSC on July 2nd. No LUD on 140 and no 485 receipts yet...
My BELIEF is that these LUD updates are for NSC filers whose I-140s have been approved at TSC. This is my belief based on certain recent receipt notices so pls DONT take this as the gospel truth.
As with everyone, I am trying to figure out if there is a Method to the USCIS madness.
My I 140 has been approved in Feb 07 from TSC and 485 application was mailed to NSC on July 2nd. No LUD on 140 and no 485 receipts yet...
My BELIEF is that these LUD updates are for NSC filers whose I-140s have been approved at TSC. This is my belief based on certain recent receipt notices so pls DONT take this as the gospel truth.
As with everyone, I am trying to figure out if there is a Method to the USCIS madness.
hot Male Golden Retriever Dog
mpadapa
09-07 10:08 PM
come on man!! Give me a break:eek:
IV members R going to prove U wrong by having more than 5,000 ppl for the rally.. Why don't U (Sherman_tribiani) chill out on a friday night and get the hell out of here.
We will prove U wrong on Sep 18. Come to DC on Sep 18 and be a witness along with U'r buddy lou doubbs:D
Isn’t it odd that the timing of your rally coincides with the introduction of the Strive act?
Granted you scored a point when you were allowed to file for employment authorization this July. If your one rally worked, do you really think other rallies will work too? The world of politics is driven by numbers; you do not have enough numbers to get any lawmaker interested. So wake up Macacas, admit it, you all are bunch of losers.
So far as the skills are concerned, you have been harping on the theme that you are highly skilled? If the definition of highly skilled is a mere undergrad degrees then 75% of Adult Americans are highly skilled. I bet not even 5% of you have PHDs and you call yourself highly skilled. Huhhh
And this for the leadership of your organization: You are wasting your time. If you are so desperate to get green cards contact me. We will see what we can do… One thing I believe though is this country needs people with leadership skills and not so called "Highly Skilled". So I will be more than happy to work with you. I am sure you have my e-mail address. At the least, I can help make the process faster for you, if so called visa numbers are available.
IV members R going to prove U wrong by having more than 5,000 ppl for the rally.. Why don't U (Sherman_tribiani) chill out on a friday night and get the hell out of here.
We will prove U wrong on Sep 18. Come to DC on Sep 18 and be a witness along with U'r buddy lou doubbs:D
Isn’t it odd that the timing of your rally coincides with the introduction of the Strive act?
Granted you scored a point when you were allowed to file for employment authorization this July. If your one rally worked, do you really think other rallies will work too? The world of politics is driven by numbers; you do not have enough numbers to get any lawmaker interested. So wake up Macacas, admit it, you all are bunch of losers.
So far as the skills are concerned, you have been harping on the theme that you are highly skilled? If the definition of highly skilled is a mere undergrad degrees then 75% of Adult Americans are highly skilled. I bet not even 5% of you have PHDs and you call yourself highly skilled. Huhhh
And this for the leadership of your organization: You are wasting your time. If you are so desperate to get green cards contact me. We will see what we can do… One thing I believe though is this country needs people with leadership skills and not so called "Highly Skilled". So I will be more than happy to work with you. I am sure you have my e-mail address. At the least, I can help make the process faster for you, if so called visa numbers are available.
more...
house Golden Retriever Puppy
nc14
03-06 11:42 AM
Thanks for taking the initiative. I think we should get this going so that we have some more information on where things stand.
tattoo Golden Retriever 25
paskal
12-18 06:13 PM
thanks! you are showing the way forward to all our fellow members :D
now we are 6!
pappu, is there a way to add a counter here? that way everyone can see the number of contributors growing?
now we are 6!
pappu, is there a way to add a counter here? that way everyone can see the number of contributors growing?
more...
pictures Dogs
arc
08-14 01:47 PM
I guess if your receipt number starts with SRC, it was processed at TSC.
It starts from LIN so its NSC I guess!
It starts from LIN so its NSC I guess!
dresses jowler-golden-retriever-dog-
ragz4u
04-20 11:08 AM
1) We got a spike in new membership and funds
2) We now have atleast 2 more NATIONAL publications who have taken notice of our activities and are more sympathetic to our causes. They feel we have a compelling story and they are interested in publishing about our plight...
In fact two IV members are being interviewed today by a leading publication.
and the most important
3) We got additional material to provide to senators and their staff...this really helps as we do not have to establish ourselves....our stories along with newspaper articles help make our case much stronger....
When we initially started meeting senators, their staff would ask QGA 'Immigration Voice, who or what is that?'
Lately when we go to meet them, most of the staff have already visited our sites multiple times, know about us because of phone calls and faxes by members and ofcourse the articles that have been published....on top of this when we provide stories of members from their constituency, 50% of our work is already achieved....the liason team and QGA take over from there.
So to answer your question, yes it helped a lot
2) We now have atleast 2 more NATIONAL publications who have taken notice of our activities and are more sympathetic to our causes. They feel we have a compelling story and they are interested in publishing about our plight...
In fact two IV members are being interviewed today by a leading publication.
and the most important
3) We got additional material to provide to senators and their staff...this really helps as we do not have to establish ourselves....our stories along with newspaper articles help make our case much stronger....
When we initially started meeting senators, their staff would ask QGA 'Immigration Voice, who or what is that?'
Lately when we go to meet them, most of the staff have already visited our sites multiple times, know about us because of phone calls and faxes by members and ofcourse the articles that have been published....on top of this when we provide stories of members from their constituency, 50% of our work is already achieved....the liason team and QGA take over from there.
So to answer your question, yes it helped a lot
more...
makeup Breeding golden retrievers is
s-pulse
04-10 11:32 PM
Hello,
I just applied for a H1-B, I am under a H1B1(Singapore) I have a Master of Science, from a USA univeristy in California.
Does the UCSIS do the filtering in my application? Or was there a special process i had to follow?
Thanks.
I just applied for a H1-B, I am under a H1B1(Singapore) I have a Master of Science, from a USA univeristy in California.
Does the UCSIS do the filtering in my application? Or was there a special process i had to follow?
Thanks.
girlfriend house Golden Retriever Puppy
thomachan72
12-06 08:31 AM
1. I am not anti immigration, I am anti illegal immigration. You may not see a difference between the two but I assure you there is one. And no one can make me leave 'in a wink". Why? Because I am not illegal.
2. You are wrong in beliveing that majority of Americans want some amnesty for illegals. They dont, although some policticians have clearly made political calculations and believe that the demography of illegal immigrants will favour them in the polls.
3. You may believe that you are a temporary visitor here. This is home for me.
4. I just side with what I believe is right. That may sound being righteous to you.
5. Your sympathy is misguided again when directed towards condemend criminals. It should be directed towards there victims. I am curious, will you have sympathy for Kasab if he is hanged?
I am certainly not discouraging you in considering this your home but that does not preclude you from seeing the truth.
some politicians? Including the president, right? what does that mean? it clearly means that they are against deporting all those ilegal immigrants who are present here. some sort of amnesty is the only solution accepted by the majority. Now when this will become a law, nobody knows but atleast we have had several weeks of delibrations last year and sooner or later they will get back to it. If it were not for the economic woes and the wars they would be considering the health care and immigration simultaneously.
2. You are wrong in beliveing that majority of Americans want some amnesty for illegals. They dont, although some policticians have clearly made political calculations and believe that the demography of illegal immigrants will favour them in the polls.
3. You may believe that you are a temporary visitor here. This is home for me.
4. I just side with what I believe is right. That may sound being righteous to you.
5. Your sympathy is misguided again when directed towards condemend criminals. It should be directed towards there victims. I am curious, will you have sympathy for Kasab if he is hanged?
I am certainly not discouraging you in considering this your home but that does not preclude you from seeing the truth.
some politicians? Including the president, right? what does that mean? it clearly means that they are against deporting all those ilegal immigrants who are present here. some sort of amnesty is the only solution accepted by the majority. Now when this will become a law, nobody knows but atleast we have had several weeks of delibrations last year and sooner or later they will get back to it. If it were not for the economic woes and the wars they would be considering the health care and immigration simultaneously.
hairstyles The Golden Retriever was first
PlainSpeak
04-15 09:04 PM
PlainSpeak...F1 are not burden to US, they pay big college fees for the education.
You know who is real burden, thats H4 visa holders like you. who have nothing to do. they just sit home eat and fight.
you are a classic example of burden to the society.. you are spending all the time here and fighting with everyone.
if anyone starts talking about anything, you just come and start fighting.
Jet
Wonder full now EB2 is against H4 visa also beside BE3 ?
You know who is real burden, thats H4 visa holders like you. who have nothing to do. they just sit home eat and fight.
you are a classic example of burden to the society.. you are spending all the time here and fighting with everyone.
if anyone starts talking about anything, you just come and start fighting.
Jet
Wonder full now EB2 is against H4 visa also beside BE3 ?
av2004
06-18 12:12 PM
Logiclife, thank you very much for the encouraging words and your commitment to our cause.
I had the good fortune of attending the IV Advocacy days (albeit only for one day) in DC and walking side by side with great people such as logiclife, Aman etc. and experiencing the amazing feat performed by most of the members (naming a few, please feel free to add more...):
Contacting the lawmakers, confirming appointments.
Being cheerful, yet completely focussed on the task at hand.
Being mindful of what to mention to the lawmakers or their representatives.
All this was accomplished with the limited resources that IV has in terms of volunteer and monetary support. I, like many of the people here, was skeptical of how IV spends the money that is being donated by many donors we see on this forum. It was an eye opener to me when heard that we are doing the advocacy event after 3 long years because of the limited resources we have. I mean, think the 40,000+ users we have on this forum. If each one of us members donated $1, it would have pretty much covered the advocacy day costs. Instead, I read that we could collect only $20,000 for this event (even after most of people paid $50 at a minimum!).
I am not a donor on this forum yet, but I would like to be one just to support the activities of IV. I am more than convinced that the money I will spend will be put to good use for the good of this community. Mind you, many of the IV advocacy day volunteers had already received their green cards, yet they are fighting for me and you. What good would it be if we still continue to sit on the side and not support such wholesome activities made by these sincere guys? Hats off to IV (and the leaders of IV) for providing us with a great platform and opportunities to make an impact and make out issues heard by the lawmakers.
So, I request you all to take some action to help IV and help yourself, in turn. If you have any misgivings, by all means direct questions to any of the IV leaders and I am sure they can provide answers..
Lastly, I really liked the "passion" part of logiclife's message very much and would like to end with a quote about passion:
"Swami Vivekananda said, "Give me men of passion." Passion means a passionate nature, that if I do this, I must do it perfectly. I must do it as well as I can. I must do it now. And promises do not constitute work. He who wants to give must give now."
Be Unreasonable & a cause of progress, not just a beneficiary.
Hello everyone,
I will explain the title of this thread in a minute (the unreasonable part) but before that I would like to share my experience in DC last week during, before and after lobby days.
A few weeks ago, when Aman called me to join him in lobby days, just like many others, I was having a difficult time scheduling vacation days off from work. I somehow convinced my boss to let me take those days off and finish the work in the weekend prior to June.
The Airport pickup:
When I reached the Airport, Aman and Pratik were there to pick me up. And this is where it got funny and really hilarious. The car was a compact rental car and it was full of printers, laptops and folders -- all in preparation of lobby day. There was barely enough place to sit in the car. After shutting all the doors tight (we really had to compress the luggage and force the door shut) we started driving towards the hotel. And the dome light would not shut off. So everyone outside can see a car full of luggage, printers and people packed like a can of sardines. Fortunately Aman knew the way to the Hotel and we could go there without having to stop for directions.
Preparation and training on Sunday:
Sunday was hectic, busy, tiring and very very interesting. I met a lot of new people on Sunday who had come to DC for the first time. And it felt really really good to reconnect with people who we had met earlier in 2007 rally in DC and the earlier rally in San Jose in July. Just felt like I had met my friends from college with whom I spend 4 years. The kind of relationship and chemistry that we have is impossible to describe in words. Crisis and calamity have a way of creating bonds that last a lifetime. We all may get green-cards in next 1 year or maybe 10 years. But I will remember the people I met in DC twice and in San Jose for the rest of my life. And I am sure others feel the same way. These are the people who were sitting on the laptop scheduling lawmaker meetings and connecting members to appointments till 4:00 AM on Monday morning and then back to work by 8:00 AM. We ate whatever was ordered or whatever we found in the hotel. There were people printing business cards in one corner. Others were printing the drop-off material for lawmakers, preparing neat folders for meetings. There was training and mock-meetings going on in another corner for people who had never been to the Capitol Hill before. There was so much purpose and so much goal-oriented motivation in the room, I felt really glad to have not missed this even one out of 3 times we done this both in DC and in San Jose.
The next two days:
Over the next two days, I went to about 7 meetings in the House and Senate side and had very very interesting experiences, mostly positive. I cannot share the details of the response for each office as this is a public forum, but I can tell you that having been to DC about 6 times now since 2006, there are Hill Staffers who know many of us and even remember our names. Our conversations do not begin with introductions, but where we left off in our last meeting. More than 60-70% of the offices of Congressmen and Senators know about Immigration Voice and know about the issue. Some offices may have newer staff and not know, and that's where education helps.
Every single day consisted of going to the Hill from the situation room, (I mostly took a cab, I am lazy that way even if its only 4 blocks), coming back, getting some work done, going back to the Hill, accompanying someone if they are alone in the meetings (it helps to have 2 or more IV members go to a meeting). We worked till 11 PM mostly, and got about 4-5 hours of sleep each night. And that is true for everyone who was there. EVERY SINGLE one. Walking between the office buildings (and they are big) and walking a few times back to the Hotel also made some of us realize (like me) that how out of shape we are physically :):)
And now to the UNreasonables:
Every single person who came to DC this time or the time before, or who came to San Jose rally has been told by friends, family and colleagues "Why are you going to DC, let others go, take care of yourself, all problems get fixed eventually, Congress will take care of it".
They sound very reasonable or try to convince you that they are the reasonable ones and you are being unreasonable by going to the Capitol and working on your cause.
The truth is...yes, we may be. But we are the ones who will eventually make a difference. If you read the quote from George Bernard Shaw, you will realize that the reasonable men and women will sit around and talk about us, save their time for family and leisure and comply themselves to the system. They will comply themselves to a system that keeps in hanging without a green card for 20 years. They will never be capable of ushering progress.
The unreasonable ones, the ones like us, who contribute to this cause in various forms, are the gifted ones. We are the lucky ones. For we have the wisdom and the strength to do the unreasonable and get the world to comply to our point of view.
And flower campaign, the DC rally -- that got bulletin reversed in 2007,
the popularity of removing per-country ceilings in the offices that exist today and didnt exist before --
All this a work of men and women like us who are unreasonably resilient, who will not listen to the advise of reasonable men who sit on the sidelines and refresh the Visa Bulletin page every first friday of every month 20 times a day.
But to those who get it...I have one more quote for you, a final one, I promise:
I wish the problem of greencard backlogs get cleared soon, but if it doesnt, I will do this a 100 times again and with same or more passion, determination and purpose. Our energy and determination would outlast and outlive the intertia of Congress.
I had the good fortune of attending the IV Advocacy days (albeit only for one day) in DC and walking side by side with great people such as logiclife, Aman etc. and experiencing the amazing feat performed by most of the members (naming a few, please feel free to add more...):
Contacting the lawmakers, confirming appointments.
Being cheerful, yet completely focussed on the task at hand.
Being mindful of what to mention to the lawmakers or their representatives.
All this was accomplished with the limited resources that IV has in terms of volunteer and monetary support. I, like many of the people here, was skeptical of how IV spends the money that is being donated by many donors we see on this forum. It was an eye opener to me when heard that we are doing the advocacy event after 3 long years because of the limited resources we have. I mean, think the 40,000+ users we have on this forum. If each one of us members donated $1, it would have pretty much covered the advocacy day costs. Instead, I read that we could collect only $20,000 for this event (even after most of people paid $50 at a minimum!).
I am not a donor on this forum yet, but I would like to be one just to support the activities of IV. I am more than convinced that the money I will spend will be put to good use for the good of this community. Mind you, many of the IV advocacy day volunteers had already received their green cards, yet they are fighting for me and you. What good would it be if we still continue to sit on the side and not support such wholesome activities made by these sincere guys? Hats off to IV (and the leaders of IV) for providing us with a great platform and opportunities to make an impact and make out issues heard by the lawmakers.
So, I request you all to take some action to help IV and help yourself, in turn. If you have any misgivings, by all means direct questions to any of the IV leaders and I am sure they can provide answers..
Lastly, I really liked the "passion" part of logiclife's message very much and would like to end with a quote about passion:
"Swami Vivekananda said, "Give me men of passion." Passion means a passionate nature, that if I do this, I must do it perfectly. I must do it as well as I can. I must do it now. And promises do not constitute work. He who wants to give must give now."
Be Unreasonable & a cause of progress, not just a beneficiary.
Hello everyone,
I will explain the title of this thread in a minute (the unreasonable part) but before that I would like to share my experience in DC last week during, before and after lobby days.
A few weeks ago, when Aman called me to join him in lobby days, just like many others, I was having a difficult time scheduling vacation days off from work. I somehow convinced my boss to let me take those days off and finish the work in the weekend prior to June.
The Airport pickup:
When I reached the Airport, Aman and Pratik were there to pick me up. And this is where it got funny and really hilarious. The car was a compact rental car and it was full of printers, laptops and folders -- all in preparation of lobby day. There was barely enough place to sit in the car. After shutting all the doors tight (we really had to compress the luggage and force the door shut) we started driving towards the hotel. And the dome light would not shut off. So everyone outside can see a car full of luggage, printers and people packed like a can of sardines. Fortunately Aman knew the way to the Hotel and we could go there without having to stop for directions.
Preparation and training on Sunday:
Sunday was hectic, busy, tiring and very very interesting. I met a lot of new people on Sunday who had come to DC for the first time. And it felt really really good to reconnect with people who we had met earlier in 2007 rally in DC and the earlier rally in San Jose in July. Just felt like I had met my friends from college with whom I spend 4 years. The kind of relationship and chemistry that we have is impossible to describe in words. Crisis and calamity have a way of creating bonds that last a lifetime. We all may get green-cards in next 1 year or maybe 10 years. But I will remember the people I met in DC twice and in San Jose for the rest of my life. And I am sure others feel the same way. These are the people who were sitting on the laptop scheduling lawmaker meetings and connecting members to appointments till 4:00 AM on Monday morning and then back to work by 8:00 AM. We ate whatever was ordered or whatever we found in the hotel. There were people printing business cards in one corner. Others were printing the drop-off material for lawmakers, preparing neat folders for meetings. There was training and mock-meetings going on in another corner for people who had never been to the Capitol Hill before. There was so much purpose and so much goal-oriented motivation in the room, I felt really glad to have not missed this even one out of 3 times we done this both in DC and in San Jose.
The next two days:
Over the next two days, I went to about 7 meetings in the House and Senate side and had very very interesting experiences, mostly positive. I cannot share the details of the response for each office as this is a public forum, but I can tell you that having been to DC about 6 times now since 2006, there are Hill Staffers who know many of us and even remember our names. Our conversations do not begin with introductions, but where we left off in our last meeting. More than 60-70% of the offices of Congressmen and Senators know about Immigration Voice and know about the issue. Some offices may have newer staff and not know, and that's where education helps.
Every single day consisted of going to the Hill from the situation room, (I mostly took a cab, I am lazy that way even if its only 4 blocks), coming back, getting some work done, going back to the Hill, accompanying someone if they are alone in the meetings (it helps to have 2 or more IV members go to a meeting). We worked till 11 PM mostly, and got about 4-5 hours of sleep each night. And that is true for everyone who was there. EVERY SINGLE one. Walking between the office buildings (and they are big) and walking a few times back to the Hotel also made some of us realize (like me) that how out of shape we are physically :):)
And now to the UNreasonables:
Every single person who came to DC this time or the time before, or who came to San Jose rally has been told by friends, family and colleagues "Why are you going to DC, let others go, take care of yourself, all problems get fixed eventually, Congress will take care of it".
They sound very reasonable or try to convince you that they are the reasonable ones and you are being unreasonable by going to the Capitol and working on your cause.
The truth is...yes, we may be. But we are the ones who will eventually make a difference. If you read the quote from George Bernard Shaw, you will realize that the reasonable men and women will sit around and talk about us, save their time for family and leisure and comply themselves to the system. They will comply themselves to a system that keeps in hanging without a green card for 20 years. They will never be capable of ushering progress.
The unreasonable ones, the ones like us, who contribute to this cause in various forms, are the gifted ones. We are the lucky ones. For we have the wisdom and the strength to do the unreasonable and get the world to comply to our point of view.
And flower campaign, the DC rally -- that got bulletin reversed in 2007,
the popularity of removing per-country ceilings in the offices that exist today and didnt exist before --
All this a work of men and women like us who are unreasonably resilient, who will not listen to the advise of reasonable men who sit on the sidelines and refresh the Visa Bulletin page every first friday of every month 20 times a day.
But to those who get it...I have one more quote for you, a final one, I promise:
I wish the problem of greencard backlogs get cleared soon, but if it doesnt, I will do this a 100 times again and with same or more passion, determination and purpose. Our energy and determination would outlast and outlive the intertia of Congress.
ksam75
07-17 07:01 PM
You guys are awesome. This is a great victory !!
