A word or two about my intervention for AZLD4
Last edited Sun Sep 19, 2021, 04:05 AM - Edit history (1)
First of all, thanks to all for the kind words. Many of them were undeserved, I fear. I'm no hero. I saw a situation that struck home (married to a woman from another country who has been harassed in the past by US immigration), and couldn't stay silent.
I've known Mark Kelly and Gabby Giffords for over ten years, and figured a phone call couldn't make matters any worse. Senators are bombarded with legitimate requests, such as that of AZLD4, but also by requests to make tickets for running a stop sign go away. They have staff who fields inquiries from the public, and they are the ones who filter what goes up the chain, and what doesn't. Often they make the wrong choice. There are professional whiners out there who are skilled in making their traffic violations seem like unjustly handed out death sentences, and congressional staffers sometimes lose their patience, their cool, and their capacity for weeding out the serious pleas for help from the professional whiners.
I've known plenty of U.S. Senators. Some are complete phonies, some are assholes, and some are genuinely good people. Mark Kelly happens to be among the latter. I knew he could never have been made aware of AZLZ4's case by his staff, because he never would have ignored it. Proof: once he was made aware of it (that's where I came in), he didn't ignore it. He moved it to the front burner, and one of his best people (I happen to know him slightly as well) is on it and giving us both updates--even gave AZLD4 his cell phone! Mark called me Friday and we spent 20 minutes on the phone discussing the case, which he has thoroughly researched. Obviously, a Senator can't do this for every constituent with a problem, even one this severe. This is as much a favor to me as it is to a constituent in need, and I'm very appreciative of it. As a Texan living in Germany, it's not like there are a lot of favors I could return to him in Arizona. It's just the right thing to do, and Mark is the kind of man who WANTS to do the right thing.
The sobering truth is that all I did is get a ball rolling, and there are no guarantees there will be a happy ending. There are some hoops to jump through, some obstacles to overcome, and a few things will just have to fall into place that might not. As a veteran of bureaucratic wars, I have already warned AZLD4 that when dealing with bureaucrats, the ones most deserving of your anger and scorn are often the ones who can do you the most harm if you show it. "Telling it like it is" isn't always the best way to get somewhere when there is a jerk with a "REJECTED" stamp standing in your way in the middle of the road.
So, this story is far from over. Things are now moving in a positive direction--that is the major change to where things stood five days ago. I almost never use personal connections like this. At this level, they are SO easy to abuse, and all members of Congress (not to mention the White House) have finely tuned antennae set to detect this. This was an exception because this IS an exceptional case, and luckily, Mark saw it my way.
Maybe it will work out. We have to be prepared for the eventuality that, despite all efforts, maybe it won't. Murphy's law hasn't been repealed yet, don't forget. It was certainly no big sacrifice on my part to make some phone calls to people I knew would take them, and send some emails to people I knew would read them. The one thing we all now have that we didn't have before is hope. Before, AZLD4 had no reason to hope for an improvement in his dilemma. Now, he does. Some powerful people in a position to set things in motion are now doing just that.
Until something really happens, though, all I can take credit for at this point is some hope. It's not much, and AZLD4's wife is not one millimeter closer to Arizona than she was a week ago. The difference is that now there is reason to hope that she soon will be. If that lifts some weight from a few shoulders, that is the best I can take credit for until someone is on a plane for Phoenix. It will have to do. It's a start, anyway.
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You do deserve every plaudit and praise that showed up tonight! People as good as you don't come along every day, and they are always a treasure.
I posted a photo of you and Lionel Mandrake and the lady from Nikon, and I trust that that was OK.
I am very hopeful that this story will end well, with AZLD4's wife reunited with him.
I've thought so for many years. You just keep proving me....and everyone here...that we're right about you!
Thank you for reaching out to a person in pain. 
DU is an amazing and unpredictable place sometimes. I hope, and am putting out vibes, that everything goes well with this. Fingers crossed. Thanks for sharing everyone!
there is now at least a glimmer of hope this week.
AZLD4 was as disheartened as a human being can be, and he poured his heart out last week to share that pain, and hopefully lessen that burden.
Out of all our DU members there was but one who could actually do something to help, and that was you, DFW. You didn't have to help, but you did, and for that you deserve a round of applause.
Helping each other: that's what separates Democrats from Republicans.
Mark Kelly. Though honestly, I'd have been shocked if Kelly and Gabby Giffords were not actually among the most sincere and dedicated public servants, generally wonderful people, and even more impressive couple. I could not imagine my instincts being THAT far off.
Best of luck to all involved. With so much to be angry about or sad about lately, it is just reassuring to see some trying to make a positive difference. 
you were confident would see it the way that you did, who was in a position to make a difference, and who you knew would want to make a difference once this injustice was called to his attention. You never burden the political figures you know with personal requests for favors, and they know this about you and respect you for that. Therefore they are open to hearing from you about an issue like this. You earned that trust DFW, that's why you were able to possibly make a difference here. It is because of who you are, and that your care is genuine.
Someone gave you (and Mark and Gabby) a strong and solid base of rocks as a foundation for your moral home.
Eres un galán.
I feel like your my BROTHER. I'm so proud to be a member of a group of people that YOU are involved with! THIS is what America is all about! Just want to THANK YOU for what you did. I know this is not over by any means BUT you gave LIFE to this family. (AZLD4 and wife!) God bless you! 
left in the world and you DFW are proof of that. Mark Kelly and his staff are right up there with you. Good people will prevail.
Like the push that gets the stalled car back on the road.
You could have ignored Someone Else's Problem; you didn't. That is praiseworthy.
Sometimes, even the simplest gesture can eventually move a mountain.
You're a good person DFW. Thanks to you AZLD4 and his wife have a chance now which is more than they had a week ago. I'm relieved that Sen. Kelly will try to help them after all and it was just a matter of him not being informed about the call. It didn't seem right that he wouldn't want to help but I no reason to doubt what AZLD4 said.
who have not been there for ages and “have see it all.”. Thus, offer a fresh look.
Thank you for injecting your fresh look.
but I'm confident you enrich the lives of everyone fortunate enough to make your acquaintance.
talking about,or referring to, sure would help. Did I mention that I loved you 