Official Immigration Begins:
Tomorrow, the 24th of February of 2006, I will be making the first official steps towards immigrating to Canada. My goal of doing so has been around for years, as most of you know. By filing paperwork (and the first payment), the process will begin in the eyes of the establishment, and of all others who believe Canada is just a threat of ours on our disgust with the current state of affairs in the United States.
I wrote in here, shortly after the election in 2004, how I was no longer going to accept myself as an American. In the very beginning of the Declaration of Independence, it states: “When in the Course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.”
I, therefore, gladly declare the causes to our separation from this country:
The great corruption and the underlying policy of corporate rule for the rich few, and equal substandard care for the many poor. Including, but not limited to, the health care organizations and lobbyist control therein, providing increasingly lackluster health care with increasing costs going only to line the pockets of the wealthy politicians. The wartime corporations, such as Halliburton, GE, Lockheed Martin, who all focus on simply keeping the investors happy, no matter the human costs in times of war. Wal-Mart, and like corporations, who regularly break the laws of this nation with regards to their workers all under the guise of bringing goods to the consumers at a slightly cheaper rate, while pillaging and raping the good Earth around them.
The military wing of the United States, who mostly focus their recruiting efforts on the poor under the pretense of caring for their education, when in reality they only want another body to block the bullets from hitting those looting and pillaging the war torn countries they are stationed in. Supporting any war as they know it'll mean big money for themselves, while accepting the giant cuts that are necessary to health care, education, and many other areas, thus creating a viscous circle (creating more poor to prey on to sign up).
The current administration, for its many, many lies, deaths, and the general destruction and degradation of the country from the inside, from botching disasters to ignoring terrorists to reversing direction on everything this country stands for.
The good majority of Democrats and officials in power claiming to be 'liberal' and being anything but - never even attempting to push same sex marriage, socialized health care, removal of the death penalty, etc., but instead constantly losing elections (or barely holding power) by following their consultants to be 'republican lite' or 'more centrist'
The state of Virginia for failing to recognize any contract between myself and Anthony because of our sexual orientation, for failing to allow legal ramifications for losing his job due to sexual orientation, for failing in general to witness us as two humans who wish to join each other as one in the eyes of the state.
The apathetic population of the country, those who failed to see the disaster of Katrina as a nationwide failure of government, those who failed to see the Iraq war as a nationwide failure of government, those who failed to see the 2004 elections as a nationwide failure of government, those who failed to see how near each and every aspect of this administration serves only itself for benefit, at the cost of these same people. Those who refuse to fight and instead believe there is nothing they can do anyways. I will continue to voice my beliefs and fight as is possible (as still being an American citizen, I will still have the right to vote), but in the current state I no longer feel free as an American citizen.
(While there are many others I could list, for the sake of the reader I'll stop here.)
I am greatly aware that Canada will still have corruption, scandal, political garbage, corporations, apathy, etc. This is something I must accept and try to change from within, as it simply wouldn't be viable to emigrate to say Sweden or somewhere similar. I understand all countries have corruption and problems, but I also understand that I cannot stand idly by and continue to live in the United States while being treated as such. I will not stand for the current illegalities, the current barbarism, the current inaction to recognize myself as no different from a heterosexual, etc.
Most of you are true patriots, and will continue to stick with the country through thick and thin, and I applaud your efforts and your will. Also, do not be saddened by my departure from our mother soil - I look at this forward step as something that hasn't occurred since my great grandfather, Timothy O'Leary, left Ireland around the time of the Famine in search of a better life for himself and his future family and relatives. Very few of us get to experience the joy, the excitement, the fears, the expectations of emigrating from your home to a foreign country, and it is with this, I know how they felt (granted, extremely different circumstances and such). I am excited to expand my horizons, and for these reasons we should all be happy. Because the more we learn about the world at large, the better we can unite as one people, from one Earth, and move forward together. I thank you for reading this, and I'll be sure to keep you updated as our journey progresses!
-m.
I wrote in here, shortly after the election in 2004, how I was no longer going to accept myself as an American. In the very beginning of the Declaration of Independence, it states: “When in the Course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.”
I, therefore, gladly declare the causes to our separation from this country:
The great corruption and the underlying policy of corporate rule for the rich few, and equal substandard care for the many poor. Including, but not limited to, the health care organizations and lobbyist control therein, providing increasingly lackluster health care with increasing costs going only to line the pockets of the wealthy politicians. The wartime corporations, such as Halliburton, GE, Lockheed Martin, who all focus on simply keeping the investors happy, no matter the human costs in times of war. Wal-Mart, and like corporations, who regularly break the laws of this nation with regards to their workers all under the guise of bringing goods to the consumers at a slightly cheaper rate, while pillaging and raping the good Earth around them.
The military wing of the United States, who mostly focus their recruiting efforts on the poor under the pretense of caring for their education, when in reality they only want another body to block the bullets from hitting those looting and pillaging the war torn countries they are stationed in. Supporting any war as they know it'll mean big money for themselves, while accepting the giant cuts that are necessary to health care, education, and many other areas, thus creating a viscous circle (creating more poor to prey on to sign up).
The current administration, for its many, many lies, deaths, and the general destruction and degradation of the country from the inside, from botching disasters to ignoring terrorists to reversing direction on everything this country stands for.
The good majority of Democrats and officials in power claiming to be 'liberal' and being anything but - never even attempting to push same sex marriage, socialized health care, removal of the death penalty, etc., but instead constantly losing elections (or barely holding power) by following their consultants to be 'republican lite' or 'more centrist'
The state of Virginia for failing to recognize any contract between myself and Anthony because of our sexual orientation, for failing to allow legal ramifications for losing his job due to sexual orientation, for failing in general to witness us as two humans who wish to join each other as one in the eyes of the state.
The apathetic population of the country, those who failed to see the disaster of Katrina as a nationwide failure of government, those who failed to see the Iraq war as a nationwide failure of government, those who failed to see the 2004 elections as a nationwide failure of government, those who failed to see how near each and every aspect of this administration serves only itself for benefit, at the cost of these same people. Those who refuse to fight and instead believe there is nothing they can do anyways. I will continue to voice my beliefs and fight as is possible (as still being an American citizen, I will still have the right to vote), but in the current state I no longer feel free as an American citizen.
(While there are many others I could list, for the sake of the reader I'll stop here.)
I am greatly aware that Canada will still have corruption, scandal, political garbage, corporations, apathy, etc. This is something I must accept and try to change from within, as it simply wouldn't be viable to emigrate to say Sweden or somewhere similar. I understand all countries have corruption and problems, but I also understand that I cannot stand idly by and continue to live in the United States while being treated as such. I will not stand for the current illegalities, the current barbarism, the current inaction to recognize myself as no different from a heterosexual, etc.
Most of you are true patriots, and will continue to stick with the country through thick and thin, and I applaud your efforts and your will. Also, do not be saddened by my departure from our mother soil - I look at this forward step as something that hasn't occurred since my great grandfather, Timothy O'Leary, left Ireland around the time of the Famine in search of a better life for himself and his future family and relatives. Very few of us get to experience the joy, the excitement, the fears, the expectations of emigrating from your home to a foreign country, and it is with this, I know how they felt (granted, extremely different circumstances and such). I am excited to expand my horizons, and for these reasons we should all be happy. Because the more we learn about the world at large, the better we can unite as one people, from one Earth, and move forward together. I thank you for reading this, and I'll be sure to keep you updated as our journey progresses!
-m.