ClydeR
05-26-2009, 02:13 PM
It was, simply put, the most stunning abdication since King Edward VIII in 1936 gave up the British throne for Wallis Simpson, the twice-divorced American socialite.
Only two weeks after being elected to serve his fourth term, Mayor J.W. Lown of San Angelo submitted his resignation letter Tuesday from an undisclosed location in Mexico.
No, being mayor of San Angelo is not exactly the same as being the King of the United Kingdom and Emperor of India, but the reason for Lown’s abdication is the same as Edward’s.
Love.
What made it stunning wasn’t the status of Lown’s office, which pays $600 a year, but the status of his lover.
Lown fell for an illegal Mexican immigrant.
A man.
More... (http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/hotstories/6436282.html)
Lown did not give the name of his lover, but said he planned to stay in Mexico to try to obtain a visa so that his partner can return with him if “the people of San Angelo will welcome me back.”
It could be a long wait. According to former Houston city councilman Gordon Quan, an immigration lawyer, Lown’s partner faces two problems in seeking a visa that would permit residency in the U.S.
One involves restrictions caused by his having been in the United States illegally. If he had a student visa and overstayed it more than six months but less than a year, he is not eligible for a visa for three years. If it was more than a year, he must wait 10 years, even for a tourist visa.
The other problem, said Quan, is that he would require a blood relative or a spouse to sponsor him.
And it wouldn’t matter if Lown went to Iowa and married his partner by proxy. The federal government doesn’t recognize same-sex marriages for immigration purposes.
King Edward, who became Prince Edward, lived the remainder of his life in exile. Lown may face the same fate if he stays with his partner.
For some this will be a story of sinful deviance.
Some will sigh at the power of love.
Well I'm one of those who believes it was sinful deviance. Good riddance, at least until Texas secedes. Then he might be able to return because there won't be any more federal laws.
Can you imagine the public outcry if this were more widely known? If the mayor of a large city or the governor of a state -- like Texas -- were discovered to be carrying on a homosexual affair with an illegal immigrant, it'd be on the news 24/7. Fortunately, that will never happen with Governor Perry in Texas.
Only two weeks after being elected to serve his fourth term, Mayor J.W. Lown of San Angelo submitted his resignation letter Tuesday from an undisclosed location in Mexico.
No, being mayor of San Angelo is not exactly the same as being the King of the United Kingdom and Emperor of India, but the reason for Lown’s abdication is the same as Edward’s.
Love.
What made it stunning wasn’t the status of Lown’s office, which pays $600 a year, but the status of his lover.
Lown fell for an illegal Mexican immigrant.
A man.
More... (http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/hotstories/6436282.html)
Lown did not give the name of his lover, but said he planned to stay in Mexico to try to obtain a visa so that his partner can return with him if “the people of San Angelo will welcome me back.”
It could be a long wait. According to former Houston city councilman Gordon Quan, an immigration lawyer, Lown’s partner faces two problems in seeking a visa that would permit residency in the U.S.
One involves restrictions caused by his having been in the United States illegally. If he had a student visa and overstayed it more than six months but less than a year, he is not eligible for a visa for three years. If it was more than a year, he must wait 10 years, even for a tourist visa.
The other problem, said Quan, is that he would require a blood relative or a spouse to sponsor him.
And it wouldn’t matter if Lown went to Iowa and married his partner by proxy. The federal government doesn’t recognize same-sex marriages for immigration purposes.
King Edward, who became Prince Edward, lived the remainder of his life in exile. Lown may face the same fate if he stays with his partner.
For some this will be a story of sinful deviance.
Some will sigh at the power of love.
Well I'm one of those who believes it was sinful deviance. Good riddance, at least until Texas secedes. Then he might be able to return because there won't be any more federal laws.
Can you imagine the public outcry if this were more widely known? If the mayor of a large city or the governor of a state -- like Texas -- were discovered to be carrying on a homosexual affair with an illegal immigrant, it'd be on the news 24/7. Fortunately, that will never happen with Governor Perry in Texas.