busker

Gormleygate

- out by June 18 -

Even as I mourn and spit agreement with Steven Gardner's incisive Tech-Levy Comment on the lamentable Luddite victory, Mr. Gardner remembers my interest and kindly sends me the latest on Carol and Michael Gormley's gruelling fight to stay in this country on literally life-saving humanitarian grounds.

Heart-breakingly, the asylum request has been rejected and Michael has received his almost certain death sentence, to be out of the country by June 18. Black Saturday, indeed.

What can one say, when so many people have made such an effort to get the message through the fog of bureaucracy and clogging red tape - even up to the Ninth Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals?

Unfortunately, the financial aspect cuts no ice with American law: Michael may lack insurance back in South Africa, and hence the means to fill the 13 prescriptions for his heart condition, but that's neither here nor there with the Immigration types who simply counter that the medicine *is* available there, as is financial aid for those who need it.

We may have bungled the Levy, but Islanders did get it right with the Gormleys, rallying to their side. A particular salute to firebrand Sue Wilmot who's kept me in touch with this dark farce and whose comment in the Islander will resound with all of us:

"I am just stunned that our government could send these people back. "It's just so ridiculous."